论法的精神 （专制政体的教育）

Of Education in a Despotic Government.

As education in monarchies tends to raise and ennoble the mind, in despotic governments its only aim is to debase it. Here it must necessarily be servile; even in power such an education will be an advantage, because every tyrant is at the same time a slave.

君主政体的教育是为了提高人们的心志，而专制国家的教育则致力于衰弱平民的心志。这就注定专制国家的教育必然是奴役性的。甚至对于权贵之人，奴隶性的教育也具有益处，因为专制君主也曾是奴隶。

Excessive obedience supposes ignorance in the person that obeys: the same it supposes in him that commands, for he has no occasion to deliberate, to doubt, to reason; he has only to will.

绝对的服从便意味着服从者是愚呆的，甚至发出命令的人也是愚呆的，因为他们不思索、不怀疑、不推理，仅仅只需要表达一下自己的意愿。

In despotic states, each house is a separate government. As education, therefore, consists chieflv in social converse, it must be here very much limited; all it does is to strike the heart with fear, and to imprint on the understanding a very simple notion of a few principles of religion. Learning here proves dangerous, emulation fatal; and as to virtue, Aristotle cannot think that there is any one virtue belonging to slaves; if so, education in despotic countries is confined within a very narrow compass.

在专制国家里，每一个家庭就是一个独立王国。其教育主要是教导人们如何与别人相处，因此其范畴是非常狭窄的；它让人们的心中充满畏惧，把某些极其简单的宗教原则和知识灌输进人们的思想。在那里，求知会招致危险，竞争会酿成祸害；至于道德，亚里士多德并不认为还有什么品德属于奴隶。这正是这种政体的教育范畴极为狭窄之所在。

Here, therefore, education is in some measure needless: to give something, one must take away everything, and begin with making a bad subject in order to make a good slave.

因此，在一定程度上，专制政体的教育就是强加一些不必要的事情，洗去其他所有的想法，把人变得愚呆，最终成为一个合格的奴隶。

For why should education take pains in forming a good citizen, only to make him share in the public misery? If he loves his country, he will strive to relax the springs of government; if he miscarries he will be undone; if he succeeds, he must expose himself, the prince, and his country to ruin.

Miscarry:失败。

专制政体的教育怎样培养心系民众疾苦的好公民呢?如果这样的公民热爱他的国家的话，他就会致力于减缓政府的原动力。但是一旦失败，他将会一败涂地。即使成功，也将使自己与君主、帝国一同覆灭。