Taiwan In Dynamic Transition

"Taiwan's emergent nationhood poses a fundamental challenge to the global political order. Following a remarkable transition from authoritarian rule to robust democracy, this island society has become a prosperous but widely unrecognized nation-state for which no uncontested sovereign space exists. Increasingly vigorous assertions of Taiwanese identity expose the fragility of relationships between the United States and other great powers that assume Taiwan will eventually unite with China. Perhaps because of their precarious international position, Taiwanese have embraced cosmopolitan culture and democratic institutions more fully than most Asians. The 2014 Sunflower Movement, in which demonstrators occupied parliament to protest a free trade agreement with China, thrust Taiwan politics into the global media spotlight, as did the resounding victory of the once-illegal Democratic Progressive Party in 2016. Taiwan in Dynamic Transition provides an up-to-date treatment of contemporary Taiwan, highlighting Taiwan's emergent nationhood and its implications for world politics. The book provides a new interpretive framework and series of case studies that together construct a vivid picture of how contemporary Taiwanese think about their nationhood, with specific examples of nation-building and democratization in social practice. The Taiwan case has important implications for broader themes and preoccupations in contemporary thought, such as consideration of why transitions in the aftermath of the Arab Spring have sputtered or failed, while Taiwan has evolved into a stable and prosperous democratic society. Taiwan serves as a test case for nation- and state-building, the formation of national identity, and the emergence of democratic norms in real time"--

Following a remarkable transition from authoritarian rule to robust democracy, Taiwan has grown into a prosperous but widely unrecognized nation-state for which no uncontested sovereign space exists. Increasingly vigorous assertions of Taiwanese identity expose the fragility of relationships between the United States and other great powers that assume Taiwan will eventually unite with China. Perhaps because of their precarious international position, the Taiwanese have embraced cosmopolitan culture and democratic institutions. The 2014 Sunflower Movement thrust Taiwan’s politics into the global media spotlight, as did the resounding electoral victory of the once-illegal Democratic Progressive Party in 2016. Taiwan in Dynamic Transition provides an up-to-date assessment of contemporary Taiwan, highlighting Taiwan’s emergent nationhood and its significance for world politics. Taiwan’s path has important implications for broader themes and preoccupations in contemporary thought, such as consideration of why political transitions in the aftermath of the Arab Spring have sputtered or failed while Taiwan has evolved into a stable and prosperous democratic society. Taiwan serves as a test case for nation and state building, the formation of national identity, and the emergence of democratic norms in real time.

Taiwan's democratic transformation is gaining recognition by theorists and specialists as one of the world's most significant political development. Competitive election, competitive party system, and a functioning national legislature are crucial aspects of democratic development. This volume studies two major elections in Taiwan's post-authoritarian period since 1988, one on parliamentary election and the other elections of major and county executives. Analyses are deliberately broadened to include the most salient aspects of Taiwan politics that are related to elections, such as political parties, factions, business and politics, political culture, parliamentary politics, electoral system and voting behaviors. They provide a broad foundation for understanding Taiwan's political change and its future dynamic. The evolution of democratic politics in Taiwan, marked by the rise of a two-party system and genuine electoral competition, provides a unique case study of a successful progression from a politically authoritarian state to one with relative political freedom. The contributors to this book analyze the growth of Taiwan's competitive party system in the context of social attitudes, issue-based politics, and local factions. Highlights include: --Hung-mao Tien's examination of the changing dynamic between the Kuomintang and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP); --Yun-han Chu's empirical study of coalition politics; --Bruce Dickson's discussion of party adaptation to changes in the social and political climate, and its ramification for the People's Republic of China; --T.J. Cheng's analysis of DPP factionalism and party realignment; --William L. Parish's survey research on Taiwan's political values.

Wang discusses the dynamics of Sino-US Relations since 2008 and the implications for relations between Taiwan and both the US and the People's Republic of China. Ever since China surpassed Japan to become the world's second-largest economy, it has appeared to shift its policy shift from biding our time and a self-described peaceful rise towards increased assertiveness in regional and international affairs. This has only become more pronounced since the 19th Party National Congress in October 2017, when Xi Jinping reiterated his agenda for the Chinese Dream. In contrast, the US's Pivot to Asia strategy has been widely perceived as unsuccessful. In its precarious political position between China and the US, Taiwan is especially exposed to the fluctuations in policy and diplomatic relations between the two powers. The three bilateral relationships are intertwined, with policy changes and actions in any one of them affecting the other two. Wang emphasises the small power and disputed nation-state perspective of Taiwan, over the great power politics of the US and China. In doing so he presents an analysis of how the changing dynamics of Sino-US relations and the great power transition in Asia have an impact on smaller stakeholders in the region. A valuable resource for scholars and policy-makers with a focus on Taiwan's position in Sino-US relations.

"Wong uses extensive field research and interviews to explore both similarities and subtle differences in the processes of political change and health care reform in Taiwan and South Korea."--Jacket.

This book shows that Taiwan, unlike other countries, avoided serious economic disruption and social conflict, and arrived at its goal of multi-party competition with little blood shed. Nonetheless, this survey reveals that for those who imagine democracy to be the panacea for every social, economic and political ill, Taiwan's continuing struggles against corruption, isolation and division offer a cautionary lesson. This book is an ideal, one-stop resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students of political science, particuarly those interested in the international politics of China, and the Asia-Pacific.