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The fight for reform and progress is
never over
By Lee Min-yung 李敏勇
In the middle of last month, former Tunisian president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali
was ousted in the “Jasmine Revolution.” This was followed by anti--government
demonstrations in Egypt, with protesters demanding the resignation of Egyptian
President Hosni Mubarak. Yemen was next. It seems that the fire of political
reform has been lit and is sweeping across the Islamic world from North Africa
to the southern Arabian Peninsula.
People in these post--colonial states have had enough. Their anger has boiled
over and they have taken to the streets demanding political reform and a change
in their government. The anger that had previously been directed at the colonial
powers is now being aimed at their own authoritarian rulers.
Late last month, Chinese tycoon Chen Guangbiao (陳光標) visited Taiwan and
reportedly donated more than NT$500 million (US$17.3 million) to poor Taiwanese.
Chen’s donations were like a slap in the face of the government of President Ma
Ying-jeou (馬英九), who has pledged to boost the economy.
As chairman of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), Ma inherited a party system
from the Chiang (蔣) family. How many years has this system existed? There is
also a very strong likelihood that Ma will be the party’s candidate in next
year’s presidential election. Can this be true?
The Chinese translation of the influential German Jewish political theorist
Hannah Arendt’s, The Promise of Politics, was published in December. In the book
she asks if politics actually creates problems, if we could live without it and
what would then happen?
This is certainly worth pondering. Without politics, would it finally be
possible for people to have the freedom that they long for?
Arendt asks: “What is politics?” I think a simple answer would suffice: Politics
is really all about “freedom.”
I use this specific word for a reason and I wonder what it means to ordinary
Taiwanese or to our politicians.
Taiwan emerged from a dictatorship to become a free and democratic nation. The
KMT has been in power for many years — years characterized by a lack of freedom
and democracy. Despite the fact that we are now free and enjoy democracy, the
power the KMT gained during the Martial Law era has yet to be truly
deconstructed.
Taiwanese suffered strife and calamities during this period, but many seem to
have forgotten this. The privileges still accorded military personnel, civil
servants and school teachers are a direct product of the KMT’s “party-state
system” ideology. This issue is still with us.
During its history, the KMT has been equally comfortable with an anti-communist
and a pro-communist stance. At this point in time, it is collaborating with the
communists.
This is being done in bad faith. It is the government going back on its promises
and is tantamount to conning the public. All the KMT cares about is staying in
power. In a way, it doesn’t really matter if it regards Taiwan as a geographical
base, a battlefield or a colony. In the end, it all boils down to the same
thing.
Advocates of change would do well to look into what Arendt says about political
ideology in her book and think seriously about the implications. They should not
just gloss over it.
Lazy thinking leads to impoverished ideas. And impoverished ideas cannot rouse
the public to push for reform and progress.
Lee Min-yung is a poet.
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