Re-exploring Taiwan's postwar political history: The three-way struggle between the United States, the Kuomintang government, and Taiwanese society

"A book that demonstrates a new level of research in Taiwan's postwar political history, drawing on the new historical materials and research findings of the past three decades."
— Masao Wakabayashi (Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo and Waseda University, author of "Postwar Taiwanese Political History: The Process of Taiwanization in the Republic of China")

At this new historical moment, we revisit our past and contemplate our future.

In recent years, U.S.-China relations have shifted dramatically, with Taiwan Strait security frequently becoming a focal point. This represents the most significant shift in international affairs since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the U.S. and China in the 1970s, and it will have a significant impact on Taiwan's fate. The author of this book believes a new historical moment has arrived.

However, Taiwanese society, long under authoritarian rule, was powerless and incapable of caring about its collective destiny. The relentless political propaganda of that authoritarian era further induced a public insensitivity or misunderstanding of its international standing. This state of affairs persists to this day, leaving many people unaware of Taiwan's plight and ignorant of the process of democratization, even attributing it to Chiang Ching-kuo's benevolent promotion.

To this end, this book comprehensively reviews the major political developments in Taiwan since the end of World War II, examining and analyzing the tripartite relationship between the U.S. government, the Kuomintang government, and Taiwanese society. The author hopes that by reviewing and drawing lessons from this period of history, it will help members of the community understand Taiwan's current state and, based on this, consider its future path.

Good historical research can sometimes resemble a mystery novel, uncovering flaws in previously held beliefs, gradually unraveling and clarifying the mystery until the truth is revealed. This book is one such work, deeply captivating in its ability to unravel a mystery and leaving readers with a sudden realization.

The book is divided into three parts, each centered on a major mystery of Taiwan's postwar political development, offering multifaceted and interdisciplinary arguments. The first part, "The US Government's Taiwan Plan during the East Asian Cold War," explores how the question of Taiwan's sovereignty shifted from the Cairo Declaration's return to China in the early 1950s to the undetermined status of the Treaty of Peace with Japan. The second part, "Chiang Kai-shek's Anti-Communist Kingdom," explains how the defeated Kuomintang government, which fled to Taiwan, rallied from despair, secured US recognition externally, exercised effective social control internally, and established a comprehensive and stable system. The third part, "The Process of Democratization," outlines how people on and off the island worked together and took advantage of the Reagan administration's "democracy promotion" policy to finally break through the shackles of authoritarianism. The particularly exciting part is the meticulous argument that debunks the myth that "Chiang Ching-kuo was the driving force behind Taiwan's democratization."

In addition to revisiting the past, the author also offers suggestions for Taiwan's future. She points out the underlying concerns about the nature of Taiwan's democracy and hopes to deepen its democratic institutions, foster a shared will internally, and garner international support. This will be an inescapable challenge for this generation of Taiwanese.

Jointly recommended

Ho Rongxing | Wu Jiemin, Founder and CEO of The Reporter | Song Chengen, Researcher at the Institute of Sociology, Academia Sinica | Li Zhide, Vice President of the Vision Foundation | Wang Hao, Senior Journalist | Shen Boyang, International Political Economy Commentator | Lin Xiaoting, Associate Professor at the Institute of Criminology, National Taipei University | Wakabayashi Masao, Researcher and Director of the East Asian Division of the Hoover Institution Archives, Stanford University | Chen Fangyu, Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo and Waseda University | Huang Chengyi, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Soochow University and Co-Editor of the American Taiwan Observatory | Huang Changling, Researcher at the Institute of Law, Academia Sinica | Professor of Political Science, National Taiwan University (in alphabetical order)

2023-11-14

春山出版

480

9786267236604