In a meeting of the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) Central Standing Committee, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said that with regard to Taiwan's democratic system, people already rule their own house. But with regard to the deeper meaning and quality of democracy, Taiwan still has much to learn before it can set its house in order. He added that Taiwan still has to establish a society in which power and duty are complimentary, and in which freedom and responsibility coexist.
Chen's statements were a response to a discussion about the crisis of social trust in the government and how it is changing. He emphasized that the ethnic problems and social tensions that exist today are largely the result of past rule by an authoritarian government, and he correctly stated that we should adopt an open-minded and liberal mentality to heal these wounds.
After more than 40 years of political repression, it is true that Taiwanese society lacks an organic system of self-rule through which the community can communicate and resolve conflicts. This is why some intellectuals have in recent years sought to promote community building, social education through community colleges and the discussion of social issues in citizens' conferences.
After March 20, Taiwan was on the verge of splitting apart. Looked at in terms of the presidential election, this means that almost half of the nation's voters lack confidence in the incumbent government. Some probably have no faith in it whatsoever. There are many complex reasons for this lack of trust.
Some are dissatisfied with the political achievements of the DPP and some are dissatisfied with having been pushed from power. But it must be recognized that a large part of this distrust is due to ethnic issues, which take the form of a categorical rejection of the government. As this response is the product of both rational and emotional factors, it will be necessary for Taiwanese society to develop into a more healthy state before we can expect their resolution.
So, as Chen has said, Taiwanese have much to learn if they are to set their house with regard to the deeper meaning and quality of their democracy. Put another way, civic awareness has yet to be fully developed in Taiwan.
At this stage, the government will play an important role in determining whether a civil society can be established, especially given the large segment of the population that has little faith in its rule.
In dealing with people who oppose it for irrational reasons, today's government should not adopt the high standards of a fully developed society in which power and duty are complimentary, and in which freedom and responsibility coexist. By using the judiciary to deal with these opponents -- as it has done on more than one occasion recently -- it is doing just that.
In a fully developed democratic society with the rule of law, the judiciary should be the least controversial channel through which to deal with various conflicts in society. But in a society full of distrust, the law often serves only to intimidate, rather than being a means of finding a resolution.
Some members of the government today continue to use rumors and other tactics beyond the scope of the law to attack opponents. So do members of the opposition parties. These tactics go back to the days of the tangwai (outside the Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT]) movement and the early days when the DPP was in opposition.
The response to such measures by the authoritarian government in those days was far more violent than it is today. But we must remember that ever since the Kaohsiung Incident, the country has been developing into a democracy and it regards authoritarianism with an increasing degree of antipathy.
During the authoritarian era, people put their faith in the radicals to right the injustices of the past -- the 228 Incident, the White Terror, the party-state -- and achieve everything the KMT was unable to achieve by creating a free and equal society with no distinctions of class or ethnicity. At that time, the radicals offended many powerful people, but they won the hearts of the common people. There are many who today stand with the opposition who, back in those days, were supporters and participants in the tangwai movement.
The situation is no longer the same, and many people no longer trust the leaders whom they trusted in the past.
If the government now uses the law to oppress its opponents, although it will be able to consolidate its support, it will also consolidate the forces of its opponents. This clear division of friend and enemy will have no benefit to society.
In this chaotic world, people must learn to be masters of their own house. That doesn't mean simply adopting the standards of normal societies, but it does mean leading the Taiwanese people toward achieving such a standard.
If the government wastes its energy engaging in lunchbox-throwing and making a big deal over the insignificant phraseology or actions of individuals, it will simply allow these emotions to keep on bubbling over.
Ku Er-teh is a freelance writer.
Translated by Ian Bartholomew
Taiwan is a small, humble place. There is no Eiffel Tower, no pyramids — no singular attraction that draws the world’s attention. If it makes headlines, it is because China wants to invade. Yet, those who find their way here by some twist of fate often fall in love. If you ask them why, some cite numbers showing it is one of the freest and safest countries in the world. Others talk about something harder to name: The quiet order of queues, the shared umbrellas for anyone caught in the rain, the way people stand so elderly riders can sit, the
Taiwan’s fall would be “a disaster for American interests,” US President Donald Trump’s nominee for undersecretary of defense for policy Elbridge Colby said at his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday last week, as he warned of the “dramatic deterioration of military balance” in the western Pacific. The Republic of China (Taiwan) is indeed facing a unique and acute threat from the Chinese Communist Party’s rising military adventurism, which is why Taiwan has been bolstering its defenses. As US Senator Tom Cotton rightly pointed out in the same hearing, “[although] Taiwan’s defense spending is still inadequate ... [it] has been trending upwards
Small and medium enterprises make up the backbone of Taiwan’s economy, yet large corporations such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) play a crucial role in shaping its industrial structure, economic development and global standing. The company reported a record net profit of NT$374.68 billion (US$11.41 billion) for the fourth quarter last year, a 57 percent year-on-year increase, with revenue reaching NT$868.46 billion, a 39 percent increase. Taiwan’s GDP last year was about NT$24.62 trillion, according to the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, meaning TSMC’s quarterly revenue alone accounted for about 3.5 percent of Taiwan’s GDP last year, with the company’s
There is nothing the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) could do to stop the tsunami-like mass recall campaign. KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) reportedly said the party does not exclude the option of conditionally proposing a no-confidence vote against the premier, which the party later denied. Did an “actuary” like Chu finally come around to thinking it should get tough with the ruling party? The KMT says the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is leading a minority government with only a 40 percent share of the vote. It has said that the DPP is out of touch with the electorate, has proposed a bloated
RSS