Mainland China's Decade Long Disaster, America's Decade in Hell, and Taiwan's Decade of Division

Mainland China's Decade Long Disaster, America's Decade in Hell, and Taiwan's Decade of Division
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
December 2, 2009

Mainland China's Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution lasted from 1966 to 1976. Beijing refers to it as a "Decade Long Disaster." A few days ago Time Magazine referred to the period between 2000 and 2009, during which America made no progress, but instead regressed, as its "Decade in Hell." During the latter part of his regime, former president Lee Teng-hui imposed his "Have Patience, Avoid Haste Policy." The corrupt Chen Shui-bian regime demagogued its "Rectification of Names and Authoring of a New Constitution" campaign. These two presidents' misrule might well be termed a "Decade of Division."
These three tragedies of history were of different scales and different degrees. But they had many of the same causes and many of the same effects. The biggest difference between them was the political systems. America's "Decade in Hell" took place in a democratic system that is a model for the rest of the world. Mainland China's "Decade Long Disaster" took place in a highly authoritarian political and economic system. Taiwan's "Decade of Division" took place after the lifting of martial law in an emerging democracy. As we can see, any system can make mistakes.

Why did political and economic systems so very different in nature all make the same mistakes? One reason is that they all had something in common. All were dominated by messianic political leaders who precipitated the entire tragedy. These political stars led their nations astray because they were concerned more about clinging to personal power than about ensuring the welfare of the nation. Mao Zedong failed completely as a result of his Three Red Banners, i.e., the Socialist Path, the Great Leap Forward, and the People's Communes. He attempted to use the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution to ensure his own political survival. He provoked an unprecedented frenzy of populist idol worship. The result was that "Chairman Mao's Red Sun" may have shone brightly in the sky, but the land below was plunged into darkness. Bush vowed revenge for 9/11. The public supported him enthusiastically. As a result the United States successfully crushed Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, but it subsequently fell prey to "unilateralism." Since then the United States' image as a champion of justice has taken a serious hit. The global financial tsunami that struck Wall Street in 2008 merely underscored the Bush regime's disastrous administrative record. It made the world question the legitimacy of the free market, and the efficacy of democracy. Taiwan's "Decade of Division" was a microcosmic version of the same pattern. Its tragedy was the result of the efforts of Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian to retain power by inciting mob sentiment. Lee Teng-hui established his "National Unification Guidelines," which indicated that the two sides had different views. But then he began acting out the role of "a party chairman and a half." He was no longer merely the chairman of the Kuomintang. He was also "half a chairman" of the Democratic Progressive Party. This eventually led to policy schizophrenia and social schisms. Chen Shui-bian initially maintained a "Five Noes Policy." Later, under fire for political corruption, and taken hostage by Lee Teng-hui and the Taiwan independence movement, he engaged in self-deceit and championing the "rectification of names and the authoring of a new constitution." Both Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian championed Taiwan independence as a means of addressing cross-Strait problems. But the Taiwan independence movement succeeded only in creating divisions on Taiwan. This led to a decade of wheel-spinning. Lee Teng-hui was touted as "Mr. Democracy." Ah-Bian was touted as the "Son of Taiwan." They were public idols. But their regimes led merely to a "Decade of Division," and potentially fatal wounds to Taiwan's political and economic development that may never heal.

In the wake of a debacle, the first order of business should be to restore order. In the wake of a tragedy, the most most urgent task is to heal wounds. As such, Mainland China has already put its "Decade Long Disaster" behind it. The United States is also engaging in self-examination and self-rectification in the wake of its "Decade in Hell." By contrast, Taiwan is the least likely of the three to put its tragic past behind it. Mainland China nearly suffocated during the Cultural Revolution. It has now turned over a new leaf, and is undergoing a "peaceful rise." Its society is imbued with self-confidence, self-respect, and a sense of pride. America has elected its first African-American president, Barack Obama, suggesting that there are no limits to democracy. The United States, after all, is still a super power. As long as it makes the right moves, it will always be able to turn itself around. Compare Mainland China with the US. Different political and economic systems are likely to lead to different kinds of tragedies. But different political and economic systems can both produce political leaders able to lead their countrymen out of tragedy. Different political and economic systems can also have populations able to distinguish between right and wrong, between and good and bad, and who know how to engage in self-introspection and self-correction. Taiwan's political leaders however, can't even lead their compatriots out of the political morass of the Chen Shui-bian corruption case. They remain trapped in an endless tug of war over "support ECFA vs. oppose ECFA," and "agricultural counties vs. non-agricultural counties and cities." No political leader in today's ruling or opposition parties on Taiwan has the ability to lift society out of its pessimism and confusion. Society on Taiwan continues to be manipulated and divided by its politicians. It continues to spin its wheels.

Over the past two decades, the public has looked to its political stars to lead Taiwan out of confusion. But instead, Taiwan has remained stalled. Over the past decade, the public has looked to democracy to lead Taiwan into the light. But instead, Taiwan has been torn apart. In the absence of political leaders with the vision needed to lead, Taiwan's democracy will remain permanently divided, and its outlook deeply worrisome. Mainland China has risen. The United States has awoken. Now how about Taiwan?

中國十年浩劫‧美國地獄十年‧台灣十年撕裂
【聯合報╱社論】
2009.12.02 04:35 am

中國自一九六六至一九七六年的文化大革命，被中共自己稱作「十年浩劫」。時代雜誌日前則將二○○○年至二○○九年美國的不進反退、人心低迷，稱作「地獄的十年」。那麼，台灣自李登輝任總統後期的戒急用忍與兩國論，至陳水扁政府的貪腐與正名制憲所導致大約十年的內耗空轉，能不能稱作「十年撕裂」？

這是三部規模與程度不一的歷史悲劇，其中因果，異同互見。最大的差異是在政治體制的不同：美國的「地獄十年」發生在被譽為世界典範的自由民主體制；中國的「十年浩劫」發生在高度極權專制的政經體制；台灣的「撕裂十年」則發生在解嚴後的新興民主階段。可見，任何體制皆可能出現歷史錯誤。

為何不同政經體制皆會鑄成大錯？其中的部分原因，亦即三者的共同點，皆在由彌賽亞救世主式的政治明星主導整部悲劇的進行，且這些政治明星都是因自己的權力危機而將國家導向歧途。毛澤東是因三面紅旗（社會主義總路線／大躍進／人民公社）的徹底失敗，而欲藉文化大革命來挽救自己的政治生命，以空前的民粹操作煽起了狂熱的偶像崇拜；於是天上高掛「毛主席啊紅太陽」，照耀得中國大陸一片黑暗。布希則以九一一的復仇代言者自命，亦贏得民意的高度支持；結果伊拉克海珊政權被美國擊垮，但高舉「單邊主義」的美國自此重挫了正義形象。火上加油、雪上加霜的是，二○○八爆發自華爾街的全球金融海嘯，更加凸顯了布希治理的災難，進而使世人甚至質疑自由經濟的正當性及民主政治的效能。至於台灣這「十年撕裂」，具體而微，也是因李登輝與陳水扁為挽救個人權力危機而操弄民粹，釀成悲劇。李登輝曾制定《國統綱領》，可見其原本具有不同的兩岸觀點；但是，他自始即扮演「一又二分之一個黨主席」的角色，一是國民黨主席，二分之一是民進黨主席，卻是最後造成其「政策分裂」以至「社會撕裂」的原因。陳水扁亦原本操持「四不一沒有」的政策，後來則因貪腐失政，又被李登輝等獨派挾持，遂走上自欺欺人的「正名制憲」。李登輝與陳水扁皆主張以台獨作為解決兩岸難題的方案，但台獨只是徹底撕裂了台灣，造成十餘年的內耗空轉。李是「民主先生」，扁是「台灣之子」，皆曾是民意的寵兒，但他們不僅造成「撕裂的十年」，甚至已造成台灣政經發展上永難彌償療癒的致命傷。

大錯誤之後，應須撥亂反正；大悲劇之後，則當療傷止痛。若就此一觀點而論，中國已經跳脫了「十年浩劫」，美國則正從「地獄十年」中反省導正；相對而言，台灣想從悲劇困境中脫身的可能性卻最小。中國從幾已窒息的文革社會，翻身到如今已是「和平崛起」；社會上充溢著信心、自尊與光榮感。美國選民則以選出首位非裔總統歐巴馬，標舉出民主政治的無窮可能與進取空間；何況，美國畢竟仍是超級強大的國家，只要拿對了翻身的方法就能翻身。中美對照，雖然不同的政經體制皆可能鑄成悲劇，但不同的政經體制也都能產生懂得領導國人走出悲劇、迎向希望的政治領袖，且不同的政經體制亦皆可能出現懂得是非好歹、懂得反省改正的社會民意。然而，反觀台灣，我們的政治領袖竟然連帶領國人衝出扁案是非糾纏的能力都沒有，且依然陷於「支持ＥＣＦＡ／反對ＥＣＦＡ」、「農業縣／非農業縣市」的撕裂與拉鋸之中。台灣朝野沒有一個能化解今日消極、悲觀、混亂政經氛圍的政治領袖，而台灣的社會亦仍然被政客操縱、繼續撕裂，繼續內耗空轉。

二十年來，台灣皆在期待政治明星們帶領台灣走出迷津，卻一直陷於內耗空轉；十年來，台灣亦在期待民主政治能夠引導台灣航向光明，卻仍是無窮無盡的撕裂。如果我們沒有大開大闔的政治領袖來引領台灣，而民主政治又陷於致命的撕裂而找不到出路，則前景委實堪憂。中國崛起了，美國醒悟了，請問我們台灣呢？