俄罗斯胡子代币：政府越权的象征

在我的硬币收藏中，我拥有一枚铜币，我发现它不可能不让人想起拜登政府的最后四年。

In my coin collection, I own a copper piece that I find impossible to look at and not think about the last four years of the Biden administration. The piece (an early 18th century replica of an original that would have cost me thousands of dollars to obtain) is called a “Russian beard token.” The obverse side displays: nose, mustache, lips, and beard, and a caption that translates “money taken.” The brainchild behind the beard token was Czar Peter I of Russia.

在我的硬币收藏中，我拥有一枚铜币，我发现它不可能不让人想起拜登政府的最后四年。这件作品（我要花费数千美元才能买到的一件 18 世纪早期的原件复制品）被称为“俄罗斯胡须代币”。正面显示：鼻子、胡须、嘴唇和胡须，以及翻译为“钱被拿走”的标题。胡子标志背后的创意是俄罗斯沙皇彼得一世。

Peter I of Russia had big plans for his country and, since he was the Czar, he could do as he pleased. So, in the name of progress, reform, and modernization, he decided his citizens could use a fashion makeover. Peter believed that Western Europeans were the cat’s pajamas and that if he could get Russian men to remove their much-loved traditional beards they would look like (and therefore think like) the close-shaved superior men of Western Europe. Despite the religious connection that Russian men (and the Russian Orthodox Church) held for beards, the Czar banned them anyway. Russian men did have an alternative, of course. If one wanted to show off his hairy face he would have to pay a yearly beard tax.

俄罗斯的彼得一世对他的国家有宏伟的计划，而且由于他是沙皇，他可以为所欲为。因此，以进步、改革和现代化的名义，他决定他的公民可以进行时尚改造。彼得相信西欧人就是猫的睡衣，如果他能让俄罗斯男人去掉他们深受喜爱的传统胡须，他们就会看起来（因此也认为是）西欧剃光头的高级男人。尽管俄罗斯男人（和俄罗斯东正教）认为胡子与宗教有关，但沙皇还是禁止留胡子。当然，俄罗斯男人确实有其他选择。如果一个人想炫耀他多毛的脸，他就必须每年缴纳胡须税。

Starting around 1700, a Russian beard token was issued to every man who paid his beard tax so that he could prove he was in obedience to the law. So to be easily spotted by the authorities the token was usually worn around the neck. To not have it on your person, or to not be in lockstep with the Peter I edict, would result in the humiliation of a public shaving by the police.

从 1700 年左右开始，俄罗斯向每个缴纳胡须税的男子发放胡须代币，以证明自己遵守法律。因此，为了容易被当局发现，令牌通常戴在脖子上。如果你不把它戴在身上，或者不遵守彼得一世法令，就会导致被警察当众剃毛的羞辱。

The token, to me, represents government overreach at its worst: anti-individualism and a push to conformity, antireligion, antifreedom of choice, antifreedom of expression, and overtaxation. You could see why it reminds me of four years of President Joe Biden.

对我来说，这个代币代表了政府最糟糕的越权行为：反个人主义和推动顺从、反宗教、反选择自由、反言论自由和过度征税。你可以明白为什么它让我想起了乔·拜登总统的四年。

Interestingly, despite his many austere measures, Czar Peter I is often referred to as Peter the Great. This is mainly because he managed to make Russia a formidable nation on the world scene, which was certainly his intention. This, in contrast, to President Joe the Pathetic, who has always seemed intent on weakening his own nation -- even as he exits the world scene.

有趣的是，尽管沙皇彼得一世采取了许多严厉措施，但他仍经常被称为彼得大帝。这主要是因为他设法使俄罗斯成为世界舞台上的强大国家，这当然是他的意图。这与可悲的乔总统形成鲜明对比，他似乎总是一心想削弱自己的国家——即使他退出了世界舞台。

So glad to see you go Joe. Don’t let the White House door hit you hit you on the way out.

很高兴看到你走了，乔。不要让白宫的门在你出去的时候撞到你。