The spirit of Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) lingers over Taiwan and continues to dominate Taiwanese minds. For 30 years now, Taiwanese have stumbled forward in search of democracy, but have still failed to make this a Taiwanese nation. One of the reasons for this failure is that lingering spirit of power. If Taiwan cannot leave behind its admiration for Chiang, it will never enjoy true democracy and a new state.
Chiang was the person best placed to deconstruct the old Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) party-state and promote democratization and Taiwanization. Unfortunately, although his crucial suppression of the Kaohsiung Incident failed to block Taiwan’s search for democracy, it also revealed the essence of colonial authoritarianism, with the result that he lost any chance to make a positive contribution to Taiwan’s political development.
As the successor to Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石), Chiang Ching-kuo was specially admired by the powerful within the colonial party-state. Someone wrote a book describing the two Chiangs as “accidental fathers of the nation.” This might sound hopeful, but that is not necessarily true.
The passing of the two Chiangs left some people who continued to live in the past unable to face democratization, and this created problems with the formation of a Taiwanese identity. This was not at all helpful to the exile community developing a local identity and starting new lives in Taiwan.
The politics of former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) and former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) are all influenced by Chiang Ching-kuo. Lee used Chiang Ching-kuo’s “I am also Taiwanese” to give the government a more Taiwanese identity, while Soong used Chiang Ching-kuo’s frequent local visits to build support as he made plans to increase his power. Ma was impressed by Chiang Ching-kuo’s position as head of the secret service, but everyone saw straight through him and noticed his narcissism.
Aside from the differences in how they looked on Taiwan and China, they also differed in how they pursued power.
The extreme admiration for Chiang Ching-kuo has continued even after Taiwan’s democratization, which is a good measure of how deep the toxic information disseminated by the party-state eduction system and its mass media reached.
This is one important reason why Taiwan finds it so difficult to move toward becoming a normal nation. Given these factors, how will it be possible to implement true transitional justice?
The party-state has moved from opposing communism to endearing itself to it, flattering it and working with it. Apart from the “Chineseness” factor, it is all about political power. Many of the party-state servants who have lost absolute power over Taiwan are unwilling to face the state’s growing Taiwanese identity and would rather look toward China.
This attitude really does exist and it is difficult to overcome. It seems all we can do is to wait for a generational change. Chiang Ching-kuo is still a heavy burden around our necks. He had the power to turn the tide, but instead he put his followers on the road of Cheng Cheng-kung (鄭成功).
Admiration for Chiang Ching-kuo is admiration for dictatorship. This is the party-state legacy of martial law and the personality cult. Some people have praised him for being an enlightened despot, but what is so enlightened about being well spoken when you stab people in the back? Is that someone that Taiwanese want?
The members of the Chiang Ching-kuo power coterie within the KMT all want the blessing of his spirit. What kind of world are we living in? Mocking them might be useless, but their failures far outweigh their achievements.
Lee Min-yung is a poet.
Translated by Perry Svensson
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