On Aug. 27, 1989, the movement of tens of thousands of people known as "snails without shells" (
Since housing problems continue to be regarded as a result of short supply, real estate is still identified as a so-called leading industry. Hence, the rise in land prices triggered by increased investment and increasing price expectations, coupled with an unreasonable allocation of space brought on by the rise in land prices, also continues to dominate and twist the relationship between residents and the houses they reside in.
Moreover, urban borders act as a hedge making it difficult for the "snails without shells" to cross over into the city. Fragmented space allocation also reduces the possibility of a living an ideal lifestyle. However, the cause of all these problems is not just housing. There are many important aspects we must care about when considering the construction of our living environment.
For the majority of people living in Taiwan, the primary housing concern is the economic burden that it creates. Many people spend their whole lives working hard in order to secure for themselves a house which belongs to them. During this process, "the house," apart from being imagined as a basis for living, is also imagined as a symbol of the accumulation of wealth; therefore, the expectation for low housing prices and the craving for high property values becomes contradictory and a source of conflict for many members of society.
For example, at the beginning of this year, in order to promote economic prosperity in the country, the government proposed a plan to boost the real estate market by providing low-interest housing loans totaling NT$150 billion. Though there were endless criticisms and objections from all circles, once the plan was carried out, many people were eager to go after the favorable loans. The reason was clear -- in a society where justice and fairness are lost, everyone is forced into pursuing as much personal benefit as possible, so as to fulfill one's own needs.
Yet this kind of collective consciousness in turn compels everyone to succumb to the pressure of having to compete in isolation.
When economic growth drives housing policies, people have to fend for themselves according to the law of the jungle. Moreover, as long as the government regards the construction industry as a leading industry, housing prices clearly cannot find a reasonable balance between supply and demand. The nightmare of high housing prices will not end.
Despite the government's powerless moral persuasion, housing problems still remain a concrete demonstration of the divide between the rich and the poor. Even if the low-interest housing loans can help some people realize their dream of "finding their shells," their real impact lies within the continued strengthening of this particular logic. The purpose of the plan is not to construct a reasonable housing policy, but to strengthen the shaky capital structure of the construction industry. If we do not challenge this logic, the hope for every resident to own a house will become an unattainable dream.
On the other hand, if a reasonable housing policy cannot be realized, not only will prices remain high, but the standard of living will also become more twisted and hollow. "Living" is not just the activity of residing inside a building, but instead residency should demonstrate an equal relationship with other aspects of living.
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