试论台湾民主化的动因

On Reasons of Democratization in Taiwan

1987年7月,台湾当局宣布台湾地区“解除戒严”,标志着台湾民主化进程的启动。“二二八事件”的阴影和长达38年的“戒严”独裁统治是台湾民主化的特殊背景;进入20世纪80年代,台湾在经济上和阶级上做好了民主化的准备,祖国大陆和美国对台政策的转变也影响了岛内政治局势的变动。在决定台湾民主化启动的诸因素中,晚年的蒋经国扮演着决定性的角色,是民主化的“第一推手”。“江南命案”和“十信弊案”是台湾民主化的导火线,促使蒋经国领导的国民党下了最后决心。

In July 1987,The Taiwan authority declared to lift the martial law (i.e.,the Emergency Decree promulgated in 1948),which marked the beginning of the process of democratization in Taiwan. The setting of Taiwan democratization is the historical scars of “February 28th Incident” and autocratic rule “legalized” by the Emergency Decree. It was not until 1980’s that Taiwan had economically and classically made ready for democratization. Meanwhile, China and USA changed their policy on Taiwan,which had impact on the political situation in Taiwan. But the most important reason is that Chiang Ching-kuo in his later years( especially in 1986 and 1987) ,as “the prime promoter of democratization”, had played a decisive role in urging Kuomintang to abandon autocracy. At last, “the murder of Liu Yi-liang” in 1984 and “the frauds of Taipei No.10 Credit Cooperative” in 1985 which had weakened the prestige of Kuomintang triggered the process of democratization.