Taiwan in Transformation 1895-2005: The Challenge of a New Democracy to an Old Civilization

The last decade of the twentieth century witnessed rapid changes not only in global politics but also in Taiwan's quests for new identities. The notorious martial law was lifted in July 1987, and long-repressed calls for democratization began to be heard that caught worldwide attention. In tandem with economic transformation, the entire world of thought in Taiwan underwent significant changes. Both economic and ideological restructuring have been basic elements of transformation in postwar Taiwan. However, rapid democratization has opened a Pandora's box, and stirred a whirlwind of discord. This volume elaborates on the "where from" and the "where to" of the Taiwan transformation and attempts to answer such questions as: Is the old Taiwanese work ethic just a relic of the past? Is Taiwan going to become an Armageddon of ideological wars? Chapters deal with the vicissitudes of Taiwanese nostalgia for cultural China; postwar Taiwan in historical perspective, in particular the rise and fall of the agrarian culture; the transformation of farmers' social consciousness in the period 1950-1970; Confucianism in postwar Taiwan: historical, philosophical, and sociological; the case of Hsu Fu-kuan, which provides an epic case of the intertwining of cultural crisis with personal crisis; the development and metamorphoses of Taiwanese consciousness in the unfolding political context, the awakening of the "self"; and finally "mutual historical understanding" as the basis for Taiwan-Mainland relations in the twenty-first century. Taiwan in Transformation seeks to show that historical insights extrapolated from an understanding of history are essential for grasping and solving the basic problems facing Taiwan at present, including the Taiwan-Mainland relationship in the twenty-first century. It will be of interest to Chinese area specialists, sociologists, and historians.

Table of Contents:
1: Retrospect; 1: The Taiwanese Nostalgia for Cultural China (1895–1950); 2: Postwar Taiwan in Historical Perspective; 3: Transformation of Farmers’ Social Consciousness (1950–1970); 4: Transformation of Confucianism (1950–1980); 5: A Contemporary Confucianist’s Postwar Taiwan Experience: The Case of Hsu Fu-kuan (1902–1982); 2: Prospect; 6: The Development of Taiwanese Consciousness: Retrospect and Prospect; 7: “Mutual Historical Understanding”: The Basis for Taiwan-Mainland Relations in the Twenty-First Century; Epilogue

About the Author :
Taiwan in Transformation seeks to show that historical insights extrapolated from an understanding of history are essential for grasping and solving the basic problems facing Taiwan at present, including the Taiwan-Mainland relationship in the twenty-first century. It will be of interest to Chinese area specialists, sociologists, and historians. Chun-chieh Huang is a professor of history at National Taiwan University and research fellow at Academia Sinica, Taipei. His recent works include Mencian Hermeneutics: A History of Interpretations in China, available from Transaction.

Review :
-Taiwan in Transformation- is a well-written, interesting book. It presents a wealth of historical and cultural material that explains how Taiwan transformed itself into one of the most powerful and efficient technology centers in the world, and why China and Taiwan seem to be sent on a collision course. With the U.S still committed to safeguarding the island's autonomy and the People's Republic now a great power on the international stage, Taiwan in Transformation has much to offer those in the defense and policy establishments.- --MG Ralph O. Doughty, Military Review -With rapid economic growth since the early 1970s and successful political democratization in the 1990s, Taiwan has present itself as a very unique case of regime transformation in the Third World. . . . Taiwanese society underwent significant changes to define its self-identity, which has inevitably led to tensions with China. . . . Chun-chieh Huang's new book, Taiwan in Transformation, 1895-2005 is a brilliant review of post-war Taiwanese history in the context of changing socio-economic values and political ideologies, and I could not recommend it more highly. . . . [T]o understand the complex nature of transformation in post-war Taiwan, Chun-chieh Huang's is the book to read.- --Shiyung Liu, The China Quarterly "Taiwan in Transformation" is a well-written, interesting book. It presents a wealth of historical and cultural material that explains how Taiwan transformed itself into one of the most powerful and efficient technology centers in the world, and why China and Taiwan seem to be sent on a collision course. With the U.S still committed to safeguarding the island's autonomy and the People's Republic now a great power on the international stage, Taiwan in Transformation has much to offer those in the defense and policy establishments." --MG Ralph O. Doughty, Military Review "With rapid economic growth since the early 1970s and successful political democratization in the 1990s, Taiwan has present itself as a very unique case of regime transformation in the Third World. . . . Taiwanese society underwent significant changes to define its self-identity, which has inevitably led to tensions with China. . . . Chun-chieh Huang's new book, Taiwan in Transformation, 1895-2005 is a brilliant review of post-war Taiwanese history in the context of changing socio-economic values and political ideologies, and I could not recommend it more highly. . . . [T]o understand the complex nature of transformation in post-war Taiwan, Chun-chieh Huang's is the book to read." --Shiyung Liu, The China Quarterly "Taiwan in Transformation" is a well-written, interesting book. It presents a wealth of historical and cultural material that explains how Taiwan transformed itself into one of the most powerful and efficient technology centers in the world, and why China and Taiwan seem to be sent on a collision course. With the U.S still committed to safeguarding the island's autonomy and the People's Republic now a great power on the international stage, Taiwan in Transformation has much to offer those in the defense and policy establishments." --MG Ralph O. Doughty, Military Review "With rapid economic growth since the early 1970s and successful political democratization in the 1990s, Taiwan has present itself as a very unique case of regime transformation in the Third World. . . . Taiwanese society underwent significant changes to define its self-identity, which has inevitably led to tensions with China. . . . Chun-chieh Huang's new book, Taiwan in Transformation, 1895-2005 is a brilliant review of post-war Taiwanese history in the context of changing socio-economic values and political ideologies, and I could not recommend it more highly. . . . [T]o understand the complex nature of transformation in post-war Taiwan, Chun-chieh Huang's is the book to read." --Shiyung Liu, The China Quarterly ""Taiwan in Transformation"" is a well-written, interesting book. It presents a wealth of historical and cultural material that explains how Taiwan transformed itself into one of the most powerful and efficient technology centers in the world, and why China and Taiwan seem to be sent on a collision course. With the U.S still committed to safeguarding the island's autonomy and the People's Republic now a great power on the international stage, "Taiwan in Transformation" has much to offer those in the defense and policy establishments." -- MG Ralph O. Doughty, "Military Review"