Admiring the peaceful political transition in Taiwan

Abstract

Purpose

Given the recent peaceful turnover of power through a highly participatory democratic election, now is a good time to consider Taiwan and its political development.

Design/methodology/approach

The author reviews how, over two decades Taiwan has undergone a remarkably peaceful transition from what was essentially an authoritarian, one-party dictatorship by the KMT to a vibrant multiparty democracy, a sharp contrast to what has occurred during the same period in China.

Findings

When the traditional ruling party of a country–like the Kuomintang in Taiwan– finds itself completely out of power and wandering in the wilderness, yet still manages to conduct itself with grace and dignity, and in so doing, allows the country to prosper – that affirms the stability and progressive potential of the country’s politics.

Practical implications

Not only has Taiwan’s economy seen a sustained period of fast growth over multiple decades, but the economy has grown without seeing a substantial uptick in economic inequality, a feat many developed nations have failed to achieve.

Originality/value

Taiwan’s two decades of political stability makes is an attractive commercial partner.

Citation

Brookfield, J. (2016), "Admiring the peaceful political transition in Taiwan", Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 44 No. 3, pp. 38-39. https://doi.org/10.1108/SL-04-2016-0019