In a new book by Dan Abrams, Man Down, the legal analyst from ABC TV reached “beyond a reasonable doubt” the conclusion that ”women are better cops, drivers, gamblers, spies, world leaders, beef tasters, hedge fund managers and just about everything else,” based on studies and research.
As political leaders, women are still greatly outnumbered by men, but they have been increasing in number in recent years. Best known among past and present female political leaders are former Israeli prime minister (1969-1974) Golda Meir, former British prime minister (1979-1990) Margaret Thatcher, former Indian prime minister (1966-1977, 1980-1984) Indira Gandhi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Today there are at least 17 countries with a female president or prime minister, including Argentina, Brazil, Australia, Liberia, Bangladesh, Ireland, Iceland, Costa Rica, Finland, Slovakia, Lithuania and Kyrgyzstan. Nearly every major region in the world has a country with a female leader, except East Asia.
This is particularly troubling when Southeast Asia has had two countries (the Philippines and Indonesia) with female leaders in the last three decades. Why not East Asian countries? Confucian patriarchal tradition is so deep-rooted in East Asia that even Japan, the most democratic in the region, has failed to produce a female leader.
True to its name, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) produced a female vice president. Former vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) is deservedly proud of her political achievements during her terms in office from 2000 to 2008.
Understandably, she would very much like to be the first female president of Taiwan and has recently made known her intention to run as a DPP candidate in next year’s presidential election. However, DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) appears to have a much better chance than Lu of becoming not only the first female president in Taiwan, but in East Asia.
Tsai holds graduate degrees from universities in the UK and the US, she was a university professor and she held ranking government positions, including the equivalent of a deputy prime minister. As the behind-the-scenes architect of the “two country” theory, her views and ability to defend Taiwan’s sovereignty are beyond question. In addition, as the chairperson of the DPP since May 2008, she has helped lead the revival and resurgence of the party.
With her calm demeanor, rationality and integrity, Tsai is widely popular in Taiwan. It is fairly clear that she is not only the best qualified female presidential candidate, but simply the best presidential candidate for Taiwan.
It is indeed time for Taiwan’s national interest as well as history that Tsai is nominated by the DPP to be its presidential candidate and then elected directly by the people to become Taiwan’s first female president in March next year.
Chen Ching-chih is a professor emeritus of history at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
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