标题: Issue 28, 求批改，一周考，愈发紧张，写不完 [打印本页] 作者: zhanghaolin 时间: 2012-11-12 12:04 标题: Issue 28, 求批改，一周考，愈发紧张，写不完 Issue 28. The surest indicator of a great nation is represented not by the achievements of its rulers, artists, or scientists, but by the general welfare of its people.
Since seventeenth century, when national states, instead of empires, became the main characters in the international arena, the topic about the national power and national achievement has been the focus of attention among scholars and thinkers. People not only discuss how to build a wealthy and powerful country but also argue which factors should become the criterions to judge the achievements of a country. Many people believe that the achievements of a small group of elites, such as statesmen, scientists or artists, represent the greatness of a country. However, as the development of the world, more and more people realize that general welfare of its people reflects the achievements of a country. In my point of view, the criterions to judge the greatness the country are complex and various, which means that single one can hardly shows the all aspects of the country. However, in all criterions, the general welfare of people is more important than others.
Apparently, if the living level of people cannot be improved during the development, the country can hardly be cited as a great one. A society with wealthy citizens, freedom and democracy, open-mindness is always the cradle of the great people. From history we know this opinion has been proved again and again. For supporting example, one should look no further than the Great Britain and Russia in nineteenth century. There appeared great thinkers, painters, writers and scientists in both countries; however, comparing to Great Britain, the living standard of the common people in Russia is much lower than in Britain. Let alone the serfdom system, which has already been weeded out to the dustbin of the history, those great people which grand achievements, were often from noble families. Automatically, the achievements of art, science, technology and politics had declined accompanying with the decline of the noble system all around the world. So, since the common people are cradles of the great ones, the high level of general welfare of people is the really guarantee of the powerfulness and prosperousness of a country.
Even though I emphasize the importance of the general welfare of people, I do not refuse to concede the contributions of the great people to their countries. The achievement of artists, statesmen or scientists can inspire the sense of national pride and improve the strength of the country in a large extent. However, we cannot forget that there were also great scientists and artists in Nazi Germany and Communism Soviet Union. The guarantees of their achievements were at the cost of the general welfare of common people. Even though their achievements are great and shiny on the personal level, such cost for a country can hardly be lasting. Both of the two nations had no domestic political environment and spent huge amount of money on war or preparing the war. Finally, such actions leaded to the crash of the whole nations and the cultivation of the great people could be no longer possible.
In summary, one should combine the factors of the general welfare of people and the achievements of the great people in judging the greatness of a country. The history tells us that wealthy common people can always breed great people and great countries, but in reverse, a small group of elites cannot guarantee the wealth of common people and powerfulness of the country.