扒车喵“让美国再次伟大”的口号在美国叫得震天响，但据民调数据，超过一半的美国人对美国是否伟大是持否定态度的，在美版知乎论坛Quora上，美国网友提问道：美国是世界上最伟大的国家吗？这引起各国网友的围观和热议，不少网友对此嗤之以鼻，但也有人十分认同。
问题
欧洲网友Sith的回答
Unfortunately, it never was.
很不幸，它从来都不是。
Here’s a statistic that embarrasses American addicts:
以下是一份让美国的痴迷者感到尴尬的统计数据：
• the United States ranks 49th in the world in adult literacy;
•美国在成人识字率排行榜上排名世界第49位；
• the United States ranks 41st in the world in Pisa mathematics ranking;
•美国在PISA数学排名中排名世界第41位；
• the United States is accused of emitting carbon dioxide by 5% of the world’s population, but it is the third country in the world;
•美国拥有世界5%的人口，但却排放了世界20%的二氧化碳，政客却对第三世界国家横加指责；
• the infant mortality statistics of the United States are shocking: the United States has 6.1 in the 10000 neonatal mortality table, which is the worst among industrialized countries.
•美国的婴儿死亡率统计数据令人震惊：在万名新生儿死亡率表中，美国为6.1，是完成工业化的国家中最糟糕的。
Babies born in the United States are three times more likely to die in infancy than Finland or Japan. For example, Alabama is ridiculously high. If it is a country, its infant mortality rate is worse than Lebanon!
在美国出生的婴儿在婴儿期死亡的可能性是芬兰或日本的三倍，例如，阿拉巴马州就高得离谱，如果它是一个国家，它的婴儿死亡率比黎巴嫩更糟糕！
• according to some surveys, more than half of Americans oppose the theory of evolution, which is popular in the United States;
•根据一些调查，超过一半的美国人反对进化论，这种无知与反智的风气在美国大行其道；
• in most states of the United States, more than half of the population believes that climate change is not caused by human activities;
•在美国大多数州，超过一半的人口认为气候变化不是由人类活动造成的；
• the United States has the largest prison population in the world, with more than 2 million (0.5% of the total population), far worse than India, which ranks second, with 1.6 million people in prison (slightly higher than 0.1% of the population);
•美国是世界上监狱人口最多的国家，超过200万（占总人口的0.5%），远比排名第二的印度糟糕，印度有160万人在狱中（略高于人口的0.1%）；
In addition, due to the serious phenomenon of racial discrimination, the punishment measures for drug users are more biased towards white drug users. Therefore, it is not surprising that the number of blacks in prisons is five times that of whites;
此外，由于种族歧视现象严重，对吸毒者的惩罚措施更偏袒白人吸毒者，因此毫不奇怪，监狱中黑人的数量是白人的5倍；
• in terms of foreign aid, the United States ranks 32nd among 37 OECD countries, accounting for 0.15% of its gross national income. Sweden and Norway topped the list with 1.36% and 1.14% respectively, and Britain ranked sixth with 0.67% of the votes;
•在对外援助方面，美国在37个经合组织（OECD）国家中排名第32位，占其国民总收入的0.15%。瑞典和挪威分别以1.36%和1.14%位居榜首，英国以0.67%的得票率排名第六；
• food quality: the food standard in the United States is the worst among industrialized countries. These meat contain steroids and antibiotics unacceptable to other OECD countries, while the diet in the United States is mainly saturated fat and sugar.
•食品质量：美国的食品标准是工业化国家中最差的，这些肉类含有其他经合组织国家无法接受的类固醇和抗生素，而美国的饮食主要是饱和脂肪和糖。
In the reports of FAO and Oxfam, the United States has done quite well in food reserves (ranking 21st among 125 countries), but in terms of quality and resulting health problems, the United States ranks 120th among 125 countries;
在联合国粮农组织和乐施会的报告中，美国在食品储备方面做得相当好（在125个国家中排名第21位），但在质量和由此产生的健康问题方面，美国在125个国家中排名第120位；
In 2019, the incidence rate of diabetes in the United States was 10.8%, second only to Mexico and Turkey. In addition, 35.9% of the American population was suffering from “clinical obesity” (compared with France’s 12.9%).
•2019年美国的糖尿病发病率为10.8%，仅次于墨西哥和土耳其，此外，35.9%的美国人口患有“临床肥胖症”（而法国为12.9%）；
• the murder rate is the highest in industrialized countries. You don’t know who will suddenly give you a fatal blow on the street;
•谋杀率是工业化国家中最高的，在街上你不知道谁会突然给你致命一击；
• the United States ranked 47th in a recent study of the health status of children and young people in 50 industrialized countries;
•在最近一项对50个工业化国家儿童和年轻人健康状况的研究中，美国排在第47位；
• a study by the national humanities foundation found that 42% of high school students could not name a country in Asia, and some could not even point out the geographical location of the United States;
•国家人文基金会的一项研究发现，有42%的高中生无法说出亚洲的一个国家，有的甚至连美国的地理位置都指不出来；
人均教育经费排名
• according to a report from OECD member countries, the cost of health care in the United States is about twice that of most European countries, but a considerable part of the population can only access basic health care, and “medical bankruptcy” is not uncommon;
•根据经合组织成员国的一份报告，美国的医疗保健成本大约是大多数欧洲国家人均成本的两倍，但相当一部分人口只能获得基本的医疗保健，“医疗破产”现象并不罕见；
• the United States ranks 36th in the world in the construction of water sources and sanitation facilities;
•在水源和卫生设施建设方面，美国排名世界第36位；
• at the OECD, the United States ranks 35th out of 37 countries with income inequality;
•在经合组织，美国在37个收入不平等国家中排名第35位；
• in September 2017, more than one eighth of Americans lived in poverty (40 million, equivalent to 12.7% of the total population), of which nearly half (18.5 million) lived in extreme poverty, and their family income was reported to be less than half of the poverty line.
•2017年9月，超过八分之一的美国人生活在贫困中（4000万，相当于总人口的12.7%），其中近一半（1850万人）生活在极度贫困之中，据报道他们的家庭收入低于贫困线的一半。
Facts have also proved that even the “American Dream” is a bit like a myth. Sociologists and economists call it intergenerational income elasticity… There is a strong correlation between a person’s humble origin and what they can achieve in their later years.
事实也证明，即使是“美国梦”也有点像神话。社会学家和经济学家将其称为代际收入弹性……一个人出身卑微与他们在晚年能取得什么成就之间有着极强的相关性。
I believe that until these problems are solved, the ranking of the United States in every important indicator of what civilization means will continue to decline.
我认为，在解决这些问题之前，美国在衡量文明意味着什么的每一个重要指标上的排名都将继续下滑。
Although I was born and lived in Europe, I still like the United States, but these bright data are very realistic. I don’t think the arrogant United States can go further.
尽管我出生并生活在欧洲，但我依然喜欢美国，但这些明晃晃的数据很现实，我不认为自负猖狂的美国可以走得更远。
德国网友弗朗西斯的回答
Is America really the greatest country in the world?
美国真的是世界上最伟大的国家吗？
If you define “greatness” as the most powerful country in the world, yes, the United States is still the greatest country in the world.
如果你把“伟大”定义为世界上最强大的国家，那么是的，美国仍然是世界上最伟大的国家。
I define greatness as contribution to mankind. In this sense, until the 1970s, the United States was probably the greatest country in the world.
我把伟大定义为对人类的贡献。从这个意义上说，直到20世纪70年代，美国可能还是世界上最伟大的国家。
By my definition, America is not great now.
按照我的定义，现在的美国并不伟大。
The United States still maintains a terrible social system, educational system, concentration camps, the legalization of slaves, international violations of human rights, incitement to countless political unrest and wars, and the brainwashing of the media and propaganda to justify all their criminal acts. The United States has done all these things more than every country and group it accuses.
美国仍然保持着一个可怕的社会制度、教育制度、集中营、奴隶合法化、国际上侵犯人权、煽动无数政治动乱和战争、媒体和宣传的洗脑，为他们的所有罪恶行径辩护，美国做了所有这些事情，比它指责的每一个国家和群体都要多。
The United States is the spokesman of capitalists. For the benefit of the super rich, American politicians sacrificed health care, education system and other social welfare, watching the refugees sleep on the streets and the bottom is in chaos.
美国是资本家的代言人，为了超级富豪的利益，美国政客牺牲了医疗保健、教育体系和其他社会福利，眼睁睁地看着流民露宿街头，底层混乱不堪。
The United States incites political unrest, launches war invasion, supports puppet government, abuses unilateral sanctions and adopts all kinds of despicable means for the political agenda and interests of the super rich.
美国煽动政治动乱、发动战争入侵、支持傀儡政府、滥用单边制裁以及为超级富豪的政治议程和利益而采取各种卑鄙手段。
American citizens deserve much more than they have as the most powerful country in the world. You should have better infrastructure, health care, social welfare and education.
美国公民理应得到比他们作为世界上最强大的国家所拥有的多得多的东西。你应该拥有更好的基础设施、医疗保健、社会福利和教育。
No one denies the wealth that the rich should enjoy, but they should earn capital by providing value to society, not by squeezing labor through modern slavery assisted by power.
没有人否认富人应该享有的财富，但他们应该通过为社会提供价值来赚取资本，而不是通过强权协助的现代奴隶制压榨劳工换来财富。
Whether I look inside or outside, the United States is great only for their billionaires.
不管我从内部还是外部看，美国只为他们的亿万富豪而伟大。
In fact, when the United States no longer works for the progress of mankind and destroys the legitimate rights and interests of other countries in order to seize capital and interests, we are no longer great.
事实上，当美国不再为人类的进步而努力，当美国为攫取资本和利益而破坏他国正当权益时，我们早已不再伟大。
美国网友琼斯的回答
There are many answers, mostly from Europeans, who say no, the United States has long declined – citing a large number of cherry’s selected statistics on our education, gun violence, defense spending or health care.
这里有很多答案，大部分来自欧洲人，他们说不，美国早已衰落——引用了大量切利精选的关于我们的教育、枪支暴力、国防开支或医疗保健的统计数据。
But in fact, the huge defense spending of the United States is to protect the security of these Europeans, all at the expense of our own domestic spending (such as health care and education).
可事实上，美国巨额的国防开支是为了保护这些欧洲人的安全，所有这些都是以牺牲我们自己的国内开支（比如医疗和教育）为代价的。
Therefore, I do not agree with their views. On the contrary, I think they are a little unkind.
因此，我并不认同他们的意见，反而，我觉得他们有些不知好歹。
The fact is that it is difficult to say which country is the greatest country in the world, because there is no objective scale, but if you have to choose one, of course, it is the United States, which is not boasting.
事实是，很难说哪个国家是世界上最伟大的国家，因为不存在一个客观的尺度，可如果一定要选择一个的话，当然是美国，这并不是自吹自擂。
There are three reasons why the United States has become the greatest country in the world.
美国成为世界上最伟大的国家有三个原因。
The geographical location of the United States is so good that it is simply tailored to produce a powerful country. The land occupied by the United States is one of the safest, most fertile and most dynamic land in the world. Countries with such advantages are almost impossible to fail.
美国的地理位置太好了，简直是为产生强国而量身定做的。美国占据的土地是世界上最安全、最肥沃、最有活力的土地之一，拥有这样优势的国家几乎不可能失败。
There is a long chain of the world’s longest barrier islands on the east coast of the United States, extending from New England to Texas. These islands provide sufficient protection for military defense and deep-water ports for trade.
美国东海岸有一长串世界上最长的障壁岛，从新英格兰延伸到德克萨斯州，这些岛屿为军事防御提供了充足的保障，也为贸易提供了深水港。
Further inland, the Mississippi river divides the North American continent. The river is long, navigable and usually slow, providing excellent conditions for trade circulation.
在更远的内陆，密西西比河将北美大陆一分为二，这条河很长，可以通航，而且通常流速缓慢，为贸易流通提供了绝佳的条件。
Its basin is just located in the most fertile farmland in the American continent. The United States has the most cultivated land in the world. The Great Lakes facilitate trade with Canada, and the rich freshwater resources enable the rapid development of urban agglomerations.
它的盆地恰好位于美洲大陆最肥沃的农田中，美国是世界上拥有耕地最多的国家，五大湖方便了与加拿大之间的贸易，丰富的淡水资源让城市群迅速发展。
In the East, the Appalachian Mountains are a barrier against ocean invasion. In the west, the same is true of the Sierra Nevada, basins and mountains, and the Rocky Mountains. In the south, the vast desert protects us, while in the north, it is a snowy wasteland called “Canada”.
在东部，阿巴拉契亚山脉是防止海洋入侵的屏障。在西部，内华达山脉、盆地和山脉以及落基山脉也是如此。在南部，广袤的沙漠保护着我们，而在北部，是一片被称为“加拿大”的大雪荒原。
Because of the country’s biodiversity, favorable terrain, climate diversity and huge area, it makes sense for the United States to grow into a leading economic force on earth.
由于该国的生物多样性、有利的地形、气候多样性和巨大的面积，美国成长为地球上的主导经济力量是有道理的。
The United States also has strong private property rights, intellectual property protection and entrepreneurship. The United States is still the most suitable place for entrepreneurship in the world. Therefore, it is not surprising that we continue to attract about 20% of immigrants in the world (about 5% in Germany, the second largest).
美国还有强大的私有产权、知识产权保护和创业精神，美国仍然是世界上最适合创业的地方，因此我们继续吸引世界上约20%的移民（排名第二的德国约有5%）也就不足为奇了。
The status of the United States as an economic power has created the largest tax base in the world, which has been incorporated into the huge military industry system all over the world. It doesn’t matter whether you think it’s a good thing or not. It’s objectively an impressive achievement.
美国作为经济强国的地位创造了世界上规模最大的税基，这个税基已经被纳入了目前遍布全球的庞大军工系统。你是否认为这是件好事无关紧要，这在客观上是一项令人印象深刻的成就。
