胡适留学日记卷十二二〇、论革命

卷十二二〇、论革命

　　（一月卅一日）

　　I do not condemn revolutions, because I believe that they are necessary stages in the process of evolution. But I do not favor premature revolutions, because they are usually wasteful and therefore unfruitful. "When the fruit is ripe, it will fall", says a Chinese proverb. Premature plucking only injures the fruit. It is for this reason that I do not entertain much hope for the revolutions now going on in China, although I have deep sympathy for the revolutionists.

　　Personally I prefer to build from the bottom up. I have come to believe that there is no short-cut to political decency and efficiency. The monarchists have no desire for political decency and efficiency. The revolutionists desire them, but they want to attain them by a short-cut—by a revolution. My personal attitude is: "Come what may, let us educate the people. Let us lay a foundation for our future generations to build upon. "

　　This is necessarily a very slow process, and mankind is impatient! But, so far as I can see, this slow process is the only process: "It is requisite to revolutions as well as to evolutions."

　　To Professor H. S. Williams Jan. 31

　　〔中译〕

　　吾并非指责革命，因为，吾相信，这也是人类进化之一必经阶段。可是，吾不赞成早熟之革命，因为，它通常是徒劳的，因而是一事无成的。中国有句古话，叫做“瓜熟蒂落”。果子还未成熟，即去采摘，只会弄坏果子。基于此理由，吾对当前正在进行的中国之革命，不抱太多的希望。诚然，吾对这些革命者则深表同情。

　　作为个人来说，吾倒宁愿从基础建设起。吾一贯相信，通向开明而有效之政治，无捷径可走。持君主论者并不期望开明而有效之政治。革命论者倒是非常渴望，但是，他们却想走捷径——即通过革命。吾个人之态度则是：“不管怎样，总以教育民众为主。让我们为下一代，打一个扎实之基础。”

　　这是一个极其缓慢之过程，十分必需之过程，可是，人却是最没耐心的！以愚所见，这个缓慢之过程是唯一必需的：“它既是革命之必需，又是人类进化之必需。”

　　致H. S. 维廉斯教授

　　1月31日

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