Countering the blue camp's campaign theme, the "one-China" principle, President Chen Shui-bian (
After the first democratic presidential election in 1996, Taiwan was identified as a liberal democracy by Freedom House, an organization devoted to the rating of freedom in countries. Taiwan is the second freest country in Asia, behind Japan, with a freedom rating at two out of seven (one representing the freest, and seven the least free).
China, however, was still among the non-democratic countries last year, achieving 6.5 in the freedom rating. Its situation was only better than Cuba and North Korea, two of the least free countries in the world with a rating of seven.
History has told us that democratic politics can best safeguard freedom and human rights and no war has ever occurred among democratic countries. Since the DPP came to power, it has adhered to the principle of human rights and continued to push forward the consolidation of democracy. Beijing on the contrary has not changed much. Its underlying authoritarian dictatorship and militant aggression remain the same, which is in stark contrast to Taiwan's freedom, human rights, democracy and peace.
The one-country-on-each-side theme in fact demands a more precise foundation. It can be specified as Taiwan and China on each side of the Taiwan Strait with one representing a liberal democracy and the other authoritarian dictatorship. The contrast between the two exemplifies their fundamental differences.
Since the DPP took power, the pan-blue camp has focused its criticism on economic problems, ignoring the inevitability of economic cycles. None of the developed countries with a sound market mechanism can avoid the influence of economic cycles.
Faced with the impact of global economic norms, the government of course needs to improve the economy. Yet it is unrealistic to expect Taiwan to have the same double-digit economic growth rate as China as the two countries are in different stages of economic development.
Besides, economic life does not comprise the whole of human life. In his book Political Science, Tsou Wen-hai (
The end of the 20th century has witnessed a dramatic increase of new democracies. There are 89 liberal democracies around the world, according to the latest report, which surveyed the freedom situation in each country between last year and this year. Taiwan is identified as a liberal democracy and its democratic achievement is widely acknowledged in the international community.
Chen's campaign theme can be clearly focused if he starts with Taiwan setting a successful model of transforming into democracy while citing the notable difference between Taiwan's liberal democracy and China's authoritarian dictatorship.
Lee Yeau-tarn is an associate professor at the Sun Yat-sen Graduate Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities, National Chengchi University.
TRANSLATED BY JENNIE SHIH
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