In formulating major financial or economic policy, a democratic country will always follow three principles -- no sacrifice of the majority's interests for the minority's interests; no decision-making process at odds with participatory democracy; no damage to security or justice. In the past few days, Formosa Plastics Group (台塑集團) Chairman Wang Yung-ching (王永慶) has been demanding that the government establish direct links with China immediately, or risk Taiwan's industries losing their competitiveness. Kao Ching-yuan (高清愿), chairman of Uni-President Enterprises Corp (統一企業), has said that as soon as direct links begin, Taiwan's stock market will rise to 7,000 points.
Investments by these two tycoons have been pouring into China for years. So they have much to gain from the establishment of direct links. Yet they tell us that the links are in most people's interests, as if they are concerned about the people. Are they right? After direct links begin, Taiwanese capital and talent will pour into China. Tai-wan's industries will hollow out and its economy will decline. Will all this be good for the majority of the people? The tycoons are simply using their "best interest of the people" rationalization to conceal their selfish ambition to sacrifice the social good for their own gains.
Business tycoons are wealthy and powerful. Their every statement and every action has a far-reaching social impact and a strong influence on public opinion. In contrast, workers with neither money nor power, and, indeed, ordinary members of the public, will forever be labeled as anti-business and stubborn conservatives, irrespective of how sound their divergent views may be.
Have these businessmen exercised any self-discipline to restrain themselves from trampling on the popular will and to truly respect the principles of participatory democracy? Have the media given owners of small and medium-sized businesses, workers and the general public the same kind of opportunity to express their views? As tycoons take full advantage of the freedoms offered by a democratic society to increase their fortunes, have they truly respected the democratic mechanism under which everyone has a right to speak up?
These tycoons are always saying that opportunities to make big profits should not be missed. The Chinese government, on the other hand, remains a hawkish totalitarian regime that continues to insist on the right to invade Taiwan. Once direct links are established, Taiwan will effectively have opened its doors, endangering its national security. Must social justice and national security be compromised for profit?
Most of Taiwan's business leaders moved their fortunes and families overseas years ago. If Taiwan comes under siege, they will simply leave. No wonder they can't understand why ordinary people, who have no escape route, are so frightened at the prospect of invasion and the destruction of their homes.
The tycoons are always saying that "businessmen have no mother country." They can go anywhere, as long as there is business to do and money to earn. That's why they loudly advocate direct links and why they call for "one country, two systems." They use the statement that "China also belongs to Taiwan" to echo China's statement that "Taiwan is part of China." These businessmen can hardly wait for unification. Consider all the grateful compliments Chen Yunlin (陳雲林), chief of the Taiwan Affairs Office at China's State Council, showered on them. Suddenly, it seems, these people do have a "mother country," but it is on the other side of the Taiwan Strait. Can we trust them any more?
Wang Yau-de is an associate professor at the the department of management science at National Chiao Tung University.
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