Lesson 9 (1)

Lesson9 The World’s Poorest President

面積

17.6万平方キロメートル
（日本の約半分）

人口

342万人（2014年）

首都

モンテビデオ

民族

欧州系90％、 欧州系と先住民の
混血8％、 アフリカ系2％

言語

スペイン語

宗教

キリスト教（カトリック）が多
数。憲法で信仰の自由を保障

独立

1825年（スペインより）

section 1

In 2012, the Earth Summit 開催されました。

in Rio de Janeiro.

The theme of the Summit was environmental problems.

José Mujica, the president of Uruguay at that time,

演説をしました
there.

was held.

made a speech

The speech was about human happiness

環境問題よりもむしろ.③

During his speech, Mujica asked the audience

these questions: “What would happen to the earth

if everyone in the world owned a car?

rather than environmental problems.

Can seven or eight billion people enjoy the same

lifestyle as that in the rich Western societies?

Do we have

十分な資源

for that?”

enough resources

Today, many people 経済成長を求めています.

but Mujica thought that this tendency damaged the earth.

The speech showed his belief that people had to change

their lifestyle for the earth and their own happiness.

seek economic development

Lesson9 The World’s Poorest President

section 2

https://www.choubunsha.com/special/president/

■ 略歴

•

1935年、ウルグアイ・モンテビデオ郊外に生まれる。

•

幼い頃より、パン屋、花屋などで働く。十代から政治活動を始める。

•

1960年代初期、当時の独裁政権に反抗する非合法政治組織「トゥパマロ
ス」に加わる。

•

ゲリラ活動による4度の投獄を経て解放。1994年に下院議員に選出。

•

1999年、所属の人民参加運動（MPP）が最大議席を獲得。

•

2010年、ウルグアイ第40代大統領に選出。

•

給料の大半を貧しい人のために寄付し、公邸での居住を拒否。歯に衣着
せぬ物言いが話題に。

•

2012年「国連持続可能な開発会議」でのスピーチで世界の注目を浴びる。

•

半世紀ぶりに国交回復したキューバとアメリカの仲介役を担うなど、世
界中で活躍。

•

2015年、大統領退任。

Mujica was born in a poor area of Montevideo in

1935. When he was in his early 20s, the economy in

Uruguay went down. He became concerned about

裕福な人と貧しい人の差
the gap between the rich and the poor.

Mujica thought that political change was necessary.

彼は軍事政権と戦った

and got arrested four times. It was 13 years that

Mujica spent in jail.

However, he did not give up

ウルグアイをより良い国にするという望み

He fought against the military government.

his hope of changing Uruguay into a better
country.

In 1985, he was finally released.

He never lost 社 会 を 変 え る と い う 強 い 意 志

and became a politician ten years later.

Then

in

2010,

he

was

elected

as

the

40th

president of Uruguay.

his strong will to change society

Section 3

Mujica’s speech at the Summit made him known

widely to the world.

He was called “the world’s poorest president”

because of his way of life.

Mujica actually lived a very humble life. He lived

in a small house in the suburbs.

①He

井戸から水を得ました。

He plowed his land, and grew vegetables and

flowers there.

got water from a well.

②He even donated 自身の収入の約90％を慈善事業に

His only possession of value was a very old car.

③Never to be happy.

彼が幸せになるために高価なものを必要としたことは，決してありませんでした。

fancy things / he / need / did /

did he need fancy things

Section 4

In his speech, Mujica said that many people

worked hard to earn more money than they

actually needed. He said, “We do not come into

this world solely for economic development. We

come here to be happy.”

He was concerned that seeking economic development

人々が本当の幸せを見つけるのを妨げるprevented people from finding true happiness

Mujica stated that true happiness came from

愛に満ちた人間関係

,not from material wealth.

③His words helped 人々が大切な価値観を認識する

in their life.

human relationships full of love

people recognize important values

④Mujica said, “Development has to be in favor of human

happiness: love on Earth, human relationships, caring for

children, having friends, and fulfilling our basic needs.”

He concluded his speech by saying,

⑤“Happiness is

私たちが持つ最も大切な宝物なのですthe most precious treasure we have