The political stance of Academia Sinica President Lee Yuan-tseh
Lee has repeatedly said that, as an academic, his most important contribution to society is his academic achievement. He is embroiled in every election because he is charismatic, with all the traits of an ideal leader -- sincerity, fairness, selflessness, honesty, wisdom, tolerance and vision. These qualities make him one of the most popular public figures in Taiwan.
Though Lee himself dislikes exaggerations of his charm, no one dares to underestimate his influence, especially during highly competitive elections, such as the 1998 Taipei mayoral election and this presidential race. This explains why he has repeatedly tried to draw a line between himself and politics, but so far he has never succeeded.
Whether or not he will accept the premiership in the next administration, Lee's next move will inevitably reopen the topic of the subtle connection between academia and politics.
Would his reputation of being a prestigious scholar be tarnished if he became directly involved in politics? Lee himself seems to have such a concern; thus, he has been clear about his reservations over Taiwanese politics.
His past experiences with politicians have taught him that they always resort to every expedient means to attain their ends, which violates his principles. However, even if the essence of politics is necessarily "dirty," why do we sit and see those immoral politicians seize power and make all the important decisions for us?
In fact, if we analyze this issue from a different perspective, both academia and politics are sub-systems in society, they each have their own value and independent sphere of influence. In a modern society, all vocations are equal as long as people do their jobs properly.
In Taiwan, a slew of politicians like Lee Teng-hui
German sociologist Max Weber once offered his views in the beginning of the 20th century on the connection between academia and politics. In the two speeches he delivered -- "Politics as a vocation" and "Science as a vocation," he claimed these two fields each has an element of "spiritual work."
In other words, rather than considering working in academics or politics a "job," politicians and academics regard their work as their "vocation" -- something they are devoted to their entire lives.
Weber invented the notion of "ethic of responsibility," hoping to differentiate politicians and statesmen. For Weber, a statesman should have the qualities of being devoted, responsible and judgmental. In addition, he should carry out his "pragmatic ideas" with a calm and thorough attitude.
In other words, "ethic of responsibility" to a statesmen is like "truth and facts" to scientists. Because of these elements, being conscientious and tenacious to truth and facts are the critical attributes to be successful statesmen and scientists.
To improve Taiwan politics, we need to create opportunities for honorable statesmen. We welcome more people like Lee to come forward courageously to help create a better country.
Ku Chung-hwa is chairman of the department of sociology at National Chengchi University.
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