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Always tell the truth to the powerful

Led by Wu Nai-teh (吳乃德), an Academia Sinica research fellow, Chang Fu-chung (張富忠), a former editor-in-chief of Formosa magazine, and several other academics and social activists issued a statement on Saturday urging President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) to resign.

The statement, entitled "The ethical crisis of democratic politics and Taiwan consciousness -- our call to the president, the ruling party and the Taiwanese people," has attracted much attention from all sectors of society. The statement is seen as deep reflection by the green camp, especially by pro-green academics and activists. It will inevitably bring pressure and have an impact on Chen and his family, who are allegedly involved in various scandals.

We should view such criticism against Chen and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) from two angles.

First, it reaches beyond the division between blue and green. If we continue to label the writers and countersigners of the statement as either blue or green, we will weaken the power of the statement and will gloss over and simplify the political spectrum.

Second, it is a call from intellectuals to those in power. Their call to Chen, the DPP and the people should be seen as an honest message to those in power. They have given their thoughts for the sake of Taiwan's democratization, hoping to strengthen the quality of democracy and the public's Taiwan consciousness. They value the establishment of systems above personal political gain. Especially, they emphasize the responsibilities we have to ourselves and coming generations. The hopes and bravery shown in the statement are touching.

Earlier this month, Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), who is in his 40s, caused controversy by sitting at the front while older Academia Sinica members stood at the back during a photo shoot. Doctors at NTU Hospital have also started to review their interaction with those in power, and today, academics with strong Taiwan consciousness who have long been concerned about the country's democratic development and consolidation are urging Chen to resign.

This series of events offers a moment of reflection in the current political chaos. We must seize the chance to reconsider the relationship between intellectuals and those in power, or, more specifically, how we should tell the truth to those in power.

In modern society, interaction between knowledge and power is more complex. On the one hand, the establishment of the knowledge system, as well as teaching and research, depend on financial support from government agencies.

On the other hand, intellectuals must act according to their conscience and seek the truth using logic. But when knowledge encounters power, when the intellectual becomes the powerful and when we become arrogant after our knowledge becomes our profession, what kind of truths should we voice, and how should we speak them? Obviously, this is a thorny issue.

In his book, The Intellectual and Taiwan's Development (知識分子與台灣發展) published in 1989, late senior adviser to the president Tao Pai-chuan (陶百川) wrote, "The intellectual must always improve administrative performance and eliminate corrupt atmosphere using both criticism and admonishment."

He stressed, "Politics must always be criticized; power must always be restrained. Otherwise, politics will become decadent and rigid; power will be abused and corrupted. Criticism and admonishment are the intellectual's responsibility and right."

He clearly pointed out the attitude that intellectuals should take in the face of politics and power -- criticism and constraint.

Since intellectuals value honor, if aged Academia Sinica members have to stand behind government officials, we should condemn more than the arrogance and ignorance of the powerful. Intellectuals also have to review themselves when they fail to set an example.

Recently, triggered by the scandals involving Chen's son-in-law Chao Chien-ming (趙建銘), NTU Hospital and medical circles in general have started to review their professional ethics, roles and character. As NTU Hospital Superintendent Lin Fang-yue (林芳郁) said, it is necessary to at least regulate doctors' interaction with political forces.

This is in fact a rare opportunity for reflection, and it also serves as an example for other professions, such as the law and accounting professions. Since those are important professions in society, they are a benchmark for the nation's progression and maturity.

The various past accounting frauds, as well as public distrust of the prosecutorial and judicial systems, are a result of the lack of character and ethics training in Taiwan's higher education. They are also a result of Taiwan's long-term distortion and interference by political forces.

In his book entitled Representations of the Intellectual, the late Edward Said wrote, "Nothing in my view is more reprehensible than those habits of mind in the intellectual that induce avoidance, that characteristic turning away from a difficult and principled position which you know to be the right one, but which you decide not to take. You do not want to appear too political; you are afraid of seeming controversial; you need the approval of a boss or authority figure; you want to keep a reputation of being balanced, objective, moderate ...."

As Said said, such decline is the worst attitude an intellectual can adopt. Looking back at the statement, the 15 academics have decided not to avoid their responsibility and have told the truth to the powerful. They think that Taiwan's society must always believe in and pursue the fairness and justice it deserves.

Anyone who is entrusted with supreme power by voters should never abandon the promises they made, respect for the intellectual, or public expectations. Leaders should know when it is time to resign. As for Taiwan's intellectuals, how should we communicate with those in power, and what should we tell the coming generations?

The statement can be accessed at http://www.twcivilsociety.org/.

Jackson Yeh is a freelance writer.

Translated by Eddy Chang
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