Taiwan is Finally Free from the Curse of Provincial Origin

Taiwan is Finally Free from the Curse of Provincial Origin
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
April 1, 2008

Despite endless bickering on the Republic of China's road to democracy, the public on Taiwan has learned and grown. This time ROC citizens have elected a mainlander as their president. This proves that the Chinese people on Taiwan have passed a difficult test. They have gotten past the issue of provincial origin. This is a tremendous achievement, and further proof of a maturing democracy.

Prejudicial distinctions made on the basis of blood origin, place of birth, and ethnicity are common among all peoples. They are among the easiest to make, and the hardest to eliminate. In many countries around the world, it is nearly impossible for ethnic minorities to be elected head of state. A high degree of openness and tolerance is required to overcome such prejudices. This is true even in advanced nations such as the United States. African American presidential candidate Barak Obama's campaign momentum is impressive. But whether he can actually break through centuries-old racial barriers remains to be seen.

For years, prejudices over provincial origin have hamstrung the Republic of China's political development. To cover up its poor record, the Chen Shui-bian regime incited so-called "ethnic antagonisms," more accurately characterized as "provincial origin antagonisms," in order to consolidate his core political support. If truth be told, this ploy was once highly effective. Society was deeply polarized and mired in endless hostility. Under this narrow-minded, barbaric value system, "Loving Taiwan" became a magic incantation in an insane witch-hunt, a Pied Piper's magic pipe that could induce mobs to march robotically to a demagogue's tune. Rational debate was drowned out by the anti-intellectual, primitive logic of petty tribal hatred. Right and wrong no longer mattered. All that mattered was which side you were on.

For an individual or society, past traumas and future anxieties are difficult to overcome. It is often impossible to remain rational and make wise decisions. Taiwan has been hamstrung by past traumas and future anxieties. Authoritarian mainlander rule and Beijing's diplomatic blockade have left scars. Beijing's military threats have left ROC citizens fearful. These two factors have hampered the ROC's democratic evolution. No matter how poor the DPP's political record, the DPP would always retort that their critics "don't love Taiwan" or "colluded with China" or "will turn the clock back on democracy" if they replace the DPP. The DPP could then count on diehard "Nativist" support against its "common enemy."

Fortunately the Chinese people on Taiwan have learned. Although we had no experience with democracy, we staggered onward. Despite frustrations and disappointments, we found our way. We got up again each time we fell. Each time we were duped, we learned a lesson. Each time we made a mistake, we become a little smarter, a little more mature.

At first we knew only that we wanted a "Taiwanese" to be our leader. Later we learned that under a democracy other criterion were more important than having "one of our own" be president. We learned that just because the ruling regime was a "Native" regime, that it must not be allowed to wallow in corruption and to abuse its authority. We learned that a "Native" regime must not be given a blank check to act irresponsibly or immoraly. The people must be masters, not hostages. Democracy must not be so shallow, so cheap. After the DPP repeatedly played the "Nativist" card, we came to realize that "Nativism" was nothing but a political tool, and involved absolutely no love for Taiwan whatsoever.

The DPP has repeatedly played the "ethnicity" card. It has deliberately and repeatedly spread this virus throughout society. Society has been repeatedly infected and suffered fevers and chills. Eventually however, the Body Politic began developing antibodies. It began to understand the damage done to it by "ethnic" demagoguery. It began to realize the negative consequences of such demagoguery. It began to realize what kind of future Taiwan needed.

Chen Shui-bian's cynical manipulations inadvertently brought to the surface deeply-buried toxins, and created an immunity. The process has been painful, nearly depleting society's vitality. But it has also enable society to confront the most sensitive issues and deal with them, think about them, and eventually let go of them. When a majority of the people finally see through the myth of provincial identity, when they finally decide to reject "ethnic" demagoguery, when they are willing to work for a common future, they will no longer be hostages to the provincial identity issue.

The true value of democracy is that people can rely on themselves. They can find strength within themselves. They need not feel impotent or panicky, fearful that their fates will be decided by others. So-called "Nativism" is no longer important to ROC voters. Everyone finally understands that within a democratic system, all elected authorities are "native" authorities. It makes no difference whether the president is a "ben shen ren" or "person from this province." The Republic of China's democracy is not the exclusive franchise of any one political party. The Republic of China's democracy belongs to 23 million ROC citizens on Taiwan. They are the masters of Taiwan's destiny.

The Chinese people on Taiwan are gradually learning to heal their wounds, overcome their fears, and transcend their "ethnic" prejudices. They are learning to think rationally, unconstrained by considerations of "ethnic" origin or ideological dogma. They are rediscovering each others' humanity. They see that real life is more important than hypocritical sloganeering, that their children's futures are more important than the baggage of history. Different "ethnic" groups once lived in harmony. But after enduring a living hell, the Chinese people on Taiwan have made a conscious decision. They have decided we are all one big family.

Even the KMT knows Ma Ying-jeou was elected not because the KMT was so wonderful, but because Chen Shui-bian and the DPP were so awful. ROC voters threw the DPP out. But it also warned all politicians not to underestimate the wisdom of ROC citizens.

中時電子報
中國時報 　2008.04.01
台灣終於跨越省籍魔咒的試煉
中時社論

　不要看台灣常吵吵鬧鬧，在民主的道路上，台灣民眾一直在學習，一直在成長。這次選出了一位外省籍的總統，證明最困難的省籍這門課，台灣終於畢業了。這是了不起的成就，也是民主進一步成熟的證明。

　血緣、地域、種族之隔，是人之常情，因為它是最容易辨識的標籤，也往往是最難消除的心障。在世界各國，少數族裔要當選國家元首，可謂難之又難，需要社會有極高程度的開放與包容，才能打破這個迷思。即使先進如美國，有非裔血統的歐巴馬雖然參選總統聲勢驚人，但能不能真正突破百年來的種族藩籬，還在未定之天。

　長年以來，這道省籍魔咒一直糾纏著台灣的政治發展。陳水扁總統為了掩飾施政不彰，於是挑撥族群對立以凝聚選票。坦白說，過去以來，這招真的有效，台灣社會這些年因此陷入了無止境的分裂敵對。在狹隘而粗暴的檢驗標準下，「愛台灣」成了黨同伐異的瘋狂獵巫，更是政客愚弄民眾的魔笛。任何就事論事的理性討論，都被反智幼稚的邏輯淹沒；只有立場沒有是非，成了唯一的真理。

　個人也好，社會也好，「創傷」與「恐懼」往往是最難超越的心結，以致無法理性思考作出正確的決定。台灣過去一直被這兩個因素捆綁住，外省政權集權統治及中國的外交打壓造成了創傷；軍事威脅又讓台灣民眾有揮之不去的恐懼，兩相糾纏下，扭曲了台灣的民主發展。民進黨政績再差，只要指控對手不愛台灣、和中國勾結、民進黨輸民主就倒退台灣就完蛋，就能讓本土票同仇敵愾相挺到底。

　然而，台灣人民終究是有學習能力的。雖然沒有民主經驗、雖然不斷遭遇挫折與失望，但我們一路跌跌撞撞摸索前進，在哪裡跌倒，就從哪裡站起來，而且每次都記取了教訓，變得更聰明一點、更成熟一點。

　我們起先只知道要台灣人當家做主，後來我們學會了，原來民主還有比自己人當總統更多、更重要的內容。不能因為是本土政權，就可以濫權貪汙、胡說八道。「本土」不是對無能無恥的保護傘，人民是本土政權的主人、不是人質，民主更沒有那麼淺薄廉價。在無數次選舉操作下，大家也逐漸看懂了，原來這些只是政客自利的工具，背後沒有絲毫對台灣的真愛。

　民進黨一再玩弄族群牌，就像一次次蓄意散播病毒，讓台灣社會在高燒和惡寒中反覆煎熬，在激情瘋狂中一次次盲目起舞。終於，經歷了那麼多次發作折磨後，台灣民眾開始產生了抗體，看清族群撕裂對社會造成了多大傷害，也逐漸能省思這個問題到底有什麼意義、台灣又需要什麼樣的未來。

　就像出疹子一樣，陳水扁用最惡毒的操作，逼出了長久壓抑在台灣體內的鬱寒積怨，而且產生了免疫力。雖然過程非常痛苦，元氣幾乎消耗殆盡，但台灣社會也因此面對了這個最敏感的問題，進而處理它、思考它，最後決定放下它。當大多數人看清省籍標籤的虛幻、決定拒絕族群對立的操作、願意攜手尋找共同的未來時，台灣也終於從省籍這門課畢業了。

　民主真正的價值，在於人民能夠相信自己、在自己的身上找到力量，而不是無助驚慌地擔心命運被其他人決定。是不是「本土」，對台灣選民來說已經不重要了，因為大家終於懂得，在民主時代，所有選舉產生的政權都是本土政權，並不是本省人當總統才算。台灣的民主命脈不在某個特定政黨，而在於二千三百萬全體人民，人民才是台灣命運的主人。

　漸漸地，台灣人民超越了「創傷」，克服了「恐懼」，放下了族群之間的猜忌，學會以理性來思考，不再被意識形態及血統束縛，重新找回彼此的溫暖。看清了真實的生活比虛偽的口號重要，孩子的未來比歷史包袱迫切。過去族群之間原本就相處融洽，但經歷過這場折磨淬煉後，台灣民眾是有意識地作出了決定，決定我們都是一家人。

　大概連國民黨也知道，馬英九之所以當選，原因不是國民黨好，而是陳水扁和民進黨太爛。台灣選民在把民進黨換下來的同時，也明確地警告了所有政治人物，不要再輕視台灣人民的智慧了。