Title
Cross-cutting issues and the consolidation of democracy in Taiwan
Department
History & Political Science
Document Type
Article
Publication Source
Democratization
Publication Date
1998-01-01
Volume
5
Issue
4
First Page
118
Last Page
143
Abstract
This article examines the cause of Taiwan's recent successful democratic consolidation. It argues that cross-cutting issues in the electoral process allow democratic systems to periodically generate new winners. The prospect of reasonable certainty to win gives different political groups, including previously anti-system or semi-loyal groups, incentives to adhere to the democratic rules of the game. This process contributed to the democratic consolidation in Taiwan. More specifically, the non-mainstream faction of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) party, which initially opposed democratization, and the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) which wanted more radical constitutional and political reforms, came to accept the post-transition democratic regime due to the emergence of new electoral issues. New issues surrounding corruption and socio-economic reforms allowed both the non-mainstream faction of the KMT and the DPP to advance their interests through the democratic electoral process.
DOI
10.1080/13510349808403587
Recommended Citation
Lin, Tse Min and Zhang, Baohui, "Cross-cutting issues and the consolidation of democracy in Taiwan" (1998). Articles & Book Chapters. 430.
https://digitalcommons.daemen.edu/faculty_scholar/430
https://doi.org/10.1080/13510349808403587