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4 Taiwan Development Perspectives 2009
They determined who would be elected to lead the nation.
That made two major parties to compete against
each other for support of these median voters. Such
competition is beneficial to Taiwan’s democratic consolidation.
Taiwan is becoming a mature democracy.
The Democratic Progressive Party tried to use its political
power to woo sway voters. But its poor track
record in governance alienated them. It is impossible
for political parties to manipulate these voters in the
future. The Kuomintang can be voted out of power, if it
cannot produce a satisfactory performance record.
The value of democracy has taken root. No party
can come into power by a negative campaign. It derives
its legitimacy to rule from the trust and support of the
people. The outcome of the 2008 election shows Taiwan
is stepping into a new stage of democratic consolidation.
2.Anti-Corruption Determination Strengthened
One single most important reason for President
Ma’s victory was his corruption-free clean image.
Voters supported him, for they were truly fed up with
the corruption and graft of the Democratic Progressive
Party administration over the past eight years. They
wanted to punish the corrupt party. Practically all the
median voters voted for Ma Ying-jeou, showing they
were more determined than ever before to oppose government
corruption and graft, which seriously impeded
Taiwan’s economic development.
The Kuomintang made government corruption a
main issue in the presidential campaign. It was crowned
with success by Ma outpolling Hsieh by more than two
million votes.
3. Desire to Get Out of the Economic Doldrums
The Democratic Progressive Party was unwilling
to improve economic relations with China to get Taiwan
out of its economic downturn. Nothing was done
to promote economic cooperation across the Taiwan
Strait. Taiwan remained in the economic doldrums for
eight years as a result.
The Kuomintang advocated Taiwan’s wider opening
to China, which the great majority of voters believed
was necessary if their country wanted to end its
economic doldrums. Cross-strait economic cooperation
was another vital issue in the Kuomintang’s presidential
campaign of 2008. The people who desired Taiwan’s
wider opening to China to cure its economic
woes voted for Ma Ying-jeou.
Table 3 Press Polls on Presidential Election in 2008
Time of
Survey
United Daily China Times Global Vision TVBS Era
Ma 40 Ma 51
Apple
Daily
2007/8/13
Hsieh 27 ─
─
Hsieh 30
─
─
undecided 33
undecided 19
2007/8/14
Ma 52 Ma 37.0 Ma 45.5
Hsieh 22 Hsieh 25.2 ─
─
Hsieh 21.8
─
undecided 27 undecided 37.7
undecided 32.7
2007/8/21 ─ ─ Ma 61.6 ─ ─ ─