Date of Award
8-1996
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Political Science
First Advisor
Dr. Murray Scot Tanner
Second Advisor
Dr. William Ritchie
Third Advisor
Dr. Gunther Hega
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
In recent years, Taiwan's political development has attracted the attention of western political scientists interested in democratic transitions in authoritarian states. Many theories have been suggested to explain Taiwan's rapidly political progress. But, these theories, which have mainly focused on socio-economic and cultural factors, are insufficient, and provide only a partial explanation for Taiwan's democratization. This thesis argues that we must also probe the developmental history of Taiwan's opposition and its strategies in its struggles with the ruling party -- Kuomintang (KMT.)
Since Taiwan's mam opposition party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), presents as an indigenous party, it will be necessary to stress the importance of ethnicity in Taiwan's politics. Without the dynamic of ethnicity to elicit sympathy among Taiwanese people, integrate them into a collective power, and help them finally establish an opposition party, Taiwan might well still be an authoritarian state today; an authoritarian state enjoying high economic growth like Singapore, but nevertheless an authoritarian state.
Recommended Citation
Pan, Wing-chung, "How the Opposition Evolved: A Case Study of Taiwan's Democratization" (1996). Masters Theses. 3827.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/3827