tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29099853.post3295645011423055133..comments2023-10-26T22:53:59.503+08:00Comments on The Far-Eastern Sweet Potato: Taiwan faces non-democratic choicesJ. Michael Cole 寇謐將http://www.blogger.com/profile/12125612369359079447noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29099853.post-68018700557510173502011-08-09T12:43:14.069+08:002011-08-09T12:43:14.069+08:00"I've always thought Taiwan's "c...<i>"I've always thought Taiwan's "choice" is similar to the choice faced by someone with a gun to their head being asked for all their money."</i><br /><br />Or similar to that of the taxpayer <i>within</i> Taiwan - hand over the dough or go to jail. <br /><br />The fact that the choice sits within a context of coercion doesn't mean it isn't a democratic choice - contrary to J.Michael's assertion. It <i>is</i> a democratic choice and pretending otherwise is a self-defeating tactic.Mike Faganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08745281285031316740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29099853.post-57365459865783577272011-08-09T10:25:10.732+08:002011-08-09T10:25:10.732+08:00A great editorial. I've always thought Taiwan...A great editorial. I've always thought Taiwan's "choice" is similar to the choice faced by someone with a gun to their head being asked for all their money. A rational person would probably hand over their money, since the other choice (dying) is worse. No one in their right mind would conclude that this proves that the victim wants to give away their money or that they're happy giving away their money, but this is the conclusion experts regularly make regarding Taiwan.Brian Schacknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29099853.post-22164974558669776252011-08-08T06:54:35.932+08:002011-08-08T06:54:35.932+08:00I despair of the situation in Taiwan. Most people ...I despair of the situation in Taiwan. Most people of the KMT generation feel Chinese and the old Fujianese still feel a kinship with whatever their forebears left behind. The kids seem so bent on earning a living they have no time to engage.<br /><br />The normal conventions of a democracy are also apparently absent: separation of parliament, the parties, the judiciary and the media. Bulldozing farms without consultation or payment. Grrr. They have no clue.<br /><br />The KMT sitting on the Japanese loot was just another thing.Dave Hodgkinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06956431715346548490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29099853.post-57647877740276980042011-08-08T01:25:22.975+08:002011-08-08T01:25:22.975+08:00"...there is nothing democratic in being give...<i>"...there is nothing democratic in being given the choice between “peaceful convergence” with authoritarian China... and the threat of war."</i><br /><br />I disagree. The choice may be a bad one, but to claim it isn't democratic seems to presuppose that "democratic" choices can only be made in an international vaccum absent threats of external aggression (not everywhere can be like Switzerland or Canada). <br /><br />Yet isn't the primary raison d'etre of the State to protect against external aggression? If there were no threats of external aggression, then there would be much less reason for a State to exist in the first place, whether democratic or otherwise.<br /><br />Besides, the same argument can be applied at a smaller scale: if my only choice is between having my wealth confiscated by the State to pay for other people's retirement or going to jail, then how is that a "democratic" choice?<br /><br />I think its' better to characterize external pressure as undermining <i>liberty</i> rather than democracy.Mike Faganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08745281285031316740noreply@blogger.com