Taiwan's Transition to Democracy

Abstract

Taiwan's transition from authoritarianism to democracy occurred in two phases with economic strength, specifically capitalism, as the catalyst. The hard authoritarianism established by Chiang-Kai Shek's regime allowed the institutions of private property and free enterprise to promote economic stability. Rapid growth followed and Taiwan transitioned from an agrarian based economy to a modem industrialized nation. The pressures from economic success drove Chiang Kai-Shek's successor, Chiang Ching-kuo, towards a softer form of authoritarianism. He then exploited the economic successes as a source of legitimacy for his authority. Continued economic progress promoted further calls for liberalization and under President Lee Teng-hui, Chiang Ching-kuo's successor, Taiwan tally transitioned from soft authoritarianism to a democratic state. This paper will outline the history of this transformation and argue the economic influence of capitalism as the principal driving cause.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1997
Accession Number
ADA392930

Entities

People

  • Jeffrey D. Maclay

Organizations

  • Air Command and Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Civil Rights
  • Civil War
  • Commerce
  • Congress
  • Economic Development
  • Economic Systems
  • Governments
  • International Trade
  • Law
  • Market Economy
  • National Governments
  • National Politics
  • Organizational Structure
  • Political Systems
  • Political Theory
  • Public Policy
  • Urban Areas

Readers

  • Asian Economic Studies
  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union