Democrats and Republicans in Asia

Remember when the USA was just a young little country with grand ideals?  Shaking off the shackles of Imperial England and starting what they considered a superior form of governing: by, of and for the people?  Only 248 years ago.  Not that long in human history really.

This year is Taiwan's 103rd birthday.  One hundred three years from the founding of the Republic of China by Sun Yatsen (孙中山).  His picture still hangs in many prominent places around our schools.  He is considered father of the country, although he never lived in Taiwan.  He started the Republic following the defeat of the last imperial rule in China.

 Born in 1911, the Republican Army, led by Gen. Chiang Kaishek, fought alongside Mao's Communists to overthrow the last emperor.  Once their campaign was successful, however, the Republican Army split from the Communists.  Turned out they were only partners of convenience.  They then started an even bloodier civil war that weakened China further and left it vulnerable to Japanese invasion.  The Kuoming Tang (國民黨) "Republicans" finally  left China in 1949, rousted by Mao's ever expanding People's Red Army - red is a lucky color in China.  Gen. Chiang shipped his troops and his government to Taiwan, recently regained by China from Japan as a result of WWII concessions.  Dr. Sun had died by this time but the ideals of a Republic remained with those who departed communist China.

Taiwan became the home of the Republic (R.O.C) in exile, led by Gen. Chiang.  I was shocked to find out though, that this man, who is most responsible for the establishment of Taiwan as an independent state, is not well remembered at home.  In fact, he and his army are responsible for elimination of 30,000 Taiwan natives who opposed his martial law.  This mass slaughter of native residents led to nearly 40 years of autocratic rule which included Chiang's son.  This country, which I used to think was one of Asia's earliest democracies, in truth, held it's first popular vote to elect a president in 1996.

Today, the R.O.C. government looks a lot like the US government - executive, judicial and legislative branches; popular election of the president and a representative congress.  It also has a similar two-party structure to its democracy identified by two colors.  Sound familiar?  Unlike us though, their colors are Blue: The Kuoming Tang (KMT) led coalition and Green: The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led coalition.  And the major point of division between these camps rests in their relationship to and reunification with mainland China.  In talking with colleagues and friends however, the voters have about as low an opinion of their government here as Americans do back home.  There may be no martial law, but there's enough corruption and cronyism to keep the news media in good business.