There are two major factors underlying the deterioration in relations between different ethnic communities in recent years. One is the pressure for Taiwan to become more economically dependent on China, weakening its geopolitical position and making people feel uneasy. People with differing political affiliations have very different ideas of what to do under such circumstances and they do not trust one another. This lack of trust gives rise to the second element, which is that supporters of the pan-green and pan-blue camps are less willing to make an effort to understand and appreciate the historical background behind their opponents’ choice of identity. The Kuo case and the furor surrounding it are a fine illustration of how these two factors affect Taiwan.
Having experienced the traumas of the first half of the 20th century, in which governments did their utmost to eliminate those who held opposing views, German-born writer Hannah Arendt wrote that the essence of the human spirit is not brotherhood, but friendship, and that friendship is not a relationship between people who are close to begin with, but rather a requirement when discussing public affairs and a necessity when forming a world view.
Those politicians who really wish to improve relations between the different ethnic communities in Taiwan need to honestly confront the two causative factors I identified above. In handling relations with China, they should seek more dialogue and better communication among Taiwanese. In regard to identity politics and questions of history, they should be more willing to re-examine and reconsider their own views.
If they just make a gesture by passing an act on ethnic equality and leave it at that, relations between communities will not be improved and may even get worse.
Tao Yi-feng is an associate professor of political science at National Taiwan University.
TRANSLATED BY JULIAN CLEGG
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