An Analysis of The ROC's Party System: 1949-1992
Resource
政治科學論叢, 4, 149-178
Journal
政治科學論叢
Journal Issue
4
Pages
149-178
Date Issued
1992-12
Date
1992-12
Author(s)
Ming, C.C.
Abstract
There exist four “schools” of categorization of the ROC’s party systems: one party dictatorship, one party dominance, revolutionary democratic party system, and democratic party system, yet none of them are theoretically sound, which demands further development of the field. The development of the ROC’s party system is closely related to its economic and social changes in the past four decades. If one adopts Giovanni Sartori’s typology, the ROC of 1949 to 1986 falls into the category of hegemonic one party system which is characterized with (1) a powerful, ideological party, the Kuomintang, has seen in power for a long period of time, (2) the existence of two non-threatening parties, the Youth Party and the Democratic Socialist Party, (3) the existence of private ownership is permitted and even encouraged which induces social changes, (4) the holding of numerous elections of local and national levels which are competed among more than one candidate, various in kind and frequent, regularly scheduled, participated by a good portion of non-ruling party candidates, the ruling party used to tolerate non-threatening competition, and gradualism in enhancing participation. After 1986, competition among political parties were gradually liberalized and by 1993 competition of the Sartorian sense is established. Whether toe ROC will become a two-party system or one-party predominant system will be determined by the political development in the future.
Type
journal article