Thomas66's Blog

On the Practice of Transitional Justice in Taiwan

Abstract

At a point of political transformation from authoritarian, dictatorial regimes or from civil conflicts into a democracy state, the term “transitional justice” often refers to a range of approaches that the state may use to address past human rights abuses, mass atrocities, or other forms of severe trauma in order to promote possibilities for peace, reconciliation and democracy in the future. Transitional justice implies a society’s desire to rebuild social trust, repair a fractured justice system, and build a democratic system of governance. All transitional justice approaches are based on a fundamental belief in universal human rights, although each society should choose its own path.

In today’s Taiwan, transitional justice means a response to the systematic or widespread violations of human rights under KMT’s regime of colonization through investigation of violations, sanctions on those responsible for the violations, and reparations for the victims. This may involve mass atrocities like the 228 Massacre or White Terror, the stolen party assets by KMT and its affiliated organizations, and other forms of political or judicial abuses. Transitional justice practitioners have also engaged with justice measures, including court trials, truth commissions, reconciliation, restitution of property, compensation packages, removal of statues, etc. Finally, the existing KMT’s political system is completely dismantled, a report is prepared to summarize the whole transitional justice process, and there are programs to rewrite history textbooks in order to better reflect the plight of the victims.

An Overview of Taiwan’s Economic Development (IIb)

大清帝國時代，台灣經濟發展主要乃建立於土地開發之上；除了階級式土地制度以外，另亦實施「一田二主」的大小租制。入台之初，清國即以台南為中心，逐漸往南、往北拓墾。唯就整體而言，開發區域仍集中於台灣西部；農產作物乃以稻米和蔗糖為主，尤以稻米最為重要。而除了平埔族原住民所有地外，台灣尚未開墾的土地皆屬官方所有；「漢人」移民在開墾前，須先取得官方發給的執照 (或向原住民取得耕作權)。取得開墾執照的墾戶，稱為「大租戶」(向原住民繳交租金或穀物，即所謂「番大租」)；所開墾土地，往往加以分割，並招徠墾佃進行開墾耕作，稱為「小租戶」；若取得面積太大，則再租予佃農。至於平埔族人原有廣大土地，何以經過層層租佃程序之餘，最後盡入「漢人」移民之手？此中不公不義，仍值得細予探究。

這一時期，亦進行水圳開發及土地丈量，使稻作和租稅大增；其次則是成立撫墾局，對山地進行開發，尤其促使樟腦開採成為新興產業。另外，英、美兩國和清國合作，初步進行台灣北部的煤礦開採；由於基隆河下游發現砂金，乃溯源開發九份與金瓜石。而在嘉義布袋以南，也開始發展製鹽產業。郊行 (商業同業公會) 也在此時出現，形成台灣對清國東南沿海的商業貿易組織；其中較為知名者，如泉郊、北郊、廈郊，以及台南三郊和鹿港八郊 (亦有所謂米郊或糖郊者)。「郊商」享有特權，並經由募集「義民」或捐獻軍費以為交換，而踏上政商勾結之路。郊行生意興隆，交易貨品可如木材、布匹、茶葉、樟腦、蔗糖、陶瓷等。

An Overview of Taiwan’s Economic Development (Ib)

貿易與轉運

台灣原住民數萬年來的生活方式，直到三百多年前外力入侵後才產生根本性的變革。荷蘭聯合東印度公司 (VOC) 於1624年八月登陸台江 (Tai-oan; 今台南安平一帶)，在台灣的經濟活動極為活躍。荷蘭人引入「漢人」外勞 (之前在台「漢人」僅千餘人)，從事大規模開墾，增產稻米、蔗糖等農產品，以利外銷。另一方面，他們亦積極建設台灣成為貿易轉運站，將中國商品 (如生絲、絹綢、瓷器、黃金、漢藥等) 轉往巴達維亞、荷蘭及日本；將台灣鹿皮、蔗糖、硫磺等輸往日本，並將台灣稻米、日本白銀等輸往中國。轉運貿易物品，亦包括荷蘭的金屬、藥材，以及巴達維亞的香料、胡椒、琥珀、麻布、棉花、鴉片、錫、鉛等。而台灣的稻米與蔗糖，遂成為東印度公司出口的兩大農產品；另如鹿皮銷往日本，鹿肉運到中國，亦屬台灣重要出口貨品。

An Overview of Taiwan’s Economic Development (IIIc)

現代化經濟

1930年代後期，日本對外發動戰爭，台灣也開始進行工業化；日本治台的殖民政策，乃由「工業日本，農業台灣」轉為「工業台灣，農業南洋」。太平洋戰爭之前，日本即已準備「南進」。1936年底，台灣遂依敕令而設立「台灣拓殖株式會社」；此一半官半民企業，投資地區乃以台灣為主，並及於日本軍所佔領的中國南方和東南亞各地。迄1937年，台灣的工業化仍限於製糖設備及農產品加工方面。但成為南進基地之後，軍需相關產業則以驚人速度發展，而鋼鐵、化學、紡織、金屬、機械等現代工業尤為活躍。

An Overview of Taiwan’s Economic Development (IIIb)

農業台灣

日本治台之初，於1900年前後確立「農業台灣」的殖民政策。台灣總督府因而鼓勵發展米、糖兩大作物，並在土地開發、水利建設上全力配合。第四任總督兒玉源太郎時期，民政長官後藤新平提出一系列改善台灣財政的措施。首先，由日本政府認購總督府發行的事業公債；其次，積極進行土地稅制的改革；另外，實施鴉片、樟腦、煙草、煙酒等事業之「專賣」制度。終而，在提高關稅的政策配合下，台灣於1905年已經達成財政獨立目標。其實，後藤於1898年即已開始進行土地調查 (1905年完成)，並頒佈《台灣地籍規則》及《台灣土地調查規則》。對於土地所有權，確立以小租戶為地主的現代制度 (一田一主制)，大租權則予收購補償 (以台灣事業公債支付)；相較之下，半世紀之後國民黨在台實施土地改革，狗尾續貂實無必要。土地調查時，當時乃採用最新式的三角測量法，對台灣及其附屬島嶼的面積和地形進行測定，甚至繪製正確地圖。另一方面，後藤於1901年頒佈《臨時台灣舊慣調查會規則》，並親任調查會會長；1903年頒佈《戶籍調查令》，而於1905年十月進行台灣史上首次正式的人口普查 (當時台灣人口約304萬人)。

An Overview of Taiwan’s Economic Development (IIIa)

Abstract

At the beginning of the Japanese rule, the colonial government initiated the “Agriculture for Taiwan” policy for developing a modern economy. Based on the principle of "biological colonial management", various kinds of investigations and studies were undertaken. To begin with, the "Taiwan Land Register Regulations" and "Taiwan Land Investigation Regulations" were promulgated in 1898. Then, the "Temporary Taiwan Land Investigation Bureau" was established, making a thorough land survey on Taiwan. The idea of infrastructure constructions started right after Japan occupied Taiwan, and it continued for many years. Among the most fundamental works were: expansion and rebuilding of harbors; railroad construction; rebuilding and extension of highways; communication network construction; public health promotion, etc. Particularly, a north-south railway was built in 1898-1907, and the Keelung and Kaohsiung ports were dredged and rebuilt.

An Overview of Taiwan’s Economic Development (IIa)

Abstract

While developing trade and commerce, the Dutch had found that high temperatures and abundant rainfall of the island made the plains very suited to agriculture, leading to the production of rice and sugar for export. They also introduced know-how to grow sugarcanes, and an emerging industry in Taiwan was booming. For some three centuries, rice and sugar would thus endure as the cornerstones of agricultural economy on the island (although the problem of so-called "cannibalization between rice and sugar" often occurred and the subject tagged along Taiwan’s agriculture from the Ching to Japanese eras). To promote agriculture, the Dutch leased land and agricultural tools to peasants and raised oxen for tilling rice fields, and at the same time, dug wells, conducted land surveys, etc. They not only improved the breeding of plants, but introduced new crops such as cabbage, bean, tomato, mango, and chili pepper, which became popular produce today in Taiwan.

During the Cheng period, Taiwan’s agriculture was further developed. Due to the sudden increase in population, more lands were opened to farming. The total cultivated land increased greatly; hence, production of foods was multiplied. In order to fund agricultural development and gigantic government spending, the Cheng regime taxed residents rigorously. In addition to the head tax invented by the Dutch, the Cheng government also introduced property tax. Taxing objects were extended to all areas of industry. Tormented by heavy taxation, residents gradually grew bitter against the Cheng regime and were soon in deep despair.

In the Ching era, there existed the so-called “Two Lords to a Field” system regarding land cultivation by Chinese immigrants. Each year, the Chinese immigrant would pay the aborigine landlord a rent, called “aborigine large-rent.” The Chinese tenant might in turn sublet the land to other farmers for cultivation, and the rent he received was called “small-rent.” Although the government forbade the Chinese to buy aborigine lands, it turned out that most of the aborigine lands were lent out to the Chinese for reclamation. Why (and how) did aborigines lose their lands eventually? More studies are required to explain the phenomenon.

An Overview of Taiwan’s Economic Development (Ia)

Abstract

Prior to the 17th century during the era of the so-called great voyages, the residents on Taiwan were mainly the aborigines, i.e., Austronesians. Economically, aborigines lived in self-subsistent, Neolithic societies, where hunting, fishing, and primitive farming were the primary means of livelihood. Primitive economies imply that the main transactions involving land, labor, tools, and produce are socially obligatory gift giving.

Since the Dutch period establishing settlements on the west coast in 1624, trans-shipping trade had been a driving force for Taiwan’s economic development. Initially, the Dutch engaged in trading goods produced in Japan, China, and the Dutch colonial islands in the South China Sea. The Dutch then realized that Taiwan’s deer hides, sugar and fishes were valuable goods for export. Their administration of Taiwan (i.e., VOC) followed the dictates of mercantilism and gave rise to Taiwan’s tradition of trade and commerce, based on the island’s key position in East Asia’s sea traffic.

A Historical View of the Taiwan People (Ib)



Abstract

Requirements for Taking the Taiwan Presidency

Abstract
As a Taiwan president in the coming age, he (or she) must not be the one who proclaims the “ultimate unification” or “ROC” related stuffs. He must not be part of the local politicos, nor used to be a KMT running dog. He had better not be a legal expert who makes practices case by case.