Mon, Oct 08, 2001 page8

• What our politics should be about

  • By Ho Tsai-man 何彩滿
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  At around 11pm on the 27th and 28th of September, PTS showed a program called Urban Reconstruction (城市改造). I thought it was a really good program that more people should have watched.

  I saw an introduction to two cities, one being Paris, France, and the other Furukawa, Japan. One is an international metropolis, and the other a small city. In 1853, Paris was messy and crowded, with mouldering buildings. Even worse was the insufficiency of the sewer system, creating problems with waste water and drainage throughout the city, and the air was often filled with the stench of refuse.

  But at the time Paris called in a man called Baron Georges Haussmann. He was to reconstruct the whole city. Haussmann then took 18 years to lay the foundation for decades of excellent development in the city.

  In his allotted time Haussmann completed crucial measures such as water-diversion works for the sewage system (these sewers have become a museum, and are an important part of any in-depth tour of Paris), and the re-design of tree-shaded boulevards and streets.

  The lesson the program teaches about Furukawa is that the town's charm was made possible by the fact that a grassroots democracy has developed here.

  The town prides itself on excellent carpentry techniques and skills -- and even more impressive is that the people hold dreams about their own living environment, and are willing to act on them. Each citizen participates physically in the reconstruction of their drainage system -- and the water in the ditches is so clean that it can at any time be used to water their flowers. In order to integrate local traditions, they have even laid down laws promoting the use of local materials and architectural styles in the renewal. People there are care-free and have a laid back self-respect.

  I remember early last year, just after the elections were over, when everyone in Taiwan, high and low, went crazy over the transfer of power. Regardless of which party one supported, at least everyone felt that Taiwanese democracy was exciting.

  This was the political situation, and the economic situation at the time didn't look too bad, either. In the middle of March last year, the Taiwanese economy followed American technology stocks to a climax, and for a while everyone seemed filled with boundless enthusiasm. At the time, Taiwan was so full of self-confidence! Everyone knows the rest of the story.

  Just like our politicians, various disasters visited every corner of the island last month. But the Taiwanese population wasn't drowned in the saliva of politicians alone -- floods and landslides brought many fundamental problems onto the stage, forcing the feeling on everyone living here that these fundamental issues absolutely must be faced. What has been the purpose of our economic growth? The purpose of our development? If the standard of living here cannot show substantial improvements, what are the advantages of striving for that international competitiveness ranking? All the goals of all development should really only be one, and it should all come down to people's quality of life.

  I once lived for a while in a small town in the USA. This place, called Dunn, had almost 8,000 people but the inhabitants were still worried that in case the budget for an elevated road would not be passed, local road construction would be delayed for at least ten years. Is that possible? Is it possible that this could happen in Taiwan? Is Taiwan still a place of dreams, and a place that can make these dreams come true? Is there a kind of politician that does not push for the short-term, but step by step completes important fundamental construction? Is there a kind of citizen that finds the special local color of his community, and then actively participates in the construction of that community?

  At this time care no longer means only to worry over whether the streetlamps outside one's doorstep work or not, there is the much more important construction of sewers and other problems that are not always visible. Regardless of the size of the city, when casting our vote, we should not only see to whether we like or dislike a person, but rather what results that person has achieved. We want people like Haussmann for politicians.

  Maybe Taiwan's problem is an old disease that cannot be cured immediately, but we can also spend 18 years to realize this kind of dream. Eighteen years is not too long. The results are not only for our generation -- the next generation and the generation after that will also enjoy them. This "us" is not an abstract people, it is not some abstract "Taiwan love," but you and I. Just you and I.

  Ho Tsai-man is a PhD student at Tunghai University

  Translated by Perry Svensson
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