Yp. Cheng, THE INTERACTION OF ETHNICITY AND PARTY POLITICS IN TAIWAN, Issues and studies - Institute of International Relations, 31(11), 1995, pp. 1-15
This paper offers a preliminary analysis of the relationship between e
thnic politics and party politics in Taiwan as manifested in the 1994
mayoral and gubernatorial elections. Irt has been argued that the role
of ethnicity was a contributing factor in the democratization of Taiw
an as a multiethnic society. However, Taiwan is an ethnically segmente
d rather than ethnically divided society. Vague ethnic lines and weak
interethnic hostility are cited as distinctive features of Taiwan's et
hnic relations. Nevertheless, indigenization policies have paralleled
the development and mobilization of the mainlanders' sense of crisis l
eading to the emergence of defensive ethnic voting in the 1994 electio
ns. Though Taiwan's ethnic voting and ethnic political parties are eme
rging at a relatively slow pace, the author warns against the negative
effects of polarized ethnic politics and also analyzes alternative so
lutions to avoid these problems.