During the Asian Financial Crisis of the late 1990s, much was written about Taiwan's success in avoiding the disruption suffered by several Asian tigers. At the time, it was argued that an important factor protecting Taiwan from the regional contagion was its development model, based heavily on plentiful and flexible small and medium-sized enterprises, often called an "army of ants."
Put another way, one of the keys to Taiwan's economic growth as well as its stability in times of uncertainty was not government action or the management of large corporations; it was the private initiative of millions of individuals in small enterprises operating in an environment largely free from government interference.
It is time for this approach to be applied to Taiwan's domestic politics and international relations.
Taiwan is not a normal country.
Traditional government institutions are necessary, and need to be sustained, but they are not sufficient to protect Taiwanese from steady marginalization in the world. This unfortunate trend -- international marginalization -- is not the fault of Taiwan's government.
There is a lot of competition for the time and resources of the international community, and as a matter of policy, most of the international community isolates Taiwan's leaders, putting the nation's government at a profound disadvantage.
However there is no international policy restricting the activity of Taiwanese, who must take on greater responsibility for shaping the nation's democracy and defining Taiwan's value to the world.
It is the people's responsibility to elect representatives who support the defense and development of Taiwan, and to reject candidates who do not. It also is the people's responsibility to play their own role in establishing relationships of trust and value with neighbors around the world.
Unlike the government, Taiwanese are free to travel and engage in activism abroad. Taiwan's international strategy needs to be guided by the foundation of the nation's economic success ? an "army of ants" that is creative, adaptable and resistant to external destabilization.
Globalization has opened the door to this kind of approach. No visa is required for phone calls, video conferences, Web sites and other new forms of communication and advocacy. Private citizens in Taiwan should be organizing themselves, without relying on the government, to promote issues they care about and generate international awareness of the nation's contribution to causes of value to major international constituencies.
The best example of this kind of international activity is the Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation. They have been very effective in providing material and compassionate services to countries and communities around the world traumatized by natural disasters or military conflict. While not their mission, they are excellent unofficial ambassadors representing the compassion and goodwill of the Taiwanese. They should be commended for their service but, more importantly, should be joined in this field of non-government international activism.
Like Taiwan, the US' greatest economic advances were driven by private innovation, not the government. In politics, one of the greatest speeches in US history did not come from a party candidate or government official, but an activist minister -- the 1963 "I have a dream" speech by Martin Luther King.
The key lesson is that we are mistaken if we look only to political campaigns and government bureaucrats for vision and meaning in our national experience.
Much recent attention in Taiwan has been given to the responsibilities of ruling and opposition parties, executive and legislative authority, and the vagueness of the Republic of China Constitution -- written with one-party rule over all of China in mind. Democratic reforms and global changes definitely warrant a serious discussion of Taiwan's constitutional order.
But I worry that insufficient attention has been given to the rights and responsibilities of the Taiwanese to organize and inspire themselves to advocate good governance at home and establish constituencies abroad that value Taiwan.
Taiwanese have a lot to offer in support of important global causes -- ranging from environmental responsibility, civil rights and humanitarian relief to entrepreneurship in the areas of public health, high technology and several service industries.
These also happen to be some of the most powerful constituencies in the world's major democracies. How much better off would the nation be if these constituencies found it to their advantage to refer to Taiwan as they advocate their cause at home?
This will only happen if more Taiwanese follow Tzu Chi's example -- mobilizing people and resources at home, investing in projects abroad that are of value to the international community and bringing credit to the nation's international reputation along the way. The key is to get beyond discussion of what Taiwan is, and advance an international discussion of the value of what Taiwan does.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the moment I first set foot on Taiwan and my life was forever changed by the experience. I will never forget the sounds of machinery banging away in ordinary residential neighborhoods, the warm welcome I received, or the fervor of religious and political beliefs I encountered.
This combination of initiative and beliefs left an enduring impression. I hope that 20 years from now these strengths will lead international discourse about Taiwan to focus enviously on its "army of ants" engaged in socially responsible activism around the world.
I believe the Taiwanese are up to this challenge. Vision, motivation and commitment are all that this is required.
Stephen Yates is president of DC Asia Advisory, a Washington-based business and public affairs consultancy, and is a former deputy assistant for national security affairs to US Vice President Dick Cheney.
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