The Center for Strategic Translation provides statesmen and scholars with the tools needed to interpret the Chinese party-state of today while training a new generation of China specialists with the skills needed to guide our relations with the China of tomorrow.
The Center meets this need through initiatives in translation and education. The Center locates, translates, and annotates documents of historic or strategic value that are currently only available in Chinese. Our introductory essays, glossaries, and commentaries are designed to make these materials accessible and understandable to statesmen and scholars with no special expertise in Chinese politics or the Chinese language.
Complementing the Center’s published translations are the Center’s training seminars. Starting in the summer of 2023 the Center will host a series of seminars to instruct young journalists, graduate students, and government analysts in the open-source analysis of Communist Party policy, introduce them to the distinctive lexicon and history of Party speak, and train them how to draw credible conclusions from conflicting or propagandistic documentary sources.
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Note: The following translation is taken from Politburo Standing Committee member Wang Huning’s 1991 book, America Against America. It is one of several excerpts of this book translated by the Center for Strategic Translation. A general introduction to the book, as well as links to the other excerpts, can be found here.
对任何社会来说，最困难的任务不是商品或产品的再生产，而是制度的再生产。所谓制度的再生产，是指一种特定的社会制度能否在下一代或子子孙孙中生存下去。制度存在最牢固的基础就是社会的认同。新生代是否认同，关系到一定的社会制度能否再生产的问题。制度再生产最重要的机制是社会的教育。社会教育将社会生产的价值观念传播开来，从而提供了制度生存的基本条件。在美国，制度再生产的机制是十分发达的。
总的说来，社会教育系统较为完善，教育经费大概仅次于军费。教育投资是社会进步和全面发展的最重要、最有价值和能得到最大回报的投资。现代化的社会不仅需要现代化的设备，而且需要能创造和掌握这种设备的人。人的现代化是现代化最重要的指标。人的现代化是一个系统的社会工程，必须从小做起。这个艰巨的、代代相继不能停止的工程由谁来做？由社会的教育系统来做。人的一大缺陷是上一代获得的文化知识和伦理道德不能遗传，下一代人必须重新获得。这是教育至关重要的生物学定论。
MIT，即著名的麻省理工学院（The Massachusetts Institute of Technology）。这是旧时的译法，按照现在的译法，应译为，“麻州工艺学院”。麻省理工学院坐落在麻萨诸塞州的剑桥，在波士顿市旁边。 美国政治学会主席路辛·派伊教授接待了我们。他是麻省理工学院政治学系的教授。听起来有点奇怪，理工学院里也有政治学系，正像海军学院有政治学系一样（见第九章第 5 节“美国海军学院”）。麻省理工学院的政治学系是非常强的，路辛·派伊是闻名的政治学者。顺便说一下，从很多场合可以发现，美国政治制度的发展与其政治学的发展是相辅相成的。
麻省理工学院是一所典型的美国式大学。该大学 1861 年成立，1865 年招生。二次世界大战中以及战后，学院得到迅速的发展，这段时期学院的研究结合战争的需要，发展较快。目前共有五个学院：农业与计划学院，人文与社会科学学院、工程学院、管理学院和科学学院。学院以理工科和自然科学为主，但也包罗所有的人文科学和社会科学学科。由于这些学科招生较少，其质量反而更高。麻省理工学院现在大约有一万名学生，其中 4,500 名为本科生，5,000 左右为研究生。学生中工程方面占 50%，科学占 20%。在这所学校里，竞争异常激烈，不是精英的学生进不了这所学校。
这所学校的预算是惊人的。接待我们的教授说，学校每年的预算在十亿美元左右，差不多相当于可口可乐公司一年的纯收入。参加接待的有一位教授是麻省理工学院国际问题研究中心的主任，他说了一番“穷话”：“我们中心每年的预算是很少的，很可怜，不能与学校的其他学院比，我们只有 200 万美元。”200 万美元还算少？这个概念与一个中国教授的概念相去甚远。当然与学院的总预算相比，中心的预算是少的。
美国的大学，尤其是名牌大学，的确富甲天下。也正因为如此，大学才发挥了传播现代化的重要功能。美国的现代化可以说是从它的几千所大学中孕育出来的。年轻一代首先在大学中领略现代化，学习现代化，最主要的是获得“现代化的意识”。一代人如果没有“现代化的意识“，那他们只能享受现代化，而不能创造现代化。大学有足够的经费，使大学成为现代化的实验室，每个进入大学的人，都像掉入了“现代化的染缸”。 于是，从这里出去时，便已具备了不可磨灭的“现代化意识”。这就是高等教育的作用。
高等教育最重要的功能不在于培养出英才，而在于使每一代人（注意，一代人）都具备现代化意识。
这样庞大的开支如何支付呢？谁付钱呢？麻省理工学院是一所私立大学。大半经费来自于外部的赞助和捐赠。这就是我讲过的社会机制的作用。
之所以说麻省理工学院是一所典型的大学，是因为它反映了美国大学的特点。麻省理工学院的教授称自己的学院为“研究大学”（Research University）。何谓“研究大学”？他们解释说，欧洲的大学的传统注重传递知识，而美国的大学注重发现知识，这就是“研究大学”的基本涵义。麻省理工学院主要围绕着这个目标活动。整个学院以实验室为基轴组织起来，有一千多名教授，既教书又做研究，还有一千多人做辅助工作。
为了鼓励创新，他们认为教师与学生之间的关系是合伙人的关系，因此应当建立一种新的相互关系和新的工作方式，与学生共同发展。教育学生不应只重复过去的知识而应当迎接未来。这种精神，是美国精神这棵大树上的一颗果实。很难估计大学对美国的进步起到的作用有多大，因为太大了。大学在一代又一代的青年人中鼓励创新精神，并且尊重创新，实现创新。这是任何社会进步的主要动力。没有这种氛围，社会便难以进步。尤其是教育。
从事教育的人最容易产生的问题就是把教育视为教授自己已经知道而别人不知道的东西，这是很合理的逻辑。不过，人们还可以有更好的逻辑：鼓励发现教育者和被教育者都不知道的东西。可以说，这是人类进步的火车头。
麻省理工学院的教育应该说是成功的：波士顿地区有百分之七十的公司是这个学院的学生开创的，大多数是高技术公司。有四千多人在全球各国的大学中任教。世界各国的人们也慕名而来。在校园中散步时，可以看见绿色的草坪旁矗立着雄伟的建筑，从这些建筑中走出各种肤色的人。亚裔的学生异常之多。这就是知识的力量。麻省理工学院还制定了专门的非种族歧视政策：“麻萨诸塞理工学院接受任何种族、肤色、性别或民族的学生，他们享有学院学生普遍享有的权利、特权和计划。”这也是知识的力量。
麻省理工学院的影响不仅波及美国社会，而且波及整个世界。它不仅在传播知识，而且还在传播“美国精神”。没有高度发达的教育，一个民族不可能影响其他民族，不可能真正立于世界民族之林。教育不象工业、农业、商业，它不能给人们这些活动所能给予的东西，但它能提供任何其他力量无法提供的东西。
当然，美国的大学不是没有问题的，相反，大学问题成灾。但优秀学生仍然脱颖而出。有些教授对未来忧心忡忡。不过，在麻省理工学院这样的大学中，由于竞争激烈，次货上不了柜台。
芝加哥是美国的特大城市之一。我随朋友一起驱车去芝加哥，用了五个小时。 从 80 号高速公路转 55 号高速公路直达芝加哥。55 号公路横穿芝加哥市区。在繁忙的高速公路上，跻身于高速急驶的车队之中，像在纽约一样，令人感到一种现代化特有的节奏，中国人普遍有这样一种感觉，第一次上高速公路，均有一种莫名其妙的紧张感。
中国人和许多发展中国家的人习惯于慢节奏的生活，突然置身于快节奏中，会有一种心理和文化上的不适应，甚至会有生理上的不适应。我称之为“现代化紧张反应”。但在美国要行动，不能不上高速公路，这种强制的交通速度使人很快消除了“现代化紧张反应”。试想一下，没有这种强制，会是什么样的结果呢？
一个民族，作为整体，在现代化过程中是否会有“现代化紧张反应”，有了又会有什么样的后果，怎样来消除一个民族的“现代化紧张反应”，这是发展中国家面临的一个问题。
我们先参观了海洋博物馆。里面像一个海洋世界，有千奇百怪的鱼类和海洋生物。人们在这里可以了解较为完整的海洋生物知识。然后去参观 Field Museum of National History，实际上是一个自然博物馆加历史博物馆，这样的组合在博物馆中尚不多见。一方面有成千上万的动植物标本，另一方面陈列着美国历史和一些外国历史的文物。这个馆陈列的印第安人的文物和历史是较为全面的。大厅里还矗立着几个巨大的图腾柱，大约是南美什么土著的崇拜物。甚至还陈列了中国清朝的一些东西，但为数不多。从自然和社会博物馆的角度讲，可能是世界第一流的。
令人最感兴趣的还不是以上两个地方，而是科学和工业博物馆（Museum of Science and Industry）。这是一座占地面积很大，陈列物品惊人，但免费参观的博物馆。一进大厅，就可以看到儿童和少年多于成年人，这是完全符合这个馆的建馆目标的。其目的就在于使青年一代在科技之炉中冶炼出科技精神和科技兴趣。
这个馆是芝加哥最吸引人的旅游点之一，每年大约有四百万人前来参观。这个馆共有七十五个展览厅，二千多个展览系列，它通过这些系统的展出向观众表明科学原则、技术进步和工业应用。这个馆与其他馆不同，它的设计有了项特殊原则，就是让观众参与。观众可以按电钮、推动杠杆等，从而参与展出，并获得难忘的经历，尤其是对少年儿童来说。有时候，一按电钮，就有人在电话里说话，有时候，一按电钮，就有电视节目；有时候可以操作机床；有时候可以走进巨大的心脏模型中去了解心脏的构造；有时候可以坐进汽车驾驶模拟器去驾驶汽车；有时候又可以走进地下了解地壳构造。如此等等。这个博物馆由居里尤斯·罗森沃德（Julius Rosenwald）创建，1933 年开馆。坐落在美丽的杰克逊湖畔。每天吸引了成千上万的人来到这里。
下面简单罗列一下有关的展览项目，以便把握这座“科技之炉”。这里的展览系列包括:各个时代的飞机、旧时的打字机、新闻、电话电报、农业机械、城市建设、电脑、石油、地层、视听、基础科学、工业、汽车、化学、电影、医疗、自行车、邮电、电能、食品、照相、货币、能源、图书馆、生物、人体科学、铁路、海洋、太阳能等。应有尽有。从古代科学和技术的初步发展，到现代科学技术的最新成就，航天飞机、电脑等，似乎无一遗漏。展览馆还展出了美军在第二次世界大战中缴获的德国潜水艇 U-505。进入这座展览馆，就象进入了科学的殿堂，令人眼花缭乱。这是座真正的“科学之炉”。孩子们由家长带着来到这里，如鱼得水，留连忘返。他们的兴趣被展览馆中各种光能和电能的应用充分调动起来。这些深刻的印象在他们幼小的心灵中将产生何种影响，不难想象。
社会很注重发展整个社会发展和进步所需要的科学和技术。社会发展和进步要想得以顺利实现，首要的就是使年轻一代茁壮成长起来。在这方面，整个社会都不惜花钱，从小学到高中，青少年的学习条件十分优越，故有人称美国是“儿童的天堂”。这套机制是社会持续发展和繁荣的不可忽视的因素，值得研究。在不少社会中，人们的注意力不在人生的早期阶段，而在中期和后期阶段。从个人的生活舒适来说，这是合适的。但对整个社会的进步来说，这是否太迟了呢？
美国虽然是个商品社会，是个金钱至上的社会，然而，在科学和技术教育方面，他们深深懂得怎样花钱才能获得最大的收益。科学和工业博物馆就是一个实例。不少博物馆都是收费的，但科学和工业博物馆是免费的，每天开放，而且博物馆前面巨大的停车场也是免费的。教育也具有这种特征，尽管大学教育所需要的学费是惊人的，但高中以下的教育是免费的。不少地方的人把博物馆也视为一个具有教育功能的机构。在一些非商品化的社会中，各种活动已在走向用金钱标准来计算，而在美国这样一个典型的金钱化的社会中，人们却努力保持一些具有基本教育功能的领域的非商品化，这不仅是一种选择，而且是商品经济下不得不为之的一种政策，要不然这些活动就会被商品经济排挤掉，这一点值得走向商品经济的社会注意。
傍晚时分，登上世界最高的建筑——西尔斯大厦（Sears Tower），遥望远处碧波万顷的湖水，俯瞰近处高低交错的楼宇，更能体会到科学技术创造奇迹的力量。社会的进步需要年轻一代的创新；年轻一代的创新需要他们对已有进步的充分了解，只有这样，他们才能在这个基础上更上一层楼。一个人如果对前人的创造一窍不通，如何能百尺竿头，更进一步呢？如果设计者和建造者从不知道楼为何物，如何能大胆设计呢？正因为有了次高，才有最高，这是一个简单的道理。
社会的一切现代化成就都应充分开放，使社会为宏大的科技之炉，冶炼现代化精神。在一个把现代化成就封闭起来的社会中，最终封闭的是人的精神。
现代化的传递过程，以及教育的功能，在两个层次上再生产一种制度。教育提供了对该制度的价值合理性的认同，科技的传播提供了物质基础。教育和科技虽不直接生产物质产品，但却可以创造未来。
For any society, the most difficult task is not the reproduction of commodities or goods, but the reproduction of institutions. What is meant by the reproduction of institutions is whether a particular social institution can live onto the next generation or whether it can continue to exist for posterity. The firmest foundation of an institution’s existence is a shared social identity. Whether the next generation identifies [with the institution] correlates with the ability of the institution to reproduce itself. The most important mechanism for institutional reproduction is the education of a society. A society’s education disseminates the values produced by that society, and thereby provides the foundational conditions for an institution’s existence. In America, the mechanism for reproducing institutions is very developed.
…Generally speaking, [the American] education system is comparatively well-refined, where education spending is second only to military spending. Investing in education is the most important and most worthwhile, and [it] yields the greatest returns for societal progress and overall development. A modernized society not only requires modern equipment, but also people who can create and proficiently use this equipment. The most important yardstick of modernization is the modernization of man. Human modernization is a systemic social engineering project that must start from a young age. Who will undertake this formidable, multi-generational and ceaseless undertaking? It is made by society’s education system. One of man’s great flaws is that the cultural knowledge and theoretical virtues obtained by the previous generation cannot be passed down [genetically]. The next generation has to obtain it all over again. This inevitable biological reality is crucial to education.
MIT is also known as The Massachusetts Institute of Science and Engineering. However, this is an older translation [of the name]. Based on a newer translation, it should be called “The Massachusetts Institute of Technology.” MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, next to Boston. Professor Lucian Pye, president of the Political Science Association, hosted us. He is a professor of political science at MIT. It sounds strange, a school of science and engineering having a political science department, just like how a naval academy [could] have a political science department (see Chapter 9, Part 5 “The United States Naval Academy”). MIT’s political science department is very prestigious and Lucian Pye is a renowned political scientist. That being said, the development of American political institutions and its studies in political science can be seen through many contexts as complementary with one another.
MIT is a model American university. It was founded in 1861 and [began] enrolling students in 1865. The institute saw rapid growth during and after World War II. It developed at a rapid pace as its research merged with the needs of the war. Currently, it has five schools: the School of Agriculture and Planning, the School of the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, the School of Engineering, the School of Management, and the School of Science. The institute focuses on science, engineering, and natural sciences, but also includes all disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. Because these disciplines enroll so few students, its quality [of output] is much greater. MIT now has approximately ten thousand students, among which 4,500 are undergraduate students, and roughly 5,000 are graduate students. 50% of the students are studying engineering and 20% of them are studying science. At this institution, competition is extraordinarily fierce. Non-elite students are unable to enroll at this institution.
The school’s budget is astonishing. The professor who hosted us told us that the school’s annual budget comes to around one billion dollars, which is nearly equal to Coca Cola’s annual revenue. Another professor who hosted us was the director of MIT’s Center for International Studies. H"When speaking to us he put on a poor mouth: “our center’s budget is so low. It’s pitiful and can’t compare to other schools at [MIT]. All we have is two million.” Two million is considered low? This [amount] is leagues away from any Chinese professor’s concept [of a budget]. Of course, a [mere] center’s budget would naturally be smaller than an institute’s entire budget.
American universities, especially famous ones, are assuredly overflowing with wealth. It is also because of this that universities are able to exhibit the important function of disseminating modernization. It can be said that American modernization was born out of its thousands of universities. In universities the younger generation first comes to appreciate and study modernization, [but] most importantly they obtain a “modernization consciousness.” If a generation lacks a “modernization consciousness,” they can only enjoy modernization but cannot create it. [American] universities have enough funding to turn them into modernization laboratories, and everyone that enters the university "seem to be stained by the dyes of modernization. From this point on one possesses an immovable “modernization consciousness.” Such is the effect of higher education.
Higher education’s most important function does not lie in fostering superior talent, but in making everyone in each generation (note, the entire generation) possess this modernization consciousness.
How does one pay for such an enormous expense? Who pays for it? MIT is a private university, where most of its funding comes from endowments and donations. This is the purpose of the social mechanism about which I have been speaking.
MIT is an archetypal university because it reflects the distinguishing features of American universities. MIT professors call their school a “research university.” What is a “research university?” They explain this [moniker] by saying European universities traditionally emphasize transmitting knowledge, whereas American universities emphasize discovering knowledge. This is the fundamental meaning of a “research university.” MIT’s activities primarily revolve around this goal. The entire institute is organized around the laboratory, having more than a thousand professors teaching and researching, as well as more than a thousand people working in assistance jobs.
To encourage innovation, they believe the relationship between professors and students should be like a partnership. Therefore, [professors] should establish a "a new work style and mutually beneficial relationship that allows [professors] to develop alongside their students. Educating students should not only duplicate past knowledge. It should usher in the future. This mindset is the fruit of the great tree that is the American spirit. It is hard to estimate the extent of the role universities have played in America's progress because it is so large. Universities respect and actualize innovation, and encourage the spirit of innovation in every generation of young people. Without this atmosphere, it is more difficult for a society to progress, especially in education.
The most common problem facing educators is that they see education as transmitting knowledge that they themselves know but others do not, which is logically sound. However, there is an even better logic: that the educator encourages the discovery of things that both the educator and educated do not [yet] know. It can be said that this is the locomotive of human progress.
MIT’s education should be deemed a success: 70% of companies in the Boston area were founded by university alumni, most of those companies being high-technology companies. More than four thousand [MIT graduates] teach in universities around the globe. People from all over the world also come [to MIT] due to its reputation. When walking around campus, you can see the imposing buildings standing tall by its green lawns. Walking out of those buildings are people of various skin colors. Students of Asian descent are particularly numerous. This is the power of knowledge. MIT also implements a non-discrimination policy: “The Massachusetts Institute of Technology accepts students of any race, skin color, sexuality, or ethnic group. They enjoy the rights, privileges, and programs enjoyed by all students of the institute.” This, too, is the power of knowledge.
MIT’s influence not only permeates throughout American society, but the entire world. It not only disseminates knowledge, but also the “American spirit.” Without highly developed education, a nation cannot influence other nations, nor could they truly stand [tall] among the nations of the world. Education is not like industry, agriculture, or commerce. It cannot give people the things that these activities can, but it provides something that no other power can.
Of course, American universities are not without problems. On the contrary, the universities have faced disastrous problems. But exceptional students are still able to distinguish themselves. Some professors are deeply anxious about the future. However, at universities like MIT, because competition is fierce, inferior goods do not make it to the display.
Chicago is one of America’s largest cities. I drove to Chicago with a friend, which took five hours. We got to Chicago via I-80 and changed to I-55, which goes through the city proper. "blending into the fast-moving traffic, it felt like being in New York, with a rhythm unique to modernity." [When] Chinese people generally have this feeling, most of us would [experience] this inexplicable anxiety while on a highway for the first time.
Chinese people and those from developing countries are used to a slow rhythm of life. When suddenly finding themselves in a fast-paced environment, they experience a kind of psychological and cultural incompatibility, and even a physiological incompatibility [with this way of life]. I call this a “modernization stress response.” But to get anywhere in America, [you] must get on the highway. This kind of forced traffic speed causes people to rid themselves of the “modernization stress response.” Think about it, if not for this coercive practice, what would be the result?
A nationality acts as a complete entity. Should there be “modern stress response” in the course of modernization, what sort of consequences would there be? How to eliminate “the modernization stress response” in a whole nation is the current problem developing countries are facing today.
We first went to the aquarium. It was like [stepping inside] an ocean world, containing all kinds of fish and marine life. Here, people can obtain a relatively complete understanding of marine life. We then went to the Field Museum of National History which is, in fact, a natural history museum and a history museum, a rare combination . On the one hand there is a myriad of plant and animal samples. On the other hand there are relics of American history and history of other countries on display. Its display of Native American relics and history was quite comprehensive. In the hall stood many enormous totem poles, probably indigenous objects of worship from South America. There were even things from the Qing dynasty on display, though fewer by comparison. When it comes to natural and anthropological museums, it may be the best in the world
[But] the most interesting place was not the two aforementioned [museums], but was the Museum of Science and Industry. This is a huge building with an astonishing [number of] things on display, but it was free to enter. In the lobby you can see that there are more children and youngsters than adults, which perfectly aligns with the museum's founding mission. The purpose of this furnace of science and technology is to cultivate a spirit of science and foster interest in technology among the younger generation.
This museum is one of Chicago’s tourist hotspots. Every year it serves four million people. This museum has a total of seventy-five exhibition halls and over two thousand exhibition series. It explains the principles of science, techno-scientific advancement, and industrial application to visitors via these exhibits. This museum differs from [most] other museums, designed with a unique principle [in mind]: to allow for visitor participation. Visitors can press buttons, pull levers, participate in the exhibition and have unforgettable experiences, especially if they are children. Pressing a button will make someone speak over a phone or show a television program. They can use machine tools. They can enter a giant model heart to understand [the organ’s] structure. They can sit in an auto-driving simulator and drive a car. They can go underground to understand the composition of the Earth’s crust. The museum was founded by Julius Rosenwald, who opened it [to the public] in 1933. It is located by the beautiful Jackson shore, attracting tens of thousands of people every day.
To better grasp the [idea of] this “furnace of science and technology” a brief list of [the museum's] relevant exhibitions is provided below. The exhibition series here include: airplanes from all different eras, old typewriters, news, telephones and telegraph, agricultural machinery, urban construction, computers, petroleum, stratigraphy, audio-visual [series], basic science, industry, automobiles, chemistry, cinema, medicine, bicycles, post and telecommunications, electric energy, foodstuffs, photography, currency, energy, libraries, biology, anatomical science, railway, oceans, solar power, and so on. Everything that one could think of is here. From the initial development of ancient science and technology to its most recent achievements such as space shuttles, computers, and the like; this museum lacks nothing. One exhibition also displays the German U-505 submarine seized by the Americans in World War II. Entering this museum is like entering a dazzling palace of science. This is a genuine “Furnace of Science and Technology.” Children brought here by their parents are completely in their element, so enamored they do not want to leave. Their interest is fully stimulated by the various applications of light and electrical energy in the exhibition hall. It is easy to imagine the impact these profound impressions will have on their young minds.
[American] Society places great importance on developing the science and technology required for its advancement and progress. For that advancement and progress to be successfully realized, [society] must first have its youth grow and thrive. In this respect, all of [American] society spares no expense. Throughout all their years of schooling, American youth have superior learning conditions. As such, some call America “a child’s heaven.” This mechanism is the indispensable factor for the sustained development and prosperity of society and deserves to be studied. In most societies, attention is not placed on man’s early life stages, but rather on his middle and late stages. From the perspective of life’s comforts, this is appropriate. But when it comes to the advancement of society as a whole is that not too late?
While America is a commodified society where money reigns supreme, when it comes to education in science and technology Americans understand how to spend their money to reap the greatest returns. The Museum of Science and Industry is an example [of this]. Many museums charge an [entrance] fee, but the Museum of Science and Industry is free, open seven days a week, and the gigantic parking lot in front of the museum is also free. Education also has this unique trait. Even if [American] university tuition fees are staggering, all schooling from high school and below is free. People from many places also see museums as a mechanism with educational functions. In some non-commodified societies, various activities are already moving towards being measured in monetary terms. However in America, a society where almost all relations are measured by money, people are striving to protect certain fundamental functions and fields from the encroachment of commodification. This not only is an [intentional] choice, but is also a policy that a commodified society cannot do without. Otherwise, these activities would be pushed out by the commodity economy. This point is worth noting for societies transitioning to a commodity economy.
In the evening, I climbed the world’s tallest building – the Sears Tower. [I looked out] at the boundless expanse of the blue river waters, seeing below me the intertwining buildings of various heights. [I was able to] better experience the power of the miracles forged by science and technology. Society’s progress requires innovation from the younger generation; that innovation requires a substantial understanding of the progress already made [by previous generations]. Only then can they build on this foundation to a higher level. If they know nothing of the creations of their predecessors, how can they achieve great success and strive to go even farther? If architects and builders do not know what a building is, how could they be bold in their designs? We will only reach the greatest heights only by standing on the shoulders of the giants who came before. This is a simple truth.
All achievements of modernization should be fully open. They should make society a grand furnace for technology that smelts the spirit of modernization. In a society that seals off the achievements of modernization, what is ultimately sealed away is the human spirit.
An institution reproduces itself through two means: the transmission process of modernization [itself] and the role played by education. Education causes people to identify with the values and rationales of the institution, whereas techno-scientific dissemination provides its material foundation. While education and science cannot directly produce material products, they can create the future.
对任何社会来说，最困难的任务不是商品或产品的再生产，而是制度的再生产。所谓制度的再生产，是指一种特定的社会制度能否在下一代或子子孙孙中生存下去。制度存在最牢固的基础就是社会的认同。新生代是否认同，关系到一定的社会制度能否再生产的问题。制度再生产最重要的机制是社会的教育。社会教育将社会生产的价值观念传播开来，从而提供了制度生存的基本条件。在美国，制度再生产的机制是十分发达的。
总的说来，社会教育系统较为完善，教育经费大概仅次于军费。教育投资是社会进步和全面发展的最重要、最有价值和能得到最大回报的投资。现代化的社会不仅需要现代化的设备，而且需要能创造和掌握这种设备的人。人的现代化是现代化最重要的指标。人的现代化是一个系统的社会工程，必须从小做起。这个艰巨的、代代相继不能停止的工程由谁来做？由社会的教育系统来做。人的一大缺陷是上一代获得的文化知识和伦理道德不能遗传，下一代人必须重新获得。这是教育至关重要的生物学定论。
MIT，即著名的麻省理工学院（The Massachusetts Institute of Technology）。这是旧时的译法，按照现在的译法，应译为，“麻州工艺学院”。麻省理工学院坐落在麻萨诸塞州的剑桥，在波士顿市旁边。 美国政治学会主席路辛·派伊教授接待了我们。他是麻省理工学院政治学系的教授。听起来有点奇怪，理工学院里也有政治学系，正像海军学院有政治学系一样（见第九章第 5 节“美国海军学院”）。麻省理工学院的政治学系是非常强的，路辛·派伊是闻名的政治学者。顺便说一下，从很多场合可以发现，美国政治制度的发展与其政治学的发展是相辅相成的。
麻省理工学院是一所典型的美国式大学。该大学 1861 年成立，1865 年招生。二次世界大战中以及战后，学院得到迅速的发展，这段时期学院的研究结合战争的需要，发展较快。目前共有五个学院：农业与计划学院，人文与社会科学学院、工程学院、管理学院和科学学院。学院以理工科和自然科学为主，但也包罗所有的人文科学和社会科学学科。由于这些学科招生较少，其质量反而更高。麻省理工学院现在大约有一万名学生，其中 4,500 名为本科生，5,000 左右为研究生。学生中工程方面占 50%，科学占 20%。在这所学校里，竞争异常激烈，不是精英的学生进不了这所学校。
这所学校的预算是惊人的。接待我们的教授说，学校每年的预算在十亿美元左右，差不多相当于可口可乐公司一年的纯收入。参加接待的有一位教授是麻省理工学院国际问题研究中心的主任，他说了一番“穷话”：“我们中心每年的预算是很少的，很可怜，不能与学校的其他学院比，我们只有 200 万美元。”200 万美元还算少？这个概念与一个中国教授的概念相去甚远。当然与学院的总预算相比，中心的预算是少的。
美国的大学，尤其是名牌大学，的确富甲天下。也正因为如此，大学才发挥了传播现代化的重要功能。美国的现代化可以说是从它的几千所大学中孕育出来的。年轻一代首先在大学中领略现代化，学习现代化，最主要的是获得“现代化的意识”。一代人如果没有“现代化的意识“，那他们只能享受现代化，而不能创造现代化。大学有足够的经费，使大学成为现代化的实验室，每个进入大学的人，都像掉入了“现代化的染缸”。 于是，从这里出去时，便已具备了不可磨灭的“现代化意识”。这就是高等教育的作用。
高等教育最重要的功能不在于培养出英才，而在于使每一代人（注意，一代人）都具备现代化意识。
这样庞大的开支如何支付呢？谁付钱呢？麻省理工学院是一所私立大学。大半经费来自于外部的赞助和捐赠。这就是我讲过的社会机制的作用。
之所以说麻省理工学院是一所典型的大学，是因为它反映了美国大学的特点。麻省理工学院的教授称自己的学院为“研究大学”（Research University）。何谓“研究大学”？他们解释说，欧洲的大学的传统注重传递知识，而美国的大学注重发现知识，这就是“研究大学”的基本涵义。麻省理工学院主要围绕着这个目标活动。整个学院以实验室为基轴组织起来，有一千多名教授，既教书又做研究，还有一千多人做辅助工作。
为了鼓励创新，他们认为教师与学生之间的关系是合伙人的关系，因此应当建立一种新的相互关系和新的工作方式，与学生共同发展。教育学生不应只重复过去的知识而应当迎接未来。这种精神，是美国精神这棵大树上的一颗果实。很难估计大学对美国的进步起到的作用有多大，因为太大了。大学在一代又一代的青年人中鼓励创新精神，并且尊重创新，实现创新。这是任何社会进步的主要动力。没有这种氛围，社会便难以进步。尤其是教育。
从事教育的人最容易产生的问题就是把教育视为教授自己已经知道而别人不知道的东西，这是很合理的逻辑。不过，人们还可以有更好的逻辑：鼓励发现教育者和被教育者都不知道的东西。可以说，这是人类进步的火车头。
麻省理工学院的教育应该说是成功的：波士顿地区有百分之七十的公司是这个学院的学生开创的，大多数是高技术公司。有四千多人在全球各国的大学中任教。世界各国的人们也慕名而来。在校园中散步时，可以看见绿色的草坪旁矗立着雄伟的建筑，从这些建筑中走出各种肤色的人。亚裔的学生异常之多。这就是知识的力量。麻省理工学院还制定了专门的非种族歧视政策：“麻萨诸塞理工学院接受任何种族、肤色、性别或民族的学生，他们享有学院学生普遍享有的权利、特权和计划。”这也是知识的力量。
麻省理工学院的影响不仅波及美国社会，而且波及整个世界。它不仅在传播知识，而且还在传播“美国精神”。没有高度发达的教育，一个民族不可能影响其他民族，不可能真正立于世界民族之林。教育不象工业、农业、商业，它不能给人们这些活动所能给予的东西，但它能提供任何其他力量无法提供的东西。
当然，美国的大学不是没有问题的，相反，大学问题成灾。但优秀学生仍然脱颖而出。有些教授对未来忧心忡忡。不过，在麻省理工学院这样的大学中，由于竞争激烈，次货上不了柜台。
芝加哥是美国的特大城市之一。我随朋友一起驱车去芝加哥，用了五个小时。 从 80 号高速公路转 55 号高速公路直达芝加哥。55 号公路横穿芝加哥市区。在繁忙的高速公路上，跻身于高速急驶的车队之中，像在纽约一样，令人感到一种现代化特有的节奏，中国人普遍有这样一种感觉，第一次上高速公路，均有一种莫名其妙的紧张感。
中国人和许多发展中国家的人习惯于慢节奏的生活，突然置身于快节奏中，会有一种心理和文化上的不适应，甚至会有生理上的不适应。我称之为“现代化紧张反应”。但在美国要行动，不能不上高速公路，这种强制的交通速度使人很快消除了“现代化紧张反应”。试想一下，没有这种强制，会是什么样的结果呢？
一个民族，作为整体，在现代化过程中是否会有“现代化紧张反应”，有了又会有什么样的后果，怎样来消除一个民族的“现代化紧张反应”，这是发展中国家面临的一个问题。
我们先参观了海洋博物馆。里面像一个海洋世界，有千奇百怪的鱼类和海洋生物。人们在这里可以了解较为完整的海洋生物知识。然后去参观 Field Museum of National History，实际上是一个自然博物馆加历史博物馆，这样的组合在博物馆中尚不多见。一方面有成千上万的动植物标本，另一方面陈列着美国历史和一些外国历史的文物。这个馆陈列的印第安人的文物和历史是较为全面的。大厅里还矗立着几个巨大的图腾柱，大约是南美什么土著的崇拜物。甚至还陈列了中国清朝的一些东西，但为数不多。从自然和社会博物馆的角度讲，可能是世界第一流的。
令人最感兴趣的还不是以上两个地方，而是科学和工业博物馆（Museum of Science and Industry）。这是一座占地面积很大，陈列物品惊人，但免费参观的博物馆。一进大厅，就可以看到儿童和少年多于成年人，这是完全符合这个馆的建馆目标的。其目的就在于使青年一代在科技之炉中冶炼出科技精神和科技兴趣。
这个馆是芝加哥最吸引人的旅游点之一，每年大约有四百万人前来参观。这个馆共有七十五个展览厅，二千多个展览系列，它通过这些系统的展出向观众表明科学原则、技术进步和工业应用。这个馆与其他馆不同，它的设计有了项特殊原则，就是让观众参与。观众可以按电钮、推动杠杆等，从而参与展出，并获得难忘的经历，尤其是对少年儿童来说。有时候，一按电钮，就有人在电话里说话，有时候，一按电钮，就有电视节目；有时候可以操作机床；有时候可以走进巨大的心脏模型中去了解心脏的构造；有时候可以坐进汽车驾驶模拟器去驾驶汽车；有时候又可以走进地下了解地壳构造。如此等等。这个博物馆由居里尤斯·罗森沃德（Julius Rosenwald）创建，1933 年开馆。坐落在美丽的杰克逊湖畔。每天吸引了成千上万的人来到这里。
下面简单罗列一下有关的展览项目，以便把握这座“科技之炉”。这里的展览系列包括:各个时代的飞机、旧时的打字机、新闻、电话电报、农业机械、城市建设、电脑、石油、地层、视听、基础科学、工业、汽车、化学、电影、医疗、自行车、邮电、电能、食品、照相、货币、能源、图书馆、生物、人体科学、铁路、海洋、太阳能等。应有尽有。从古代科学和技术的初步发展，到现代科学技术的最新成就，航天飞机、电脑等，似乎无一遗漏。展览馆还展出了美军在第二次世界大战中缴获的德国潜水艇 U-505。进入这座展览馆，就象进入了科学的殿堂，令人眼花缭乱。这是座真正的“科学之炉”。孩子们由家长带着来到这里，如鱼得水，留连忘返。他们的兴趣被展览馆中各种光能和电能的应用充分调动起来。这些深刻的印象在他们幼小的心灵中将产生何种影响，不难想象。
社会很注重发展整个社会发展和进步所需要的科学和技术。社会发展和进步要想得以顺利实现，首要的就是使年轻一代茁壮成长起来。在这方面，整个社会都不惜花钱，从小学到高中，青少年的学习条件十分优越，故有人称美国是“儿童的天堂”。这套机制是社会持续发展和繁荣的不可忽视的因素，值得研究。在不少社会中，人们的注意力不在人生的早期阶段，而在中期和后期阶段。从个人的生活舒适来说，这是合适的。但对整个社会的进步来说，这是否太迟了呢？
美国虽然是个商品社会，是个金钱至上的社会，然而，在科学和技术教育方面，他们深深懂得怎样花钱才能获得最大的收益。科学和工业博物馆就是一个实例。不少博物馆都是收费的，但科学和工业博物馆是免费的，每天开放，而且博物馆前面巨大的停车场也是免费的。教育也具有这种特征，尽管大学教育所需要的学费是惊人的，但高中以下的教育是免费的。不少地方的人把博物馆也视为一个具有教育功能的机构。在一些非商品化的社会中，各种活动已在走向用金钱标准来计算，而在美国这样一个典型的金钱化的社会中，人们却努力保持一些具有基本教育功能的领域的非商品化，这不仅是一种选择，而且是商品经济下不得不为之的一种政策，要不然这些活动就会被商品经济排挤掉，这一点值得走向商品经济的社会注意。
傍晚时分，登上世界最高的建筑——西尔斯大厦（Sears Tower），遥望远处碧波万顷的湖水，俯瞰近处高低交错的楼宇，更能体会到科学技术创造奇迹的力量。社会的进步需要年轻一代的创新；年轻一代的创新需要他们对已有进步的充分了解，只有这样，他们才能在这个基础上更上一层楼。一个人如果对前人的创造一窍不通，如何能百尺竿头，更进一步呢？如果设计者和建造者从不知道楼为何物，如何能大胆设计呢？正因为有了次高，才有最高，这是一个简单的道理。
社会的一切现代化成就都应充分开放，使社会为宏大的科技之炉，冶炼现代化精神。在一个把现代化成就封闭起来的社会中，最终封闭的是人的精神。
现代化的传递过程，以及教育的功能，在两个层次上再生产一种制度。教育提供了对该制度的价值合理性的认同，科技的传播提供了物质基础。教育和科技虽不直接生产物质产品，但却可以创造未来。
For any society, the most difficult task is not the reproduction of commodities or goods, but the reproduction of institutions. What is meant by the reproduction of institutions is whether a particular social institution can live onto the next generation or whether it can continue to exist for posterity. The firmest foundation of an institution’s existence is a shared social identity. Whether the next generation identifies [with the institution] correlates with the ability of the institution to reproduce itself. The most important mechanism for institutional reproduction is the education of a society. A society’s education disseminates the values produced by that society, and thereby provides the foundational conditions for an institution’s existence. In America, the mechanism for reproducing institutions is very developed.
…Generally speaking, [the American] education system is comparatively well-refined, where education spending is second only to military spending. Investing in education is the most important and most worthwhile, and [it] yields the greatest returns for societal progress and overall development. A modernized society not only requires modern equipment, but also people who can create and proficiently use this equipment. The most important yardstick of modernization is the modernization of man. Human modernization is a systemic social engineering project that must start from a young age. Who will undertake this formidable, multi-generational and ceaseless undertaking? It is made by society’s education system. One of man’s great flaws is that the cultural knowledge and theoretical virtues obtained by the previous generation cannot be passed down [genetically]. The next generation has to obtain it all over again. This inevitable biological reality is crucial to education.
MIT is also known as The Massachusetts Institute of Science and Engineering. However, this is an older translation [of the name]. Based on a newer translation, it should be called “The Massachusetts Institute of Technology.” MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, next to Boston. Professor Lucian Pye, president of the Political Science Association, hosted us. He is a professor of political science at MIT. It sounds strange, a school of science and engineering having a political science department, just like how a naval academy [could] have a political science department (see Chapter 9, Part 5 “The United States Naval Academy”). MIT’s political science department is very prestigious and Lucian Pye is a renowned political scientist. That being said, the development of American political institutions and its studies in political science can be seen through many contexts as complementary with one another.
MIT is a model American university. It was founded in 1861 and [began] enrolling students in 1865. The institute saw rapid growth during and after World War II. It developed at a rapid pace as its research merged with the needs of the war. Currently, it has five schools: the School of Agriculture and Planning, the School of the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, the School of Engineering, the School of Management, and the School of Science. The institute focuses on science, engineering, and natural sciences, but also includes all disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. Because these disciplines enroll so few students, its quality [of output] is much greater. MIT now has approximately ten thousand students, among which 4,500 are undergraduate students, and roughly 5,000 are graduate students. 50% of the students are studying engineering and 20% of them are studying science. At this institution, competition is extraordinarily fierce. Non-elite students are unable to enroll at this institution.
The school’s budget is astonishing. The professor who hosted us told us that the school’s annual budget comes to around one billion dollars, which is nearly equal to Coca Cola’s annual revenue. Another professor who hosted us was the director of MIT’s Center for International Studies. H"When speaking to us he put on a poor mouth: “our center’s budget is so low. It’s pitiful and can’t compare to other schools at [MIT]. All we have is two million.” Two million is considered low? This [amount] is leagues away from any Chinese professor’s concept [of a budget]. Of course, a [mere] center’s budget would naturally be smaller than an institute’s entire budget.
American universities, especially famous ones, are assuredly overflowing with wealth. It is also because of this that universities are able to exhibit the important function of disseminating modernization. It can be said that American modernization was born out of its thousands of universities. In universities the younger generation first comes to appreciate and study modernization, [but] most importantly they obtain a “modernization consciousness.” If a generation lacks a “modernization consciousness,” they can only enjoy modernization but cannot create it. [American] universities have enough funding to turn them into modernization laboratories, and everyone that enters the university "seem to be stained by the dyes of modernization. From this point on one possesses an immovable “modernization consciousness.” Such is the effect of higher education.
Higher education’s most important function does not lie in fostering superior talent, but in making everyone in each generation (note, the entire generation) possess this modernization consciousness.
How does one pay for such an enormous expense? Who pays for it? MIT is a private university, where most of its funding comes from endowments and donations. This is the purpose of the social mechanism about which I have been speaking.
MIT is an archetypal university because it reflects the distinguishing features of American universities. MIT professors call their school a “research university.” What is a “research university?” They explain this [moniker] by saying European universities traditionally emphasize transmitting knowledge, whereas American universities emphasize discovering knowledge. This is the fundamental meaning of a “research university.” MIT’s activities primarily revolve around this goal. The entire institute is organized around the laboratory, having more than a thousand professors teaching and researching, as well as more than a thousand people working in assistance jobs.
To encourage innovation, they believe the relationship between professors and students should be like a partnership. Therefore, [professors] should establish a "a new work style and mutually beneficial relationship that allows [professors] to develop alongside their students. Educating students should not only duplicate past knowledge. It should usher in the future. This mindset is the fruit of the great tree that is the American spirit. It is hard to estimate the extent of the role universities have played in America's progress because it is so large. Universities respect and actualize innovation, and encourage the spirit of innovation in every generation of young people. Without this atmosphere, it is more difficult for a society to progress, especially in education.
The most common problem facing educators is that they see education as transmitting knowledge that they themselves know but others do not, which is logically sound. However, there is an even better logic: that the educator encourages the discovery of things that both the educator and educated do not [yet] know. It can be said that this is the locomotive of human progress.
MIT’s education should be deemed a success: 70% of companies in the Boston area were founded by university alumni, most of those companies being high-technology companies. More than four thousand [MIT graduates] teach in universities around the globe. People from all over the world also come [to MIT] due to its reputation. When walking around campus, you can see the imposing buildings standing tall by its green lawns. Walking out of those buildings are people of various skin colors. Students of Asian descent are particularly numerous. This is the power of knowledge. MIT also implements a non-discrimination policy: “The Massachusetts Institute of Technology accepts students of any race, skin color, sexuality, or ethnic group. They enjoy the rights, privileges, and programs enjoyed by all students of the institute.” This, too, is the power of knowledge.
MIT’s influence not only permeates throughout American society, but the entire world. It not only disseminates knowledge, but also the “American spirit.” Without highly developed education, a nation cannot influence other nations, nor could they truly stand [tall] among the nations of the world. Education is not like industry, agriculture, or commerce. It cannot give people the things that these activities can, but it provides something that no other power can.
Of course, American universities are not without problems. On the contrary, the universities have faced disastrous problems. But exceptional students are still able to distinguish themselves. Some professors are deeply anxious about the future. However, at universities like MIT, because competition is fierce, inferior goods do not make it to the display.
Chicago is one of America’s largest cities. I drove to Chicago with a friend, which took five hours. We got to Chicago via I-80 and changed to I-55, which goes through the city proper. "blending into the fast-moving traffic, it felt like being in New York, with a rhythm unique to modernity." [When] Chinese people generally have this feeling, most of us would [experience] this inexplicable anxiety while on a highway for the first time.
Chinese people and those from developing countries are used to a slow rhythm of life. When suddenly finding themselves in a fast-paced environment, they experience a kind of psychological and cultural incompatibility, and even a physiological incompatibility [with this way of life]. I call this a “modernization stress response.” But to get anywhere in America, [you] must get on the highway. This kind of forced traffic speed causes people to rid themselves of the “modernization stress response.” Think about it, if not for this coercive practice, what would be the result?
A nationality acts as a complete entity. Should there be “modern stress response” in the course of modernization, what sort of consequences would there be? How to eliminate “the modernization stress response” in a whole nation is the current problem developing countries are facing today.
We first went to the aquarium. It was like [stepping inside] an ocean world, containing all kinds of fish and marine life. Here, people can obtain a relatively complete understanding of marine life. We then went to the Field Museum of National History which is, in fact, a natural history museum and a history museum, a rare combination . On the one hand there is a myriad of plant and animal samples. On the other hand there are relics of American history and history of other countries on display. Its display of Native American relics and history was quite comprehensive. In the hall stood many enormous totem poles, probably indigenous objects of worship from South America. There were even things from the Qing dynasty on display, though fewer by comparison. When it comes to natural and anthropological museums, it may be the best in the world
[But] the most interesting place was not the two aforementioned [museums], but was the Museum of Science and Industry. This is a huge building with an astonishing [number of] things on display, but it was free to enter. In the lobby you can see that there are more children and youngsters than adults, which perfectly aligns with the museum's founding mission. The purpose of this furnace of science and technology is to cultivate a spirit of science and foster interest in technology among the younger generation.
This museum is one of Chicago’s tourist hotspots. Every year it serves four million people. This museum has a total of seventy-five exhibition halls and over two thousand exhibition series. It explains the principles of science, techno-scientific advancement, and industrial application to visitors via these exhibits. This museum differs from [most] other museums, designed with a unique principle [in mind]: to allow for visitor participation. Visitors can press buttons, pull levers, participate in the exhibition and have unforgettable experiences, especially if they are children. Pressing a button will make someone speak over a phone or show a television program. They can use machine tools. They can enter a giant model heart to understand [the organ’s] structure. They can sit in an auto-driving simulator and drive a car. They can go underground to understand the composition of the Earth’s crust. The museum was founded by Julius Rosenwald, who opened it [to the public] in 1933. It is located by the beautiful Jackson shore, attracting tens of thousands of people every day.
To better grasp the [idea of] this “furnace of science and technology” a brief list of [the museum's] relevant exhibitions is provided below. The exhibition series here include: airplanes from all different eras, old typewriters, news, telephones and telegraph, agricultural machinery, urban construction, computers, petroleum, stratigraphy, audio-visual [series], basic science, industry, automobiles, chemistry, cinema, medicine, bicycles, post and telecommunications, electric energy, foodstuffs, photography, currency, energy, libraries, biology, anatomical science, railway, oceans, solar power, and so on. Everything that one could think of is here. From the initial development of ancient science and technology to its most recent achievements such as space shuttles, computers, and the like; this museum lacks nothing. One exhibition also displays the German U-505 submarine seized by the Americans in World War II. Entering this museum is like entering a dazzling palace of science. This is a genuine “Furnace of Science and Technology.” Children brought here by their parents are completely in their element, so enamored they do not want to leave. Their interest is fully stimulated by the various applications of light and electrical energy in the exhibition hall. It is easy to imagine the impact these profound impressions will have on their young minds.
[American] Society places great importance on developing the science and technology required for its advancement and progress. For that advancement and progress to be successfully realized, [society] must first have its youth grow and thrive. In this respect, all of [American] society spares no expense. Throughout all their years of schooling, American youth have superior learning conditions. As such, some call America “a child’s heaven.” This mechanism is the indispensable factor for the sustained development and prosperity of society and deserves to be studied. In most societies, attention is not placed on man’s early life stages, but rather on his middle and late stages. From the perspective of life’s comforts, this is appropriate. But when it comes to the advancement of society as a whole is that not too late?
While America is a commodified society where money reigns supreme, when it comes to education in science and technology Americans understand how to spend their money to reap the greatest returns. The Museum of Science and Industry is an example [of this]. Many museums charge an [entrance] fee, but the Museum of Science and Industry is free, open seven days a week, and the gigantic parking lot in front of the museum is also free. Education also has this unique trait. Even if [American] university tuition fees are staggering, all schooling from high school and below is free. People from many places also see museums as a mechanism with educational functions. In some non-commodified societies, various activities are already moving towards being measured in monetary terms. However in America, a society where almost all relations are measured by money, people are striving to protect certain fundamental functions and fields from the encroachment of commodification. This not only is an [intentional] choice, but is also a policy that a commodified society cannot do without. Otherwise, these activities would be pushed out by the commodity economy. This point is worth noting for societies transitioning to a commodity economy.
In the evening, I climbed the world’s tallest building – the Sears Tower. [I looked out] at the boundless expanse of the blue river waters, seeing below me the intertwining buildings of various heights. [I was able to] better experience the power of the miracles forged by science and technology. Society’s progress requires innovation from the younger generation; that innovation requires a substantial understanding of the progress already made [by previous generations]. Only then can they build on this foundation to a higher level. If they know nothing of the creations of their predecessors, how can they achieve great success and strive to go even farther? If architects and builders do not know what a building is, how could they be bold in their designs? We will only reach the greatest heights only by standing on the shoulders of the giants who came before. This is a simple truth.
All achievements of modernization should be fully open. They should make society a grand furnace for technology that smelts the spirit of modernization. In a society that seals off the achievements of modernization, what is ultimately sealed away is the human spirit.
An institution reproduces itself through two means: the transmission process of modernization [itself] and the role played by education. Education causes people to identify with the values and rationales of the institution, whereas techno-scientific dissemination provides its material foundation. While education and science cannot directly produce material products, they can create the future.
Note: The following translation is taken from Politburo Standing Committee member Wang Huning’s 1991 book, America Against America. It is one of several excerpts of this book translated by the Center for Strategic Translation. A general introduction to the book, as well as links to the other excerpts, can be found here.
For any society, the most difficult task is not the reproduction of commodities or goods, but the reproduction of institutions. What is meant by the reproduction of institutions is whether a particular social institution can live onto the next generation or whether it can continue to exist for posterity. The firmest foundation of an institution’s existence is a shared social identity. Whether the next generation identifies [with the institution] correlates with the ability of the institution to reproduce itself. The most important mechanism for institutional reproduction is the education of a society. A society’s education disseminates the values produced by that society, and thereby provides the foundational conditions for an institution’s existence. In America, the mechanism for reproducing institutions is very developed.
…Generally speaking, [the American] education system is comparatively well-refined, where education spending is second only to military spending. Investing in education is the most important and most worthwhile, and [it] yields the greatest returns for societal progress and overall development. A modernized society not only requires modern equipment, but also people who can create and proficiently use this equipment. The most important yardstick of modernization is the modernization of man. Human modernization is a systemic social engineering project that must start from a young age. Who will undertake this formidable, multi-generational and ceaseless undertaking? It is made by society’s education system. One of man’s great flaws is that the cultural knowledge and theoretical virtues obtained by the previous generation cannot be passed down [genetically]. The next generation has to obtain it all over again. This inevitable biological reality is crucial to education.
MIT is also known as The Massachusetts Institute of Science and Engineering. However, this is an older translation [of the name]. Based on a newer translation, it should be called “The Massachusetts Institute of Technology.” MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, next to Boston. Professor Lucian Pye, president of the Political Science Association, hosted us. He is a professor of political science at MIT. It sounds strange, a school of science and engineering having a political science department, just like how a naval academy [could] have a political science department (see Chapter 9, Part 5 “The United States Naval Academy”). MIT’s political science department is very prestigious and Lucian Pye is a renowned political scientist. That being said, the development of American political institutions and its studies in political science can be seen through many contexts as complementary with one another.
MIT is a model American university. It was founded in 1861 and [began] enrolling students in 1865. The institute saw rapid growth during and after World War II. It developed at a rapid pace as its research merged with the needs of the war. Currently, it has five schools: the School of Agriculture and Planning, the School of the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, the School of Engineering, the School of Management, and the School of Science. The institute focuses on science, engineering, and natural sciences, but also includes all disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. Because these disciplines enroll so few students, its quality [of output] is much greater. MIT now has approximately ten thousand students, among which 4,500 are undergraduate students, and roughly 5,000 are graduate students. 50% of the students are studying engineering and 20% of them are studying science. At this institution, competition is extraordinarily fierce. Non-elite students are unable to enroll at this institution.
The school’s budget is astonishing. The professor who hosted us told us that the school’s annual budget comes to around one billion dollars, which is nearly equal to Coca Cola’s annual revenue. Another professor who hosted us was the director of MIT’s Center for International Studies. H"When speaking to us he put on a poor mouth: “our center’s budget is so low. It’s pitiful and can’t compare to other schools at [MIT]. All we have is two million.” Two million is considered low? This [amount] is leagues away from any Chinese professor’s concept [of a budget]. Of course, a [mere] center’s budget would naturally be smaller than an institute’s entire budget.
American universities, especially famous ones, are assuredly overflowing with wealth. It is also because of this that universities are able to exhibit the important function of disseminating modernization. It can be said that American modernization was born out of its thousands of universities. In universities the younger generation first comes to appreciate and study modernization, [but] most importantly they obtain a “modernization consciousness.” If a generation lacks a “modernization consciousness,” they can only enjoy modernization but cannot create it. [American] universities have enough funding to turn them into modernization laboratories, and everyone that enters the university "seem to be stained by the dyes of modernization. From this point on one possesses an immovable “modernization consciousness.” Such is the effect of higher education.
Higher education’s most important function does not lie in fostering superior talent, but in making everyone in each generation (note, the entire generation) possess this modernization consciousness.
How does one pay for such an enormous expense? Who pays for it? MIT is a private university, where most of its funding comes from endowments and donations. This is the purpose of the social mechanism about which I have been speaking.
MIT is an archetypal university because it reflects the distinguishing features of American universities. MIT professors call their school a “research university.” What is a “research university?” They explain this [moniker] by saying European universities traditionally emphasize transmitting knowledge, whereas American universities emphasize discovering knowledge. This is the fundamental meaning of a “research university.” MIT’s activities primarily revolve around this goal. The entire institute is organized around the laboratory, having more than a thousand professors teaching and researching, as well as more than a thousand people working in assistance jobs.
To encourage innovation, they believe the relationship between professors and students should be like a partnership. Therefore, [professors] should establish a "a new work style and mutually beneficial relationship that allows [professors] to develop alongside their students. Educating students should not only duplicate past knowledge. It should usher in the future. This mindset is the fruit of the great tree that is the American spirit. It is hard to estimate the extent of the role universities have played in America's progress because it is so large. Universities respect and actualize innovation, and encourage the spirit of innovation in every generation of young people. Without this atmosphere, it is more difficult for a society to progress, especially in education.
The most common problem facing educators is that they see education as transmitting knowledge that they themselves know but others do not, which is logically sound. However, there is an even better logic: that the educator encourages the discovery of things that both the educator and educated do not [yet] know. It can be said that this is the locomotive of human progress.
MIT’s education should be deemed a success: 70% of companies in the Boston area were founded by university alumni, most of those companies being high-technology companies. More than four thousand [MIT graduates] teach in universities around the globe. People from all over the world also come [to MIT] due to its reputation. When walking around campus, you can see the imposing buildings standing tall by its green lawns. Walking out of those buildings are people of various skin colors. Students of Asian descent are particularly numerous. This is the power of knowledge. MIT also implements a non-discrimination policy: “The Massachusetts Institute of Technology accepts students of any race, skin color, sexuality, or ethnic group. They enjoy the rights, privileges, and programs enjoyed by all students of the institute.” This, too, is the power of knowledge.
MIT’s influence not only permeates throughout American society, but the entire world. It not only disseminates knowledge, but also the “American spirit.” Without highly developed education, a nation cannot influence other nations, nor could they truly stand [tall] among the nations of the world. Education is not like industry, agriculture, or commerce. It cannot give people the things that these activities can, but it provides something that no other power can.
Of course, American universities are not without problems. On the contrary, the universities have faced disastrous problems. But exceptional students are still able to distinguish themselves. Some professors are deeply anxious about the future. However, at universities like MIT, because competition is fierce, inferior goods do not make it to the display.
Chicago is one of America’s largest cities. I drove to Chicago with a friend, which took five hours. We got to Chicago via I-80 and changed to I-55, which goes through the city proper. "blending into the fast-moving traffic, it felt like being in New York, with a rhythm unique to modernity." [When] Chinese people generally have this feeling, most of us would [experience] this inexplicable anxiety while on a highway for the first time.
Chinese people and those from developing countries are used to a slow rhythm of life. When suddenly finding themselves in a fast-paced environment, they experience a kind of psychological and cultural incompatibility, and even a physiological incompatibility [with this way of life]. I call this a “modernization stress response.” But to get anywhere in America, [you] must get on the highway. This kind of forced traffic speed causes people to rid themselves of the “modernization stress response.” Think about it, if not for this coercive practice, what would be the result?
A nationality acts as a complete entity. Should there be “modern stress response” in the course of modernization, what sort of consequences would there be? How to eliminate “the modernization stress response” in a whole nation is the current problem developing countries are facing today.
We first went to the aquarium. It was like [stepping inside] an ocean world, containing all kinds of fish and marine life. Here, people can obtain a relatively complete understanding of marine life. We then went to the Field Museum of National History which is, in fact, a natural history museum and a history museum, a rare combination . On the one hand there is a myriad of plant and animal samples. On the other hand there are relics of American history and history of other countries on display. Its display of Native American relics and history was quite comprehensive. In the hall stood many enormous totem poles, probably indigenous objects of worship from South America. There were even things from the Qing dynasty on display, though fewer by comparison. When it comes to natural and anthropological museums, it may be the best in the world
[But] the most interesting place was not the two aforementioned [museums], but was the Museum of Science and Industry. This is a huge building with an astonishing [number of] things on display, but it was free to enter. In the lobby you can see that there are more children and youngsters than adults, which perfectly aligns with the museum's founding mission. The purpose of this furnace of science and technology is to cultivate a spirit of science and foster interest in technology among the younger generation.
This museum is one of Chicago’s tourist hotspots. Every year it serves four million people. This museum has a total of seventy-five exhibition halls and over two thousand exhibition series. It explains the principles of science, techno-scientific advancement, and industrial application to visitors via these exhibits. This museum differs from [most] other museums, designed with a unique principle [in mind]: to allow for visitor participation. Visitors can press buttons, pull levers, participate in the exhibition and have unforgettable experiences, especially if they are children. Pressing a button will make someone speak over a phone or show a television program. They can use machine tools. They can enter a giant model heart to understand [the organ’s] structure. They can sit in an auto-driving simulator and drive a car. They can go underground to understand the composition of the Earth’s crust. The museum was founded by Julius Rosenwald, who opened it [to the public] in 1933. It is located by the beautiful Jackson shore, attracting tens of thousands of people every day.
To better grasp the [idea of] this “furnace of science and technology” a brief list of [the museum's] relevant exhibitions is provided below. The exhibition series here include: airplanes from all different eras, old typewriters, news, telephones and telegraph, agricultural machinery, urban construction, computers, petroleum, stratigraphy, audio-visual [series], basic science, industry, automobiles, chemistry, cinema, medicine, bicycles, post and telecommunications, electric energy, foodstuffs, photography, currency, energy, libraries, biology, anatomical science, railway, oceans, solar power, and so on. Everything that one could think of is here. From the initial development of ancient science and technology to its most recent achievements such as space shuttles, computers, and the like; this museum lacks nothing. One exhibition also displays the German U-505 submarine seized by the Americans in World War II. Entering this museum is like entering a dazzling palace of science. This is a genuine “Furnace of Science and Technology.” Children brought here by their parents are completely in their element, so enamored they do not want to leave. Their interest is fully stimulated by the various applications of light and electrical energy in the exhibition hall. It is easy to imagine the impact these profound impressions will have on their young minds.
[American] Society places great importance on developing the science and technology required for its advancement and progress. For that advancement and progress to be successfully realized, [society] must first have its youth grow and thrive. In this respect, all of [American] society spares no expense. Throughout all their years of schooling, American youth have superior learning conditions. As such, some call America “a child’s heaven.” This mechanism is the indispensable factor for the sustained development and prosperity of society and deserves to be studied. In most societies, attention is not placed on man’s early life stages, but rather on his middle and late stages. From the perspective of life’s comforts, this is appropriate. But when it comes to the advancement of society as a whole is that not too late?
While America is a commodified society where money reigns supreme, when it comes to education in science and technology Americans understand how to spend their money to reap the greatest returns. The Museum of Science and Industry is an example [of this]. Many museums charge an [entrance] fee, but the Museum of Science and Industry is free, open seven days a week, and the gigantic parking lot in front of the museum is also free. Education also has this unique trait. Even if [American] university tuition fees are staggering, all schooling from high school and below is free. People from many places also see museums as a mechanism with educational functions. In some non-commodified societies, various activities are already moving towards being measured in monetary terms. However in America, a society where almost all relations are measured by money, people are striving to protect certain fundamental functions and fields from the encroachment of commodification. This not only is an [intentional] choice, but is also a policy that a commodified society cannot do without. Otherwise, these activities would be pushed out by the commodity economy. This point is worth noting for societies transitioning to a commodity economy.
In the evening, I climbed the world’s tallest building – the Sears Tower. [I looked out] at the boundless expanse of the blue river waters, seeing below me the intertwining buildings of various heights. [I was able to] better experience the power of the miracles forged by science and technology. Society’s progress requires innovation from the younger generation; that innovation requires a substantial understanding of the progress already made [by previous generations]. Only then can they build on this foundation to a higher level. If they know nothing of the creations of their predecessors, how can they achieve great success and strive to go even farther? If architects and builders do not know what a building is, how could they be bold in their designs? We will only reach the greatest heights only by standing on the shoulders of the giants who came before. This is a simple truth.
All achievements of modernization should be fully open. They should make society a grand furnace for technology that smelts the spirit of modernization. In a society that seals off the achievements of modernization, what is ultimately sealed away is the human spirit.
An institution reproduces itself through two means: the transmission process of modernization [itself] and the role played by education. Education causes people to identify with the values and rationales of the institution, whereas techno-scientific dissemination provides its material foundation. While education and science cannot directly produce material products, they can create the future.
对任何社会来说，最困难的任务不是商品或产品的再生产，而是制度的再生产。所谓制度的再生产，是指一种特定的社会制度能否在下一代或子子孙孙中生存下去。制度存在最牢固的基础就是社会的认同。新生代是否认同，关系到一定的社会制度能否再生产的问题。制度再生产最重要的机制是社会的教育。社会教育将社会生产的价值观念传播开来，从而提供了制度生存的基本条件。在美国，制度再生产的机制是十分发达的。
总的说来，社会教育系统较为完善，教育经费大概仅次于军费。教育投资是社会进步和全面发展的最重要、最有价值和能得到最大回报的投资。现代化的社会不仅需要现代化的设备，而且需要能创造和掌握这种设备的人。人的现代化是现代化最重要的指标。人的现代化是一个系统的社会工程，必须从小做起。这个艰巨的、代代相继不能停止的工程由谁来做？由社会的教育系统来做。人的一大缺陷是上一代获得的文化知识和伦理道德不能遗传，下一代人必须重新获得。这是教育至关重要的生物学定论。
MIT，即著名的麻省理工学院（The Massachusetts Institute of Technology）。这是旧时的译法，按照现在的译法，应译为，“麻州工艺学院”。麻省理工学院坐落在麻萨诸塞州的剑桥，在波士顿市旁边。 美国政治学会主席路辛·派伊教授接待了我们。他是麻省理工学院政治学系的教授。听起来有点奇怪，理工学院里也有政治学系，正像海军学院有政治学系一样（见第九章第 5 节“美国海军学院”）。麻省理工学院的政治学系是非常强的，路辛·派伊是闻名的政治学者。顺便说一下，从很多场合可以发现，美国政治制度的发展与其政治学的发展是相辅相成的。
麻省理工学院是一所典型的美国式大学。该大学 1861 年成立，1865 年招生。二次世界大战中以及战后，学院得到迅速的发展，这段时期学院的研究结合战争的需要，发展较快。目前共有五个学院：农业与计划学院，人文与社会科学学院、工程学院、管理学院和科学学院。学院以理工科和自然科学为主，但也包罗所有的人文科学和社会科学学科。由于这些学科招生较少，其质量反而更高。麻省理工学院现在大约有一万名学生，其中 4,500 名为本科生，5,000 左右为研究生。学生中工程方面占 50%，科学占 20%。在这所学校里，竞争异常激烈，不是精英的学生进不了这所学校。
这所学校的预算是惊人的。接待我们的教授说，学校每年的预算在十亿美元左右，差不多相当于可口可乐公司一年的纯收入。参加接待的有一位教授是麻省理工学院国际问题研究中心的主任，他说了一番“穷话”：“我们中心每年的预算是很少的，很可怜，不能与学校的其他学院比，我们只有 200 万美元。”200 万美元还算少？这个概念与一个中国教授的概念相去甚远。当然与学院的总预算相比，中心的预算是少的。
美国的大学，尤其是名牌大学，的确富甲天下。也正因为如此，大学才发挥了传播现代化的重要功能。美国的现代化可以说是从它的几千所大学中孕育出来的。年轻一代首先在大学中领略现代化，学习现代化，最主要的是获得“现代化的意识”。一代人如果没有“现代化的意识“，那他们只能享受现代化，而不能创造现代化。大学有足够的经费，使大学成为现代化的实验室，每个进入大学的人，都像掉入了“现代化的染缸”。 于是，从这里出去时，便已具备了不可磨灭的“现代化意识”。这就是高等教育的作用。
高等教育最重要的功能不在于培养出英才，而在于使每一代人（注意，一代人）都具备现代化意识。
这样庞大的开支如何支付呢？谁付钱呢？麻省理工学院是一所私立大学。大半经费来自于外部的赞助和捐赠。这就是我讲过的社会机制的作用。
之所以说麻省理工学院是一所典型的大学，是因为它反映了美国大学的特点。麻省理工学院的教授称自己的学院为“研究大学”（Research University）。何谓“研究大学”？他们解释说，欧洲的大学的传统注重传递知识，而美国的大学注重发现知识，这就是“研究大学”的基本涵义。麻省理工学院主要围绕着这个目标活动。整个学院以实验室为基轴组织起来，有一千多名教授，既教书又做研究，还有一千多人做辅助工作。
为了鼓励创新，他们认为教师与学生之间的关系是合伙人的关系，因此应当建立一种新的相互关系和新的工作方式，与学生共同发展。教育学生不应只重复过去的知识而应当迎接未来。这种精神，是美国精神这棵大树上的一颗果实。很难估计大学对美国的进步起到的作用有多大，因为太大了。大学在一代又一代的青年人中鼓励创新精神，并且尊重创新，实现创新。这是任何社会进步的主要动力。没有这种氛围，社会便难以进步。尤其是教育。
从事教育的人最容易产生的问题就是把教育视为教授自己已经知道而别人不知道的东西，这是很合理的逻辑。不过，人们还可以有更好的逻辑：鼓励发现教育者和被教育者都不知道的东西。可以说，这是人类进步的火车头。
麻省理工学院的教育应该说是成功的：波士顿地区有百分之七十的公司是这个学院的学生开创的，大多数是高技术公司。有四千多人在全球各国的大学中任教。世界各国的人们也慕名而来。在校园中散步时，可以看见绿色的草坪旁矗立着雄伟的建筑，从这些建筑中走出各种肤色的人。亚裔的学生异常之多。这就是知识的力量。麻省理工学院还制定了专门的非种族歧视政策：“麻萨诸塞理工学院接受任何种族、肤色、性别或民族的学生，他们享有学院学生普遍享有的权利、特权和计划。”这也是知识的力量。
麻省理工学院的影响不仅波及美国社会，而且波及整个世界。它不仅在传播知识，而且还在传播“美国精神”。没有高度发达的教育，一个民族不可能影响其他民族，不可能真正立于世界民族之林。教育不象工业、农业、商业，它不能给人们这些活动所能给予的东西，但它能提供任何其他力量无法提供的东西。
当然，美国的大学不是没有问题的，相反，大学问题成灾。但优秀学生仍然脱颖而出。有些教授对未来忧心忡忡。不过，在麻省理工学院这样的大学中，由于竞争激烈，次货上不了柜台。
芝加哥是美国的特大城市之一。我随朋友一起驱车去芝加哥，用了五个小时。 从 80 号高速公路转 55 号高速公路直达芝加哥。55 号公路横穿芝加哥市区。在繁忙的高速公路上，跻身于高速急驶的车队之中，像在纽约一样，令人感到一种现代化特有的节奏，中国人普遍有这样一种感觉，第一次上高速公路，均有一种莫名其妙的紧张感。
中国人和许多发展中国家的人习惯于慢节奏的生活，突然置身于快节奏中，会有一种心理和文化上的不适应，甚至会有生理上的不适应。我称之为“现代化紧张反应”。但在美国要行动，不能不上高速公路，这种强制的交通速度使人很快消除了“现代化紧张反应”。试想一下，没有这种强制，会是什么样的结果呢？
一个民族，作为整体，在现代化过程中是否会有“现代化紧张反应”，有了又会有什么样的后果，怎样来消除一个民族的“现代化紧张反应”，这是发展中国家面临的一个问题。
我们先参观了海洋博物馆。里面像一个海洋世界，有千奇百怪的鱼类和海洋生物。人们在这里可以了解较为完整的海洋生物知识。然后去参观 Field Museum of National History，实际上是一个自然博物馆加历史博物馆，这样的组合在博物馆中尚不多见。一方面有成千上万的动植物标本，另一方面陈列着美国历史和一些外国历史的文物。这个馆陈列的印第安人的文物和历史是较为全面的。大厅里还矗立着几个巨大的图腾柱，大约是南美什么土著的崇拜物。甚至还陈列了中国清朝的一些东西，但为数不多。从自然和社会博物馆的角度讲，可能是世界第一流的。
令人最感兴趣的还不是以上两个地方，而是科学和工业博物馆（Museum of Science and Industry）。这是一座占地面积很大，陈列物品惊人，但免费参观的博物馆。一进大厅，就可以看到儿童和少年多于成年人，这是完全符合这个馆的建馆目标的。其目的就在于使青年一代在科技之炉中冶炼出科技精神和科技兴趣。
这个馆是芝加哥最吸引人的旅游点之一，每年大约有四百万人前来参观。这个馆共有七十五个展览厅，二千多个展览系列，它通过这些系统的展出向观众表明科学原则、技术进步和工业应用。这个馆与其他馆不同，它的设计有了项特殊原则，就是让观众参与。观众可以按电钮、推动杠杆等，从而参与展出，并获得难忘的经历，尤其是对少年儿童来说。有时候，一按电钮，就有人在电话里说话，有时候，一按电钮，就有电视节目；有时候可以操作机床；有时候可以走进巨大的心脏模型中去了解心脏的构造；有时候可以坐进汽车驾驶模拟器去驾驶汽车；有时候又可以走进地下了解地壳构造。如此等等。这个博物馆由居里尤斯·罗森沃德（Julius Rosenwald）创建，1933 年开馆。坐落在美丽的杰克逊湖畔。每天吸引了成千上万的人来到这里。
下面简单罗列一下有关的展览项目，以便把握这座“科技之炉”。这里的展览系列包括:各个时代的飞机、旧时的打字机、新闻、电话电报、农业机械、城市建设、电脑、石油、地层、视听、基础科学、工业、汽车、化学、电影、医疗、自行车、邮电、电能、食品、照相、货币、能源、图书馆、生物、人体科学、铁路、海洋、太阳能等。应有尽有。从古代科学和技术的初步发展，到现代科学技术的最新成就，航天飞机、电脑等，似乎无一遗漏。展览馆还展出了美军在第二次世界大战中缴获的德国潜水艇 U-505。进入这座展览馆，就象进入了科学的殿堂，令人眼花缭乱。这是座真正的“科学之炉”。孩子们由家长带着来到这里，如鱼得水，留连忘返。他们的兴趣被展览馆中各种光能和电能的应用充分调动起来。这些深刻的印象在他们幼小的心灵中将产生何种影响，不难想象。
社会很注重发展整个社会发展和进步所需要的科学和技术。社会发展和进步要想得以顺利实现，首要的就是使年轻一代茁壮成长起来。在这方面，整个社会都不惜花钱，从小学到高中，青少年的学习条件十分优越，故有人称美国是“儿童的天堂”。这套机制是社会持续发展和繁荣的不可忽视的因素，值得研究。在不少社会中，人们的注意力不在人生的早期阶段，而在中期和后期阶段。从个人的生活舒适来说，这是合适的。但对整个社会的进步来说，这是否太迟了呢？
美国虽然是个商品社会，是个金钱至上的社会，然而，在科学和技术教育方面，他们深深懂得怎样花钱才能获得最大的收益。科学和工业博物馆就是一个实例。不少博物馆都是收费的，但科学和工业博物馆是免费的，每天开放，而且博物馆前面巨大的停车场也是免费的。教育也具有这种特征，尽管大学教育所需要的学费是惊人的，但高中以下的教育是免费的。不少地方的人把博物馆也视为一个具有教育功能的机构。在一些非商品化的社会中，各种活动已在走向用金钱标准来计算，而在美国这样一个典型的金钱化的社会中，人们却努力保持一些具有基本教育功能的领域的非商品化，这不仅是一种选择，而且是商品经济下不得不为之的一种政策，要不然这些活动就会被商品经济排挤掉，这一点值得走向商品经济的社会注意。
傍晚时分，登上世界最高的建筑——西尔斯大厦（Sears Tower），遥望远处碧波万顷的湖水，俯瞰近处高低交错的楼宇，更能体会到科学技术创造奇迹的力量。社会的进步需要年轻一代的创新；年轻一代的创新需要他们对已有进步的充分了解，只有这样，他们才能在这个基础上更上一层楼。一个人如果对前人的创造一窍不通，如何能百尺竿头，更进一步呢？如果设计者和建造者从不知道楼为何物，如何能大胆设计呢？正因为有了次高，才有最高，这是一个简单的道理。
社会的一切现代化成就都应充分开放，使社会为宏大的科技之炉，冶炼现代化精神。在一个把现代化成就封闭起来的社会中，最终封闭的是人的精神。
现代化的传递过程，以及教育的功能，在两个层次上再生产一种制度。教育提供了对该制度的价值合理性的认同，科技的传播提供了物质基础。教育和科技虽不直接生产物质产品，但却可以创造未来。
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The Center for Strategic Translation is a non-profit research institute that locates, translates, and analyzes strategic Chinese texts to inform scholarship and policymaking.
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