Sunday night, on a long bus ride from a day in the city (went to see Bill
T. Jones at the National Theater and ate a big, greasy hamburger at Grandma
Nitti's for dinner), Fanfan and I hit a major turning point in our
relationship. After nearly three years together, I've finally gotten her to
talk a bit about politics.
As I've mentioned before, the fact that she loathes talking politics seems
to me to reflect
a general disdain within her generation -- la
génération des fraises, or the "Strawberry Generation," which to me in French seems to loose most of its negative connotation, but that's beside the point.
As the bus passed the large, brick edifice of the presidential offices with
its big "Taiwan joins the UN" spelled out in red neon characters
vertically down the tower in the center, we were inspired. She made an
initial comment about the UN -- which I've forgotten -- that led me to
believe I could test the waters a little (as I said, I have to do this
delicately, almost as though she doesn't even know she's talking about
politics):
Me: Do you know what you need to do to vote in the elections next year, since you'll be in the US? Do you need to get an absentee ballot.The reason I bring this up is because it resonates when I read all of the criticism of recent comments coming out of the US, notably one coming from the CATO Institute:
Fanfan: I don't know. I don't even know who I'd vote for.
M: I think -- it's important that you vote, though. Don't you think? I feel like this is a very important election for Taiwan. It seems like it could decide a lot about the direction Taiwan takes for the next several years.
F: That's what people said about the last two elections. It doesn't seem like anything's changed.
M: I know. But -- I've read a lot that gives me the impression that a KMT loss could mean the end of the KMT's power without accountability. At least, another blow at its foundation. Each successive election, they've lost more and more support, this could be the sign to them that something's got to change.
F: I know you really don't like the KMT, but I'm not always so sure they're that bad. I mean, they're all bad. Rather, I don't know that the DPP is so good. It kind of gets on my nerves that you and so many of your friends are so supportive of them.
M: None of us, that I know of, are saying they're perfect. Far from it.
F: Yeah, I know.
M: Our problem is that the KMT has, since the lifting of Martial Law, never accepted responsibility -- and all that entails -- for what it did during the forty years that it was the only party in Taiwan. It still holds tons of possessions that it took from the people of Taiwan, and if I'm not mistaken they're not only about a billion US dollars, but these possessions are sold off to fund the parties political campaigns, and sometimes just for their politicians to have spending cash.
F: I look at the KMT and DPP like -- well, you see there are two types of Taiwanese guys. There's the one pretentious rich kid whose parents coddled him and taught him not to see anything but money and to look down on anyone who doesn't have it. That's the KMT. Then there's the poor guy, who's macho and won't listen to anyone else. He just wants to be powerful, too. That's the DPP.
M: Just out of curiosity, do you think people your age and younger know much about what the KMT did?
F: That's what gets on my nerves. Anyone who supports the DPP says that. It seems that the only platform of the DPP is that the KMT is evil. But what are they doing for the people? Are things getting better? I feel like when I was little, we were a really united country. There was so much hope here.
M: When? In the eighties?
F: Yeah, even in the nineties. I feel like things are so different now, so divided.
M: I think you're right. [I wanted to say that I believe most of the fault lies on the side of the KMT who has fought every inch against the DPP, making it difficult to do anything. While the DPP is very far from perfect, it has been fighting an uphill battle since its inception.] But, back to my question, do you think that most people our age and younger know what the KMT did?
F: No.
Officials in Taiwan certainly appear to believe that the latter condition is true. Leading Taiwan expert James Mulvenon admitted in 2005 what had become increasingly apparent: that the leadership in Taipei believes it possesses a "blank check of military support from the United States."26 Similarly, Michael McDevitt,a retired rear admiral in the U.S. Navy, argues that the authorities in Taipei "seem to have convinced themselves that they can count on U.S. intervention should China attack, regardless of the circumstances."27 Although during the summer of 2007 Taiwan officials sounded more skeptical of U.S. military support than they had two years before, the only way to explain Taiwan's policy of political provocation and military capitulation is a belief in a U.S. security commitment.This is something I've heard quite recently from people whose opinion I respect greatly, people who not only love Taiwan but also doesn't believe that as it stands right now that the US should spill its blood for the island if it ever comes down to such a decision. These are people who believe that Taiwan's military strategy vis-à-vis the China threat is to trick the US into fighting for them.
As the argument goes, which I wrote about recently, if the Taiwanese aren't determined to fight for themselves, why should the US do their dirty work? The more I read, the more I feel that this is (one of) the (major) linchpin(s) that holds the gate closed when it comes to completely open relations between Taiwan and the US. If there was a significant amount of young people here in Taiwan who were determined to fight -- with their votes, their words, and, God forbid, guns -- to protect their liberty, prosperity, and basically everything else that differentiates their nation from the one that is trying to swallow it whole, China, then I think the US would be ready and willing to help them in any way possible, which includes fighting alongside the Taiwanese.
The US should not be leading the fight, which I believe it would be doing if China were to attack tomorrow. As long as this sort of movement doesn't exist amongst the youth of Taiwan -- who would be the ones expected to fight -- doesn't it mean that Taiwan is banking on the US to fight for it?
Changing this mindset should be paramount for those who believe Taiwan should be -- and is, de facto -- an independent nation, because I have never met a Taiwanese person under 30 who even cares about the politics of their country, much less anyone who feels strongly enough about its direction to fight for it. That doesn't mean, of course, that they don't exist.
The problem, as I've mentioned before is that those born anytime after the late seventies in Taiwan were born into a historical gray area. They are too young to remember pivotal moments like the Kaohsiung Incident, and, to make things worse, their history education was prepackaged KMT propaganda. Older Taiwanese, though they too were taught the same revisionist history, also had the luxury of seeing first hand a grassroots movement to give power back to the people, where it belonged.
On top of that, young Taiwanese grew up during a period of unprecedented economic growth -- which seems to me to be the best catalyst for complacency that exists, whether it be in the US, Europe or Taiwan. Why spend all your time worrying about Armageddon when you can play Halo 2 all day.
I doubt anyone would question whether or not I love Taiwan or if I believe that Taiwan, in a just world, would be a valuable, unquestioned member of the international community. But it's not exactly a just world, and in order to move forward one has to accept the realities of the situation -- which is hard when what should be, not what is, meshes so much better with our sensibilities.
From a recent Taipei Times article on Su Beng, "The independence movement over the past five decades has been based on emotion rather than on reason."
I'm not accusing anyone of being irrational, as there are so many people fighting, on principle, to make Taiwan a valid member of the international community. I'm simply saying that I'm personally trying not to lose myself in some sort of empty "Make love, not war" argument (again, not saying that others are) that doesn't hold water with any of the people who make the decisions, and the fact that I'm saying this, probably, shows that a part of me feels like I'm betraying myself a little.
15 comments:
This is a extremely well written post. Perfectly organized logic. Sounds like Fanfan is in my age and left Taiwan at about the same age I did. I used to think just like her. My younger brother still thinks like Fanfan.
I agree with you at every single point of this post. I am actually sorry that Fanfan had fall victim to KMT propaganda.
Yes TW seem to be divided on the surface, but I believe Taiwan is more united than ever down at it's foundation. General populations no longer make decision base on propaganda but on what they actually believe in. I believe this is just labor pain for a healthy democratic country.
A big strong authoritarian government like China might seem to be united and peaceful on surface, but sooner or later the social unrest will hit its thresh hold and all sorts of social problems will blow up out of control.
Ps. I disagree w/ Fanfan that DPP is all for power. President Chen's TW for UN movement actually jeopardizes DPP's power in Taiwan as it obviously pissed off quite some people (the older one). At least DPP have a polical agenda that is for the benefit of Taiwan while all KMT did in the past decade is just blindly attack DPP's agenda and policy.
Sorry for the long post, just had similar argument with my younger brother. It's sad that the situation is only clear to people like you who does not have years of propaganda clouding your mind.
Never apologize for a long comment, Mr. Lee. I appreciate it.
One thing, just to be clear, you "left Taiwan." Fanfan and I are in Taiwan. She studied and worked in France for about two and a half years, but otherwise she's always lived in Taiwan.
I agree with you that a lot of what's happening now is inherent in any new democracy, but it worries me a little to, because at times the democracy here seems so fragile. Not because the people don't want it, but because of external forces.
I don't think Fanfan believes that the DPP is all about power, either. Just that at times she's frustrated by the tactics used by the DPP (I should mention that her family is very pro-DPP).
I also wished I had mentioned in our conversation, and subsequently in my post, that the DPP does have far clearer objectives and agendas than does the KMT.
Thanks for bringing that up.
Hey Rob,
I find the same thing talking to younger Taiwanese but then I wonder why they should be enthusiastic about Taiwan's puerile, corrupt politics. How do American young feel about politics?
I don't think Taiwan's in any danger of sinking into dictatorship and they (almost) all viscerally know for certain that they are Taiwanese. Chinese threats can only deepen and harden that conviction.
I'm Scottish. If you've ever had a discussion with a Scotsman about national identity you'll have been left in no doubt of the fierce, unshakable conviction - something common in people from many small countries - of being Scottish.
If you called him English instead of Scottish or British, you sure as Fuck wouldn't have done so twice!
And yet people everywhere, including some new world descendants of Scots make this horrible horrible gaffe - even CNN reporters and political polemicists. Does that stop the hairs raising and the eyes slightly glazing when I hear "flower of Scotland"? Or restrain me from shrieking at the TV set when the Scottish rugby team take the field? Of course not! It has exactly the opposite effect.
It really wounds to hear intelligent people refer to the UK (or Britain - that issue's a bit more complicated)as England. The same (to all intents and purposes) irreversible process is happening here. It wounds (almost all) Taiwanese young calling them Chinese. They're not, they know they're not and that's the end of that. But they're also still slightly muddled. The official name of the country is the Republic of China. The process - to say the least - isn't over yet. But it most certainly is irreversible and unstoppable.
China can try to buy up Taiwan when it's rich enough. It can stop Taiwan officially joining international bodies. It can bribe and harass the rest of the world. But there isn't a fucking thing it can do about the loyalties of the strawberry generation.
And I think that that really is the only thing that matters at all. I couldn't give a fuck about Taiwan's UN bid. The UN is a corrupt, impotent and almost pointless body. If something really bloody serious happened, would not being part of the WHO really stop the rest of the world helping out Taiwan? There's no way Beijing could put its foot down if many lives were on the line. The price would be astronomical to its credibility and unspeakable to any relationship with Taiwan.
If I have time and motivation, I'll expand this into a post - I have quite a bit of expansion yet.
I've had a couple of couple of beers and really didn't intend to write more than a sentence of two. hmmm, oops.
Yeah, that's why I mentioned in the previous post on the same subject that I don't blame the youth for being disillusioned when those who are supposed to be their elected representatives are corrupt drama queens.
I also agree that young people often, if not always, see themselves as Taiwanese. And all of the opposition to that idea that manifests itself around the world only adds fuel to the fire.
The problem is where those two truisms meet. Trying to make people proud to be Taiwanese and believing and their elected officials.
As a young teenage girl of Taiwanese descent born and raised in America, in addition to hearing first person accounts of what life was like in Taiwan during the early years of the KMT from my grandparents and parents, I've had the privillege of not having KMT propaganda polluting my mind. The more I think about what they did to Taiwan, the more it disgusts me. But what saddens me even more sometimes, is that young Taiwanese people around my age don't seem to be as fired up about Taiwan's current situation as I am (except for maybe one of my friends, who is also Taiwanese American). Maybe it's because I grew up in America that I believe that one should be motivated to fight for their individual rights and the freedom of speech. After all, the youth today are the adults leading the world tomorrow.
Masako,
I certainly think that growing up in the states with a good knowledge of Taiwanese history is a significant factor in explaining why American-born Taiwanese tend to feel the way you do.
I think if you are a young Taiwanese politics has done nothing for you. Look at their income when they graduate? Look at the cost of property? Look at the expense of education?
I really feel sorry for this group of Taiwanese because of unfair criticism in the media.
How about criticise teachers and soldiers who don't pay tax? How about criticising the businessmen who exploit them by telling them 'I can get a cheaper worker in China' when they go an interview?
This group at least have some individuality about them.
I think in the end they are the ones who will propel this country to a new era as they will get beyond that KMT/DPP crap.
MASAKO, it's not about anti this or anti that.
That whole thing is a waste of time. Young people in Taiwan deserve more and they know politics here has ripped them off for their whole adult lives they have seen mismanagement and corruption and exploitation.... the economy and working conditions are very bad here, I would invite you to live here as a strawberry generation Taiwanese and see for yourself (same poster as above)
By and large, Anon, I agree with you. I think the young people in Taiwan have gotten the short end of the stick, and they have reason to be disillusioned by the politicians who are supposedly representing them.
Any girl who gives you that "two types of Taiwanese guys" spiel is probably not going to have much conviction. That kind of staggering stupidity is like me saying "there are two types of "American" guys, the rednecks who kill black people and spoiled, spoon-fed liberals".
It is a good example of Taiwan's mess though, a generation of Taiwanese who have no pride or sense of a common goal.
Well, I appreciate you attributing my wife's analysis to her staggering stupidity.
But, no, in reference to your comments, people make these sorts of analogies all the time. It is not to say that there are only those "two types of guys" in Taiwan. It is to say, *in general*, it seems that there are two main kinds of guys.
Nothing stupid about that.
"..because I have never met a Taiwanese person under 30 who even cares about the politics of their country"
Yes, that's what we SAY, but not necessarily what we think. It is not uncommon for a young Taiwanese to lie about their view when asked by people they don't particularly trust. I have many friends who I've known for 10+ years, and we've exchanged our views on politics on only one or two occasion. Politics in Taiwan inevitably involves either Taiwanese Nationalism or Chinese Nationalism.
In many cases, that's probably true.
As for "Politics in Taiwan inevitably involves either Taiwanese Nationalism or Chinese Nationalism," the two nationalisms aren't mutually exclusive. My wife is not firmly in the unification or the independence camp, but it still urks her when someone says, in passing, she's from China (it happens a lot here in the US) because it's just not the same. Yet, at the same time, she is proud of both her Taiwanese and Chinese heritage.
Several situations, the younger generation of Taiwanese are at cross-road; they have not experienced or witnessed the 2-28-1947 Taiwanese-Holocaust, the White Terror, during/end of the WWII. The authoritarian Chinese-KMT propaganda education system forced onto them WITHOUT any of concerned of Taiwanese culture/dialect-language.
Since the KMT’s 50 years of ruling island, the younger generation of Taiwanese not have much interest about Taiwan politics. Taught from their parents, do not involved with politics, that may bring harm’s way to the family. So they can be living quiet life that KMT’s garrison guards or secret police would not know who you are, or labeled the individual is an “anti KMT”. Anti KMT always labeled as a commeiChinese Spy spying on Chiang’s KMT, that can be subjected to disappear or jail term; between 1947 – 1987 over 120,000 Taiwanese professionals disappeared. Of cause, the numbers included a few KMT-Chinese descents came to the island with old man Chiang kei shiek era. The KMT forced him “Nan jung Chen” to burned self in his own home with KMT secret police watched, surround his house. Nan jung Chen printed/published/criticized KMT’s one party ruling the island. Another example is several of my Taiwanese-American friend in their 30’s, all told me their parents instructed them not to talk about Taiwanese politics.
Right now Mr Ma is havin a tough time after the morakot effect