A Study On Taiwan's Populism

Compared with many other newly democratized countries and regions,Taiwan was among the few examples with a relatively successful and smooth democratic transition.In spite of this fact,Taiwan's democracy is still facing many difficulties and problems.It comes under suspicion and criticism.Populism is generally believed to be an insidious threat to the consolidation of democracy in Taiwan.However,some people hold the view that the concept of populism has been heavily distorted and they have strived to recover its neutrality.Since the stigmatized populism has been widely accepted in Taiwan, attention should be focused on the use of this terminology in daily life and on existing political issues,and populism should be regarded as a useful, even indispensable,concept in elucidating Taiwan's politics.Based on the analysis of relevant literatures,the thesis defines populism in Taiwan as a political strategy used by politicians who appeal to the interests or bias of the populace to quest for political power.There are three kinds of phenomenons that are often criticized as populism in Taiwan,namely ethnic politics,the abuse of referendum,and to woo the electorates by announcing policies that may harm the long-term development of the society.They have exerted negative influences on the democracy of Taiwan.The rise of populism in Taiwan was accompanied by its democratic transition.On one hand,the changes brought about by democratic transition stimulated some politicians to choose populism as the strategies to mobilize voters.On the other hand, the distinctive social and historical background of Taiwan determined the features of its populism.In recent years,populism in Taiwan is on the decline.To address the drawbacks of populism,three aspects need to be taken care of,namely to address the drawbacks of electoralism,to build a mature civic culture and the reconciliation and dialogue across the Taiwan Strait.