|
The Liberty Times
Editorial: In praise of balanced development
President Ma Ying-jeou (°¨^¤E) has pledged not to support Kuokuang Petrochemical
Technology Coˇ¦s proposed naphtha cracker plant in Changhua County. He also told
the petrochemical industry that the government cannot and will not give up on
the sector. Whether Kuokuang will now build the plant in Taiwan remains unclear.
However, the debate on the Kuokuang plant should not be treated as an issue
involving only the petrochemical sector, because it relates to the nationˇ¦s
overall development strategy. Should development focus on economic growth, or
should it seek to optimize public happiness?
The pursuit of economic growth and satisfying material desires has dominated
mainstream thinking since the Industrial Revolution. Western academics once
listed two engines ˇX the steam engine and economic growth ˇX as the two greatest
inventions of the 18th century. Moreover, GDP, which measures economic growth,
has been transformed from an economic indicator into a symbol of national
status, with high growth implying a move toward wealth and joining the ranks of
the advanced nations.
However, GDP still only measures economic activity within a country or region,
not health, education, social welfare or the social costs incurred as a result
of economic development. A country with high economic growth, but unsound social
welfare and health insurance systems, a large wealth gap, heavy environmental
pollution and poor quality of life does not deserve to be called an advanced
country.
Focusing too much on economic growth can have serious side effects. As natural
resources are gradually exhausted and environmental quality declines, disasters
become more frequent. For example, when Japan experienced high economic growth,
it built a dense network of nuclear power plants to satisfy its soaring demand
for energy, and that ultimately contributed to the nuclear crisis brought on by
the recent earthquake.
Massive wealth created by economic growth has historically been concentrated in
the hands of a few and as the distribution of wealth became less equal, it set
off numerous riots, revolutions and the rise of communism, causing untold
suffering. This was all a direct consequence of placing the economy first.
As a result, there has been much soul-searching. The king of Bhutan proposed a
Gross National Happiness index in the belief that national policies should focus
on public happiness. Although this index is just a reference, not a Utopian
ideal to be pursued in todayˇ¦s global world, those in power should consider how
best to promote development by seeking to balance economic growth, cultural
development and environmental protection.
Taiwanˇ¦s development was focused on economic growth to such an extent that GDP
became almost the only index used to judge government performance, making
economic growth a symbol of the Taiwanese miracle.
For several decades, the nationˇ¦s annual economic growth has been almost
constantly positive, but looked at from the perspective of distributive justice,
environmental protection and social welfare, many say the pursuit of economic
growth is no longer able to bring greater happiness to Taiwanese.
Employment is a precondition for the creation of a happy society because
individuals can only give full rein to their potential once their basic needs
are fulfilled. Taiwanˇ¦s unemployment is quite serious and despite massaging by
the government, remains at almost 5 percent.
Despite average economic growth of between 4 percent and 5 percent over the past
decade, the average salary has dropped to the levels of 12 or 13 years ago. In
other words, economic growth has not benefited incomes or boosted employment,
because businesses have been relocating, especially to China. The outflow of
jobs has meant that the general public has not shared in the fruits of economic
growth.
The distribution of wealth is becoming increasingly unfair as the income gap
between rich and poor grows. Although this is a global trend, it is so serious
in Taiwan that it can longer be ignored. According to data from the Ministry of
Financeˇ¦s Financial Data Center, which divides taxpayers into 20 groups
according to 5 percent gradations, the average annual income of the poorest 5
percent of taxpaying households in 2009 was NT$51,000 (US$1,780), while that of
the wealthiest 5 percent was NT$3.822 million. In other words, the wealthiest 5
percent earner nearly 75 times more than the poorest 5 percent, up from 65 times
in 2008.
From unemployment, low wages and the widening income gap, to heavy environmental
degradation, the cost of economic development has been borne by a majority of
the public, while only a relative few have enjoyed its benefits.
Taken to extremes, this pattern is an unavoidable source of social unrest. If we
do not review the ideology and policies that place the economy before everything
else and fail to focus on upholding the values of humanism, environmental
protection and social justice, in order to pursue the happiness of the majority
by using happiness as a development index, then Taiwan could soon face a
domestic crisis.
Viewed from this perspective, the proposed Kuokuang plant and fourth nuclear
power plant are not isolated incidents. The way we handle these proposals will
demonstrate whether we recognizes the flaws inherent in the nationˇ¦s former
development model and are now prepared to embrace an approach to development
that focuses on optimizing the happiness of a majority of Taiwanese.
Translated by Eddy Chang
|
