The United Kingdom is a nation with a split personality. We are a country profoundly divided, both economically and politically, into undeniable regional blocks. Last week's election brought this contrast into stark relief: almost the whole of England, save parts of the north-west and north-east, voted for free enterprise; while Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of the north voted for big government. According to the Office for National Statistics, London and the south-east's gross value added is dramatically higher than in areas like Wales. And public spending as a share of gross domestic product in Wales, for example, is almost twice that of London, at roughly 70 per cent. Essentially, most of England is capitalist, while most of the regions are socialist.
英国是一个人格分裂的国家。无论是manbetx20客户端下载 上,还是政治上,我们都四分五裂地归入几个无可否认的地域板块。刚刚结束的这场大选,令这种分裂愈发地触目惊心:几乎整个英格兰(除了西北部和东北部部分地区)都投票支持自由企业;而威尔士、苏格兰、北爱尔兰和部分英格兰北部地区,则都选择拥护“大政府”。根据英国国家统计局(Office for National Statistics)数据,伦敦和英格兰东南部地区的总附加值远远高于威尔士等地。举例而言,威尔士地区公共支出占本地生产总值(GDP)的比例约为70%,几乎是伦敦的两倍。从本质上讲,英格兰大部分地区都信奉资本主义,而其它大部分地区则信奉社会主义。