Martial Law: Victim Mentality and Original Sin

Martial Law: Victim Mentality and Original Sin
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China)
A Translation
October 25, 2013

Summary: Martial law was lifted on Taiwan 25 years ago. Nevertheless the DPP clings to its "martial law victim mentality." Meanwhile, the KMT continues agonizing over its "martial law original sin." To a considerable extent, the current political chaos reflects these two mindsets. It reflects the failure to establish a post-martial law understanding of right and wrong

Full text below:

Martial law was lifted on Taiwan 25 years ago. Nevertheless the DPP clings to its "martial law victim mentality." Meanwhile, the KMT continues agonizing over its "martial law original sin." To a considerable extent, the current political chaos reflects these two mindsets. It reflects the failure to establish a post-martial law understanding of right and wrong

Martial law lasted 38 years. Many injustices occurred. They include one-party dictatorship, the "10,000 Year Legislature," bans on the formation of new political parties and press freedom, a non-independent criminal justice system, and the White Terror. The DPP has long trumpeted itself as a martial law victim dedicated to the righetous overthrow of martial law, beginning with the "dang wai (outside the KMT) era"). By assuming these roles, it won considerable public sympathy and support. The DPP did contribute to Taiwan's democratization. But once martial law was lifted, the DPP adopted its 1991 "Taiwan Independence Party Platform." It combined "support for democracy" with " Taiwan independence" in a package deal. It established a Conventional Wisdom according to which "Democracy is Taiwan independence and Taiwan independence is democracy," and to which "Taiwan independence equals justice and opposition to Taiwan independence equals injustice." The DPP appointed itself the "official spokesperson for the love of Taiwan." It turned the KMT and the Republic of China into a "foreign regime that is selling out Taiwan." From start to finish, the DPP has cast itself as martial law victims and Taiwan independence leaders. It has used this to rationalize and justify its political subversion.

Conversely, the KMT has never rid itself of martial law original sin. Toward the end of the Lee Teng-hui era, the KMT was afraid even to display the red, white, and blue ROC flag at campaign rallies. One reason was the deterrent effect of ubiquitous green and white DPP flags, and "Naiton of Taiwan " banners. In 1999, in order to enter the following year's presidential election. Chen Shui-bian recognize the Republic of China. The DPP's "Resolution on Taiwan's Future" shifted towards the political center. That same year, Lee Teng-hui proposed his "two states theory" to gain Taiwan independence votes from Chen Shui-bian. Lee waxed poetic about "the sorrow of the Taiwanese." He declared that "The Republic of China no longer exists." This reflected his ethnic Japanese nostalgia for Japanese colonial rule, coupled with feelings of guilt over martial law original sin. ROC President Lee Teng-hui demagoguing "ROC original sin" merely made Taiwan independence zealots even more arrogant.

The whole "martial law consciousness" phenomenon eventually led to a Republic of China vs. "Nation of Taiwan" struggle. The ROC was cast as the unrighteous victimizer. Taiwan independence was cast as the righteouis victims. The object was to totally discredit the Republic of China. The DPP opposes everything about the ROC, Including the ROC Constitution, Chiang Kai-shek, Sun Yat-sen, and the use of Mandarin Chinese. As a result, any struggle against the Republic of China is rationalized and justified. After all, as long as one is attempting to overthrow the Republic of China, how could anything one does be unjust?

By contrast, the political debt owned by Republic of China and the Kuomintang to the DPP dated back to the martial law era, can apparently never be paid. For example, every year on February 28, Ma Ying-jeou apologizes for the 2-28 Incident. The DPP and Taiwan independence zealots do not limit themselves to demanding reparations from the KMT. The entire society must repay this "perpetual debt." But martial law was lifted 25 years ago. During that time the DPP ruled the Republic of China for eight years. Can the DPP's martial law victimization and the KMT's martial law original sin really go on forever?

The world is changing. Cross-Strait relations are changing. Taiwan is changing. The Republic of China is changing. The DPP vs KMT struggle was a struggle between the Republic of China and Taiwan Independence. But according to the DPP's own criteria, the Republic of China has changed from Taiwan's victimizer to Taiwan's protector. Taiwan independence has changed from Taiwan's savior to Taiwan's increasingly marginalized trouble-maker. This underlying change is our cue to establish a post-martial law understanding of right and wrong. The DPP can no longer do whatever it wishes. It must base its actions on justice. The KMT must strive to rehabilitate its demonized public image. .

A post-martial law understanding of right and wrong means the DPP can no longer invoke martial law era Taiwan independence thinking to justify its political policy. It cannot argue that "Since we advocate Taiwan independence, we must destroy the Republic of China." Instead, it must avoid any irreversible actions that would harm Taiwan and subvert the ROC. The KMT should gradually let go of its guilt over martial law original sin. It must cease shrinking in stature whenever the issue of right and wrong arise. The key is the rehabilitation of the ROC's reputation for credibility. honor, and justice. The debate must no longer be about "How to subvert the Republic of China." It must be about "How to support and improve the Republic of China."

Taiwan no longer needs to subvert the Republic of China to achieve justice. Perhaps a post- martial law understanding of right and wrong can establish this principle. All that is required is a change in our thinking. Partisan struggles must not cross the red line. They must not harm Taiwan and subvert the ROC. Otherwise, the DPP and KMT will not be the only ones that suffer. Taiwan will be harmed and the ROC will be destroyed.

「戒嚴受害感」與「戒嚴原罪感」
【聯合報╱社論】
2013.10.25 02:44 am

台灣解嚴已二十五年，但民進黨的「戒嚴受害感」與國民黨的「戒嚴原罪感」皆仍存在。眼下所見政治亂局，相當程度皆與上述「兩感」有關，亦即與未能建立「後解嚴時代的政治是非思維」有關。

在長達三十八年的戒嚴時期，存有諸多不正義，如一黨專政、萬年國會、黨禁報禁、司法不獨立、白色恐怖等等。民進黨自黨外時代開始，即以「戒嚴體制的受害者」及「推翻戒嚴體制的正義者」自命；這兩個角色皆相當程度地受到社會的同情與支持，而民進黨對台灣的民主化工程亦實具貢獻。解嚴後，民進黨又以一九九一年的《台獨黨綱》，將「民主運動」與「台獨革命」糾纏在一起；遂至形成一種「民主即台獨／台獨即民主／台獨即正義／反台獨即不民主、不正義」的政治氛圍，民進黨成了「愛台灣」的獨家代言人，而將國民黨、中華民國的那一邊，說成「賣台」的「外來政權」。一路走來，民進黨以「戒嚴受害者」及「台獨領導人」自命，遂將其一切政治抗爭合理化、正義化。

相對而言，國民黨卻始終未擺脫「戒嚴原罪感」的心態。李登輝執政的後期，在國民黨的選舉場合，甚至不敢舉出青天白日滿地紅的國旗，原因之一是受到民進黨滿天綠旗與「台灣國」旗幟的震懾所致。後來到了一九九九年，陳水扁為次年總統大選而推出了接受中華民國國號的《台灣前途決議文》，向中間靠攏；同一年，李登輝卻竟然提出《兩國論》，想與陳水扁搶台獨票。李登輝所說的「台灣人的悲哀」，及「中華民國已不存在」，正是深沉的皇民後裔之悵惘，加上濃重的「戒嚴原罪感」所致。甚至可說，李登輝身為中華民國總統，居然竟有「中華民國原罪感」，遂使台獨的氣焰更熾。

整個「戒嚴思維」，最後就形成了「中華民國vs.台灣國」的鬥爭。「中華民國」是迫害者、不義者，「台獨」是受害者、人格者。而既然是要完全否定中華民國，民進黨即反對中華民國的一切，包括反對中華民國憲法、蔣介石、孫中山、國語等等；亦因此，任何反對中華民國的鬥爭，亦皆被合理化、正義化了。因為，既是要推翻中華民國，還有什麼手段是不正義的？

相對而言，中華民國與國民黨在戒嚴時代「欠」民進黨的政治債務，卻好像永遠也還不完。比如說，馬英九年年都要為「二二八血債」道歉，民進黨與台獨則到現在仍以「債權人」自居。但這筆「永遠的債務」卻不只是國民黨在償還，而是整個社會都要陪著一起向「永遠的債權人」還償。問題是：解嚴都已二十五年了，民進黨在其間還統治了中華民國八年之久，民進黨此種「戒嚴受害感」與國民黨的「戒嚴原罪感」，難道要漫無止境地延續下去？

然而，世界在變，兩岸在變，台灣在變，中華民國也在變。民進黨與國民黨的鬥爭，其軸心即在「中華民國vs.台獨」的鬥爭；但是，如今即使從民進黨的政治標準來看，中華民國也已漸從「台灣的加害者」，變成了守護者；而台獨似也從「台灣的拯救者」，變成了徒亂人心、無裨大局的邊緣化角色。由於此一軸心的轉變，這應當是一個建立「後解嚴時代政治是非思維」的時候了。也就是說，今日的民進黨不可再不擇手段卻一切皆以正義自居，而今日的國民黨也應努力修補、擺脫其被妖魔化的形象。

所謂「後解嚴時代的政治是非思維」，就是民進黨不應再以「戒嚴時代」的「台獨思維」來問政，也就是不宜再用「既主張台獨／就要毀了中華民國」的心態來問政，而應在「不要導致無可回復的傷台毀國」的界限之內來問政。國民黨則應慢慢放下那種「戒嚴原罪感」，不要一旦面對政治是非就好像矮人一截，其關鍵即在重建「中華民國」的可信任感、光榮感與正義性，使得政治是非的辯論不再糾纏於「如何毀了中華民國」，而應引導至「如何扶持及改善中華民國」。

當台灣不再「以毀滅中華民國為正義」，或許「後解嚴時代的政治是非思維」始有可能建立。只要存此一念，黨爭即可能節制在「傷台毀國」的紅線之內；否則，恐不止是民進黨與國民黨的兩敗俱傷，而終將步上「傷台毀國」的下場。