UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA GRADUATE COLLEGE FROM OUTCAST TO ESTABLISHED PLAYER – THE TRANSFORMATION OF NON-DEMOCRATIC PARTY AFTER DEMOCRATIZATION A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE FACULTY in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY By KETTY WAN-I CHEN Norman, Oklahoma 2011 FROM OUTCAST TO ESTABLISHED PLAYER THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE NON-DEMOCRATIC PARTIES AFTER TRANSITION A DISSERTATION APPROVED FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE BY ___________________________ Dr. Mitchell P. Smith, Chair ___________________________ Dr. Charles Kenney ___________________________ Dr. Suzette Grillot ___________________________ Dr. Mark Frazier ___________________________ Dr. Elyssa Faison © Copyright by KETTY WAN-I CHEN 2011 All Rights Reserved. For My Parents, Shih-li Chen and Hui-Chuan Hsu, with gratitude and for the wonderful people of Taiwa ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The completion of this dissertation would not be possible if it weren’t for the consistent and exceptional support of many people. I am deeply indebted to Dr. Mitchell P. Smith, the chair of my dissertation committee, for weighing my thoughts, helping me shape my ideas, and for posing thought-provoking questions and critiques through the dissertating process, so this project can reach its potential. Dr. Smith’s guidance and support through the doctoral program also contributed immensely to my cultivation as a scholar of political science. Ambassador (Dr.) Edward J. Perkins, whom I worked for as graduate and teaching assistant, has been a steady source of inspiration, mentor and friend. I couldn’t have weather the many obstacles of the doctoral program without him. I am grateful to Dr. Charles D. Kenney for his meticulous and diligent feedbacks, and comments. I’m also the beneficiary of his incomparable expertise in the field of democratization. I took advantage of Dr. Mark Frazier’s incredible insights and keen observations of Taiwanese and Chinese politics. I also offer my sincere gratitude to Dr. Elyssa Faison and Dr. Suzette Grillot, for sharing with me their robust knowledge and expertise in their respected fields of Asian history and international relations. Many individuals have aided the research process for this dissertation. I extend my thanks to the officials and personnel of the Kuomintang. They allowed me to spend long durations of time with them and shadowed them to learn about the operation and procedures of the Party. Special thanks to Mr. Lin Yu-siang, iv former KMT legislator and Taipei City council, Mr. Tu Chien-te, Director of the KMT Organization and Development Committee, Mr. Shao Ming-huang, Director of the KMT Party Archives and the Culture and Communications Affairs Committee, and Mr. Huang Chung-chuan, Head of the Li-chung Li of the Xinyi District. The research also would not have been possible without the assistance of Mr. Yao Chia-wen, former Minister of the Examination Yuan, Dr. Shih Cheng- feng of Tunghua University, Dr. Liu I-Chou of the National Chengchi University, the Taiwan Historical Association, the Wu San-lien Historical Archive, the Election Studies Center of the National Chengchi University, the Taiwan’s Elections and Democratization Study Center, and the many individuals who have given me the gift of their precious time and lent me some of their deepest thoughts on politics of Taiwan and their identities. My deepest gratitude also goes to the individuals who provided the love, encouragement and support, without which this dissertation could not have been completed. Larisa Yun and Dr. Shan Shappleton generously offered their time and camaraderie during some of the toughest times in the program. Dr. Jeff MacLeod, Dr. Mohamed Daadoui, Dr. Cyrus Contractor, Dr. Paul Jorgensen, and Valerie D’Erman acted as my constant discussants and instigated some of the most thought-provoking conversations one could have as a graduate student. My deep appreciation is also for Dr. Donald Rodgers of Austin College, for extending the invitation to me to teach at his school and for providing the much-needed shelter to nurture an academic mind. Don also gave the occasional shove when I v was sidetracked and a shoulder to lean on. I also profited greatly from Don’s tremendous knowledge on Taiwan’s domestic politics and his friendship. Misha Getter, whose friendship has been essential to me in the past fifteen years, continued to offer his relentless support during the several occasions when I was plagued by self doubts. I am forever indebted to J. Michael Cole, deputy news chief of the Taipei Times, dear friend and partner in crime, who made his appearance during the most trying time of my life. It was through our countless delightful and extensive discussions on Taiwan, politics, theories, books, music and life that my passion, motivation and drive were reinvigorated. I would not have been able to push through the last stage to finish this dissertation if it wasn’t for Michael, his support, friendship and care. Finally, I give my sincere appreciation and thanks to my sister, Louise L. Chen. Her sense humor, positivism and constant support made everything possible - Whatawhatawah, my dear sis! To Mr. Snuggles, my most faithful and loyal friend of thirteen years, and Biguru, my rambunctious beagle, writing would have been the most solitary and boring experience if it weren’t for your companionship. Finally, to my parents, who made tremendous sacrifices in all regards to bring me to the United States for a better life, and for giving me the chance to enjoy freedom and democracy, I owe everything to you. I thank you for believing in me, for believing the things I do and my reasons for doing them, and I hope I can continue to make you proud. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page…………………………………………………………………………i Signature Page…………………………………………………………………...ii Copyright Page………………………………………………………………….iii Dedication…………………………………………………………………………. Acknowledgement……………………………………………………………… iv Table of Contents……………………………………………………………….vii List of Tables………………………………………………………………….....ix List of Illustrations….…………..………………………………………………..x Abstract…………………………………………………………………………..xi Chapter One: Introduction – The Puzzle of the Kuomintang Resilience ………………………………………………………………………...1 A Case Study of the Kuomintang ………………………………………...5 Regime legitimacy and recasting the research question of resilience…………………………………………………………………10 Literature on Taiwan and the Kuomintang ……………………………...15 Other explanation to the Kuomintang Political Dominance……………..19 Research Methodology…………………………………………………..31 Organization of Dissertation……………………………………………..34 Chapter Two: ”Our Party’s Loyalty is to the Three Principles of the People” – National Institutions and the Political Resilience of the KMT…...38 Authoritarian Party-state and the KMT as ‘the’ Party o the Republic of China……………………………………………………………………..42 One Party Rule……..…………………………………………….42 The Lasting Structure of the Authoritarian Party-State……....….47 National Institutions and the Kuomintang Resilience…………...51 The Constitution……………….…………………………...……53 The Executive Yuan……………………………………………..56 The Legislative Yuan…………………………………………….57 The Judiciary Yuan ……………………………………………...63 The Examination Yuan and the Control Yuan as Recruitment tool and the “Big Brother” …………………………………………...66 Institutional Effects of KMT Programmatic Flexibility and Electoral Success………………………………………………...72 The 1991 National Assembly Election ………………………….72 The 1992 Legislative Yuan Election ……………………………77 National Institutions and the Successful Invigoration of the Welfare System………………………………………………….78 “Eighteen Pa” and Maintaining the Iron Votes………………….81 National Health Insurance……………………………………….83 The KMT takeover of the DPP “Welfare State”………………...85 The Electoral System…………………………………………….90 The SVMM System……………………………………………...93 New Electoral System …………………………………………...98 vii Conclusion……………………………………………………...100 Chapter Three:”Small Soldiers can accomplish great things” – Local Institutions and the KMT Political Resilience……………………………….102 The Electoral System and the Local Institutions……………………….106 Grassroots Mobilization Strategies……………………………………..104 Local Factions and the KMT Resilience………………………………..108 “The Pillar Legs” – Tiao-a-kas…………………………………………109 Conclusion……………………………………………………………...119 Chapter Four: “I love Tai‐Mei, Tai‐Mei Loves me!” – The Development of Taiwanese Identity and Party PolitiCs……………………………………….121 Defining Taiwanese Identity and the Identity Discourse in Taiwan...….124 Political History and the Origins of Contesting Identities……………...128 228, White Terror and the Beginning of Ethnic Cleavages…………….136 Taiwanese Identity as a KMT Creation ………………………………..138 Land Reform……………………………………………………140 Education and Language Policy………………………………..142 Cultural Domination …………………………………………...147 Recasting Identity Issue – Becoming Taiwanese………………………149 1992 Legislative Election………………………………………………154 1993 Municipal Council, Township Council and Township/Village Executive Elections …………………………………………………….156 1994 Governors Election and Mayors Election………………………...158 The First Democratic Direct Presidential Election, 1996………………160 2008 Presidential Election……………………………………………...163 Chapter Five: The Conclusion – Are you Ready? The KMT Solidification of Power…………………………………………………………………………...172 Barriers to Power for the DPP………………………………………….176 Party Origin and Organization …………………………………………177 The Electoral System …………………………………………………..181 The Issue of Corruption ………………………………………………..183 The Politics of Adaptation and the KMT Solidification of Power……..186 Bibliography