DOCSLIB.ORG

The Political Participation of Taiwan's Labor

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Political Participation of Taiwan's Labor WIRTSCHAFTS- UND SOZIALWISSENSCHAFTLICHE FAKULTÄ T The Political Participation of Taiwan’s Labor: Public Perception and Legitimation Li-yi Chen II III The Political Participation of Taiwan’s Labor: Public Perception and Legitimation Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades der Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen vorgelegt von Li-yi Chen M. A. aus Taiwan Tübingen 2020 IV 1. Betreuer: Prof. Dr. Gunter Schubert 2. Betreuer: Prof. Dr. Hans-Jürgen Bieling Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 01.03.2021 Dekan: Prof. Dr. Josef Schmid 1. Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Gunter Schubert 2. Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Hans-Jürgen Bieling i Abstract Many countries have undergone political transitions since the third wave of democratization began in the 1970s. Political regimes across the world have, consequently, faced questions regarding their legitimacy. Taiwan underwent its third transition of political power in 2016. In the course of this international wave of democratization, what role has Taiwanese labor played? Under what conditions could political participation by Taiwanese labor take place? It is usually believed that institutionalization and regulation is a key part of democratization in political transitions. It is believed that citizens’ ability for civic participation increases in the course of a democratic transition. One should expect workers to have greater means of political participation, as reflected in institutionalization and regulation. It is thought that Taiwan’s democratic transition has been under way for over thirty years. Significant economic growth has been seen during this period, as seen in the statistics. But if we divide up the population into members of management and workers, we can see that structurally, the majority of the population consists of workers, whether this is defined as workers who maintain subsistence living or in terms of political participation. The results of growth in the national economy have not trickled down to them. This is a contradiction that has happened in the cause of gradual democratization. Embedded democracy theory provides one explanation for this.1 In the process of democratization, a country must have open and transparent elections with rule of law, civil rights, horizontal accountability, and pursue external and internal embeddedness. If elections are simply held for the sake of maintaining political legitimacy, without means of social participation in elections or a system of separation of powers, that country has not truly advanced to the stage of rule of law. The institutionalization of democracy may cover up a lack of civil participation, even if externally, this appears to be a high degree of institutionalized legal regulation. An institutionalized democracy may yet be a defective democracy or a defunct democracy.2 Workers are a significant part of society. Moreover, industrial relations are a basis for economic participation. Under the current national system, on the one hand, the political system derived from the legal system has been institutionalized. On the other hand, the culture and habits of the social system have also become standardized and regulated. Under the regulation of both, we can examine what role that workers play. The following dissertation draws on strategic and conflictive groups’ theory (SKoG) in order to analyze the roles played by social units in the labor relations system in 1 The concept of embedded democracy was proposed by Wolfgang Merkel, Hans-Jürgen Puhle and Aurel S. Croissant. 2 The main concept of defective democracy is that the majority of new democracies could not be labelled ’liberal democracies’ because these democracies are with certain defects. ii Taiwan. The changes undergone by these social units in the course of historical changes will be analyzed in terms of embedded democracy theory. This will reveal the mutually interactive relations of the current historical outlook. Our conclusion reveals that in Taiwan, workers’ mutually interactive relation with the closure of physical and human geography, the “island closure”, has developed under an institutionalized democracy. But whether during the authoritarian period, in the course of democratic transition, or during Taiwan’s democratic consolidation, workers have faced limitations as well as shifts in political participation. Workers have not had their demands met. Many have been forced to compromise by political elites, leading to a strengthening of internal and exterior embeddedness. This phenomenon has reduced the possibilities for workers to participate in politics. This exclusion of workers from institutionalization and legalization raises concerns regarding Taiwan’s democratization, leading to an inability to have equal relations between workers and capital. iii Contents Contents ..................................................................................................................................................... iii Figures………. ........................................................................................................................................... vii Charts………… ........................................................................................................................................ viii 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. The contemporary phenomenon of Taiwan industrial relationships ............. 2 1.1.1. The nature of institutionalized work hours is actually the wage issue .. 2 1.1.2. The cause of institutionalized income gaps is possibly the decoupling of industrial development and wealth redistribution .......................................... 4 1.1.3. The inflexibility of institutionalized society is founded in the prejudice against social strife .......................................................................................................... 9 1.2. Has “institutionalization” in the process of Taiwan’s democratization engendered the shrinkage of the labor movement? ............................................... 13 1.2.1. The complexity of the issue of labor in Taiwan’s society in the interaction with other social elements................................................................ 13 1.2.2. The limited participation of workers on the level of government administration and legislation ................................................................................ 16 1.2.3. Obstacles to labor organization in the fragmentation caused by Taiwan’s public and private agencies ...................................................................................... 20 1.2.4. Does the reality of injustice in Taiwan’s regulated society force workers to accept political compromise? ............................................................................. 24 1.2.5. How the bias of the social culture can become a means to politically resolve labor issues. ..................................................................................................... 25 1.3. The political participation and actions of Taiwan labor ..................................... 29 1.3.1. Labor issues have joint characteristics of effects on economic development and social movements .................................................................... 29 1.3.2. Systemization in the process of constitutional revision ............................. 31 1.3.3. Labor does not have real realms of rights and power in party politics34 1.4. The future of research on the political participation of Taiwan workers .. 38 1.4.1. An analysis of the civil status of workers and the change of social currents .............................................................................................................................. 38 1.4.2. An analysis of the process of regulation in Taiwan society ....................... 39 1.4.3. Setting out afresh from historical observation................................................ 41 2. A discussion of social structure and democratization.............................................. 43 2.1. The interaction of social systems and cultural values ......................................... 48 iv 2.1.1. Parsons’ views on institutionalization ................................................................ 49 2.1.2. The context for institutionalization in Taiwanese society ......................... 51 2.2. Structural coupling and feedback loops ...................................................................... 54 2.2.1. Social systems under structural coupling .......................................................... 55 2.2.2. The use of feedback loop ............................................................................................ 57 2.3. Democratic theory as a basis for social systems theoretical analysis from a historical standpoint .............................................................................................................. 63 2.3.1. The mosaic of democratic theory........................................................................... 64 2.3.2. Characteristics of embeddedness .......................................................................... 70 2.4. Strategic and conflictive groups: The case of Taiwanese workers’ political participation .............................................................................................................................. 76 2.4.1. Strategic and conflictive group theory ...............................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Here Are to Subscribe, Visit Several Factors That Militate Against This Move
    Global Taiwan Brief Vol. 5, Issue 5 Global Taiwan Brief Vol 5. Issue1 5 KMT Elects New Chairman in Attempt to Regain Youth Votes By: Russell Hsiao and Ingrid Bodeen Implications of Coronavirus Outbreak on Taiwan’s Campaign for the World Health Organization By: I-wei Jennifer Chang Reinvigorating Taiwan’s Role as Asia’s NGO Hub By: J. Michael Cole An American Perspective on Australia’s Approach to the Taiwan Strait By: Michael Mazza Potential Downsides to US-China Trade Tensions on Taiwan’s Economy By: Ali Wyne KMT Elects New Chairman in Attempt to Regain Youth Votes The Global Taiwan Brief is a bi-week- ly publication released every other By: Russell Hsiao and Ingrid Bodeen Wednesday and provides insight into Russell Hsiao is the executive director of the Global Taiwan Institute and the editor-in-chief the latest news on Taiwan. of the Global Taiwan Brief. Ingrid Bodeen is currently a student at George Washington Editor-in-Chief University and an intern at the Global Taiwan Institute. Russell Hsiao In the first significant temperature taken of the political climate within Taiwan after the Staff Editor Katherine Schultz January 2020 presidential and legislative elections, the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang Copy Editor or KMT) held a special by-election on March 7 to elect the Party’s new chairman. Eligi- Marshall Reid ble party members had to choose between two candidates: former Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌, b. 1952) and legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣, b. 1972). The elec- The views and opinions expressed tion—scheduled after the former chairman and members of the Party’s Central Standing in these articles are those of the Committee (CSC) resigned—saw Chiang emerge as the clear victor.
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction
    Notes Introduction 1. Hobsbawm 1990, 66. 2. Diamond 1998, 322–33. 3. Fairbank 1992, 44–45. 4. Fei Xiaotong 1989, 1–2. 5. Diamond 1998, 323, original emphasis. 6. Crossley 1999; Di Cosmo 1998; Purdue 2005a; Lavely and Wong 1998, 717. 7. Richards 2003, 112–47; Lattimore 1937; Pan Chia-lin and Taeuber 1952. 8. My usage of the term “geo-body” follows Thongchai 1994. 9. B. Anderson 1991, 86. 10. Purdue 2001, 304. 11. Dreyer 2006, 279–80; Fei Xiaotong 1981, 23–25. 12. Jiang Ping 1994, 16. 13. Morris-Suzuki 1998, 4; Duara 2003; Handler 1988, 6–9. 14. Duara 1995; Duara 2003. 15. Turner 1962, 3. 16. Adelman and Aron 1999, 816. 17. M. Anderson 1996, 4, Anderson’s italics. 18. Fitzgerald 1996a: 136. 19. Ibid., 107. 20. Tsu Jing 2005. 21. R. Wong 2006, 95. 22. Chatterjee (1986) was the first to theorize colonial nationalism as a “derivative discourse” of Western Orientalism. 23. Gladney 1994, 92–95; Harrell 1995a; Schein 2000. 24. Fei Xiaotong 1989, 1. 25. Cohen 1991, 114–25; Schwarcz 1986; Tu Wei-ming 1994. 26. Harrison 2000, 240–43, 83–85; Harrison 2001. 27. Harrison 2000, 83–85; Cohen 1991, 126. 186 • Notes 28. Duara 2003, 9–40. 29. See, for example, Lattimore 1940 and 1962; Forbes 1986; Goldstein 1989; Benson 1990; Lipman 1998; Millward 1998; Purdue 2005a; Mitter 2000; Atwood 2002; Tighe 2005; Reardon-Anderson 2005; Giersch 2006; Crossley, Siu, and Sutton 2006; Gladney 1991, 1994, and 1996; Harrell 1995a and 2001; Brown 1996 and 2004; Cheung Siu-woo 1995 and 2003; Schein 2000; Kulp 2000; Bulag 2002 and 2006; Rossabi 2004.
    [Show full text]
  • Fortnightly Review Are DPP and KMT Views of China Converging?
    Global Taiwan Brief Vol. 5, Issue 20 Global Taiwan Brief Vol 5. Issue1 20 Fortnightly Review Russell Hsiao Are DPP and KMT Views of China Converging? David G. Brown Taiwan and France Expand Relations in the Covid-19 Era I-wei Jennifer Chang How China Could Decide Not to Invade Taiwan Michael Mazza Repelling a Chinese Invasion: The Critical Role of Taiwan’s Ground Forces Charlemagne McHaffie Fortnightly Review The Global Taiwan Brief is a By: Russell Hsiao bi-weekly publication released every other Wednesday and pro- Russell Hsiao is the executive director of the Global Taiwan Institute (GTI) and editor-in-chief of the vides insight into the latest news Global Taiwan Brief. on Taiwan. President Tsai Calls for Dialogue with Beijing in 109th National Day Speech Editor-in-Chief Russell Hsiao Even as the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) provocativelyramps up activities in and around Staff Editor the Taiwan Strait and concerns over a possible limited conflict mount, Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英 Katherine Schultz 文), president of the Republic of China (Taiwan), used the firstNational Day speech of her Copy Editor second term to call on Beijing to engage in dialogue with Taipei on the basis of “mutual Marshall Reid respect, goodwill, and understanding.” Like previous National Day speeches, which past The views and opinions expressed presidents of the ROC would use to contextualize and present their cross-Strait policy, this in these articles are those of the year’s speech delivered an overview of the administration’s approach to China. However, authors and do not necessarily re- it undeniably stood out—not because it signaled a major policy change—but because it flect the official policy or position was seemingly calibrated to carefully signal President Tsai’s even-keeled policy, especially of the Global Taiwan Institute.
    [Show full text]
  • Nyusps on the Move
    NYUSPS ON THE MOVE ANNUAL REPORT 2017–2018 Dear Friends and Members of the NYU School of Professional Studies Community, During my time serving as the interim dean of the NYU School of Professional Studies, I’ve had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the critical role this institution plays in educating the future leaders of industry. Throughout its history, the School has evolved to meet the needs of the students and the professional communities it serves. As we embark on a new phase in the School’s continued growth and development, I cannot help but marvel at the energy, the momentum, and the deep sense of commitment to advance forward and build upon our many achievements. NYUSPS is on the move! NYUSPS faculty members are distinguished experts in their areas of specialty who not only teach our students, but who mentor and encourage them to push beyond their limits and break new ground. This past year, as in previous years, their research in their areas of discipline has helped to inform the dialogue in the classroom, inspiring our students to be the best and brightest in their fields. Their work also has served as a trusted resource and as a valuable asset to industry, which looks to NYUSPS to pave the way in identifying new trends and in exploring critical issues. The School’s unsurpassed connections to industry leaders, who are innovators in their fields, is a truly distinguishing factor in what makes it so unique. Top executives choose to align themselves with us for a reason—they know that NYUSPS owns the space in delivering high-quality, professionally focused education in NYC, across the nation, and around the globe.
    [Show full text]
  • Scanned Using Book Scancenter 5033
    VII THE PERIOD OF THE MONGOLIAN POLITICAL COUNCIL APRIL 1934 - JANUARY 1936 Founding of the Council The approved Eight Articles on Mongolian Local Autonomy became the legal foundation for Mongolian self-rule that Mongolian leaders had desired for years. In ac­ cordance with these principles, both the Temporary Outline of the Organization of the Mongolian Local Autonomous Political Affairs Council and its main personnel were all announced. The hearts of both traditional and more modem-minded Mongol leaders were gladdened, and they also perceived this as an unprecedented event in the history of the Republic of China. Still, the Eight Articles also occasioned a counterattack from the frontier provinces. Fu Zuoyi and his clique tried hard to destroy this great accomplish­ ment. Because of this. Prince De and other leaders ofthe autonomy movement had no choice but to concentrate their attention and energy on dealing with the pressure from without. But they were unable to make progress solving internal problems and satisfying the desires of the Mongol people because of Japanese westward expansion and changes in China ’s domestic political scene. After the Mongolian delegates returned to Beile-yin sume and submitted their report, both Prince Yon and Prince De took up their positions on April 3, 1934 and then telegraphed the Chinese government that they would go ahead with ceremonies to mark the establishment of the Mongolian Political Council and the inauguration of its mem­ bers. Princes Yon and De invited General He Yingqin, the Superintendent of Mongolian Local Autonomy, to come and “supervise” the ceremony. On April 23, 1934 the Mongolian Political Council was founded and its mem­ bers were sworn in.
    [Show full text]
  • The Historical Contribution and Loss of China in the War of Resistance Against the Japanese Aggression Zhaozhen An*
    Review Article Global Media Journal 2018 Vol.16 No. ISSN 1550-7521 31:123 The Historical Contribution and Loss of China in the War of Resistance against the Japanese Aggression Zhaozhen An* Institute of Russian Studies, Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, 501 Rd. Youyi, Harbin, 150018, PR China *Corresponding author: Zhaozhen An, Institute of Russian Studies, Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, 501 Rd. Youyi, Harbin, 150018, PR China, Tel: 13936669450; E-mail: [email protected] Received date: Jul 09, 2018; Accepted date: Jul 24, 2018; Published date: Aug 4, 2018 Copyright: © 2018 An Z. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Citation: An Z. The Historical Contribution and Loss of China in the War of Resistance against the Japanese Aggression. Global Media Journal 2018, 16:31. the world war is generally said to have begun on 1 September 1939, the day of the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany and Abstract the subsequent declarations of war on Germany by France and the United Kingdom. From late 1939 to early 1941, in a series The War of Chinese People's Resistance against Japanese of campaigns and treaties, Germany conquered or controlled Aggression is very important for the world; its much of continental Europe, and formed the Axis alliance with international contribution occupies an important place: Italy and Japan. The war continued primarily between the first, China violated the plan of the German and Japanese European Axis powers and the coalition of the United Kingdom fascists on the global strategy; secondly, the fearless and the British Commonwealth, with campaigns including the Chinese people created the condition and prerequisite for North Africa and East Africa campaigns, the aerial Battle of correcting the situation of World War II.
    [Show full text]
  • Taiwán Se Reafirma
    __________ TAI__ WAN__ 2020 10 CLAVES y 10 PERSONAJES d e 2019 Taiwán se reafirma www.igadi.gal ________________ ________________TAIWAN 2020 10 CLAVES y 10 PERSONAJES de 2019 Taiwán se reafirma Marcadamente, el año político se ha distinguido en Taiwán del año cronológico. En efecto, en el primer caso se iniciaría el 24 de noviembre de 2018, cuan- do se celebraron unas decisivas elecciones locales conocidas como “nueve en uno”, y du- raría hasta el 11 de enero de 2020, cuando se celebraron los no menos decisivos comicios le- fénix para consumar una victo- en todos los órdenes ha eviden- gislativos y presidenciales. Fue, ria sin paliativos frente a su más ciado la existencia de firmes por tanto, un año largo, marca- directo rival, el nacionalista Han convicciones democráticas en do por un tenso pulso entre el Kuo-yu, remontando la difícil una sociedad ampliamente mo- PDP y el KMT y entre Taipéi y coyuntura que le había aboca- vilizada y cuyo protagonismo se Beijing. Y, en resumidas cuen- do a presentar la dimisión de la aquilata y afianza para decidir tas, un ejercicio en el que Tsai presidencia de su formación en autónomamente su futuro. Ing-wen resurgió como el ave 2018. El transcurso del ejercicio Taiwan 2020: 10 claves y 10 personajes de 2019 www.IGADI.gal 2 ________________ ________________TAIWAN 2020 1º 10 CLAVES y 10 PERSONAJES de 2019 Discurso y contra discurso a Taiwán se reafirma través del Estrecho En su mensaje de Año Nuevo, la presidenta Tsai Ing-wen enun- ció cuatro imperativos para si- tuar las relaciones a través del Estrecho sobre una buena vía: reconocer la existencia de la Re- pública de China (Taiwán); res- petar la preferencia de los 23 millones de taiwaneses por la libertad y la democracia; abor- dar las diferencias entre los dos lados de manera pacífica y bajo el principio de igualdad; nego- ciado a la revitalización de la complementar los ocho puntos ciar con el gobierno de Taiwán gran nación china.
    [Show full text]
  • Maintaining an Edge in Semiconductors 在半導體領域保持優勢
    September 2018 | Vol. 48 | Issue 9 THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN TAIPEI IN OF COMMERCE THE AMERICAN CHAMBER Maintaining an Edge in Semiconductors 在半導體領域保持優勢 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS TAIWAN September 2018 | Vol. 48 | Issue 9 Vol. September 2018 | INDUSTRY FOCUS RETAIL SECTOR 中 華 郵 政 北 台 字 第 TAIWAN BUSINESS TIPS FOR CONDUCTING CSR 5000 號 執 照 登 記 為 雜 誌 交 寄 ISSUE SPONSOR Published by the American Chamber Of NT$150 Commerce In Taipei Read TOPICS Online at topics.amcham.com.tw 9_2018_Cover2.indd 1 2018/9/5 上午8:10 We Are Ready to Help You Advance As a premier specialty materials supplier to the semiconductor industry, our CMP slurries, ultra-thin dielectric and metal film precursors, formulated cleans and etching products, and delivery equipment can help you develop transformational technology for the next generation of semiconductors, the next tablet, display and computer or mobile device. 我們準備好要協助您創新 作為半導體產業的首選供應商， 我們的化學機械研磨液、 超薄介電膜、 金屬膜前驅物，清洗 與蝕刻之配方產品，及化學供應設備可以幫助您開發新一代半導體的轉換技術以提供下一 代的平板電腦、顯示器、電腦或是手機等應用. 慧盛材料股份有限公司 Versum Materials Taiwan Co., Ltd. 15F, No. 223, Songjiang Rd, Taipei, Taiwan T +886 (2) 2182-5800 VERSUMMATERIALS.COM CONTENTS NEWS AND VIEWS 6 Editorial How to Encourage Biopharma SEPTEMBER 2018 VOLUME 48, NUMBER 9 Investment 一○七年九月號 如何生技醫藥業者對台投資 7 Taiwan Briefs 發行人 Publisher By Don Shapiro William Foreman 傅維廉 Editor-in-Chief 總編輯 11 Issues Don Shapiro 沙蕩 Considering Contracting Alter- Associate Editor 副主編 Tim Ferry 法緹姆 natives; Opportunities in North Art Director/ 美術主任/ Korea? Production Coordinator 後製統籌 代方北商機 Katia Chen 陳國梅 By Don Shapiro and Sophia Cai Manager, Publications Sales & Marketing 廣告行銷經理 Caroline Lee 李佳紋 Translation 翻譯 Kevin Chen, Yichun Chen, Andrew Wang COVER SECTION 陳又銘, 陳宜君, 王先棠 By Matthew Fulco 撰文／傅長壽 American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei 14 Taiwan Chipmakers Seek to 129 MinSheng East Road, Section 3, 7F, Suite 706, Taipei 10596, Taiwan Stay Ahead of the Game P.O.
    [Show full text]
  • The Ming Dynasty Its Origins and Evolving Institutions
    THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN CENTER FOR CHINESE STUDIES MICHIGAN PAPERS IN CHINESE STUDIES NO. 34 THE MING DYNASTY ITS ORIGINS AND EVOLVING INSTITUTIONS by Charles O. Hucker Ann Arbor Center for Chinese Studies The University of Michigan 1978 Open access edition funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities/ Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Humanities Open Book Program. Copyright © 1978 by Charles O. Hucker Published by Center for Chinese Studies The University of Michigan Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Hucker, Charles O. The Ming dynasty, its origins and evolving institutions. (Michigan papers in Chinese studies; no. 34) Includes bibliographical references. 1. China—History—Ming dynasty, 1368-1644. I. Title. II. Series. DS753.H829 951f.O26 78-17354 ISBN 0-89264-034-0 Printed in the United States of America ISBN 978-0-89264-034-8 (hardcover) ISBN 978-0-472-03812-1 (paper) ISBN 978-0-472-12758-0 (ebook) ISBN 978-0-472-90153-1 (open access) The text of this book is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ CONTENTS Preface vii I. Introduction 1 n. The Transition from Yuan to Ming 3 Deterioration of Mongol Control 3 Rebellions of the 1350s and 1360s 8 The Rise of Chu Yuan-chang 15 Expulsion of the Mongols 23 III. Organizing the New Dynasty 26 Continuing Military Operations 28 Creation of the Ming Government 33 T!ai-tsufs Administrative Policies 44 Personnel 45 Domestic Administration 54 Foreign Relations and Defense 62 The Quality of Tfai-tsufs Reign 66 IV.
    [Show full text]
  • The Third Chinese Revolutionary Civil War, 1945–49
    Downloaded by [University of Defence] at 20:24 09 May 2016 The Third Chinese Revolutionary Civil War, 1945–49 This book examines the Third Chinese Revolutionary Civil War of 1945–49, which resulted in the victory of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) over Chiang Kaishek and the Guomindang (GMD) and the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. It provides a military and strategic history of how the CCP waged and ultimately won the war, the transformation of its armed forces, and how the Communist leaders interacted with each other. Whereas most explanations of the CCP’s eventual victory focus on the Sino- Japanese War of 1937–45, when the revolution was supposedly won as a result of the Communists’ invention of “peasant nationalism,” this book shows that the outcome of the revolution was not a foregone conclusion in 1945. It explains how the eventual victory of the Communists resulted from important strategic decisions taken on both sides, in particular the remarkable transformation of the Communist army from an insurgent / guerrilla force into a conventional army. The book also explores how the hierarchy of the People’s Republic of China developed during the war. It shows how Mao’s power was based as much on his military acumen as his political thought, above all his role in formulating and implementing a successful military strategy in the war of 1945–49. It also describes how other important figures, such as Lin Biao, Deng Xiaoping, Nie Rongzhen, Liu Shaoqi, and Chen Yi, made their reputations during the conflict, and reveals the inner workings of the First generation political-military elite of the PRC.
    [Show full text]
  • Overcoming Covid-19, Navigating Us–China Tensions, and Anxiously Awaiting a New Us Administration
    CHINA- TAIWAN RELATIONS OVERCOMING COVID-19, NAVIGATING US–CHINA TENSIONS, AND ANXIOUSLY AWAITING A NEW US ADMINISTRATION DAVID J. KEEGAN, JOHNS HOPKINS SCHOOL OF ADVANCED INTERNATIONAL STUDIES KYLE CHURCHMAN, JOHNS HOPKINS SCHOOL OF ADVANCED INTERNATIONAL STUDIES Taiwan’s successful management of COVID-19 infections and the pandemic’s economic impact has elevated Taiwan’s international profile and President Tsai Ing-wen’s already high domestic approval ratings, but did little to ameliorate Taiwan’s confrontation with mainland China. Growing US–China economic and security tensions have continued to swirl around the island. Chinese air and naval forces have increased intimidation operations around Taiwan, with the Chinese media threatening that People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft might even overfly the island. Taiwan has committed to increasing its defense budget and upgrading its reserve forces, and the US approved a series of military sales that are more closely aligned with Taipei’s porcupine strategy than some earlier high-profile sales. Taiwan’s IT companies have struggled to preserve their production base in China, while assuring the US that they would not contribute technology to US-sanctioned Chinese companies. They also opened facilities in third countries and the US in order to ensure US market access and political support. This article is extracted from Comparative Connections: A Triannual E-Journal of Bilateral Relations in the Indo-Pacific, Vol. 22, No. 3, January 2021. Preferred citation: David J. Keegan and Kyle Churchman, “China-Taiwan Relations: Taiwan: Overcoming COVID-19, Navigating US–China Tensions, and Anxiously Awaiting a New US Administration,” Comparative Connections, Vol. 22, No.
    [Show full text]
  • The Suiyuan Incident
    MURDOCH RESEARCH REPOSITORY http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au This is the author's final version of the work, as accepted for publication following peer reviewbut without the publisher's layout or pagination. Boyd, J.G. (2013) ‘The one person in the world who has the peculiar knowledge and experience necessary…: The Life and Career of Morishima Kakufusa. Life Writing, 10 (4). pp. 419-437. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/29277 Copyright © Taylor & Francis It is posted here for your personal use. No further distribution is permitted. ‘The one person in the world who has the peculiar knowledge and experience necessary …’: The Life and Career of Morishima Kakufusa James Boyd Asia Research Centre, Murdoch University Abstract During his lifetime Morishima Kakufusa was closely connected with Japanese expansionist schemes in Mongolia, as a monk, a trader, a lecturer, an author, an escort for academic explorers and a military intelligence officer. The specifics of Morishima’s employers at various points throughout his long career are unclear, but an examination of his career provides some idea of the different groups and individuals in Japanese society who sought to implement either direct or indirect Japanese control over Mongolia during the first four decades of the twentieth century. Moreover, the promotion of Morishima’s career by his hometown of Tokunoshima in the twenty-first century is an example of how some in Japan at the present time are presenting the imperial era in a more positive light. Keywords Morishima Kakufusa, Mongolia, military intelligence, tokumu kikan. Introduction Studies of Japan’s pre-war imperial expansionist schemes have traditionally focused on the movers and shakers, those individuals who were directly responsible for the drafting and implementation of policy at the higher levels.
    [Show full text]