1930年代台灣人的國族認同－以台中「東亞共榮協會」之發展為中心

Abstract

During the 1930s, all kind of Taiwanese organizations were dissolved by the government and the national movement also gradually faded away, however, an organization called ”the Development of the Common Prosperity Association of East Asia” emerged in Taichung in December 1933. Many thought it was a right-wing organization only had a limited influence, therefore didn't pay much attention to it. The recent publication of the Lin Hsien-tang journal disclosed that this common prosperity association wasn't a right-wing organization but a regional party for the purpose of strengthen the friendship between Taiwanese and Japanese. Through this association, the colonial government kept the harmony between the Taiwanese and the Japanese to reach the goal of having a local self-government election to quiet the petition of forming a Taiwan parliament. Therefore, from its function, we can position this association as a buffer organization created by the colonial government to disintegrate the Taiwan people activity to against Japan. The Development of the Common Prosperity Association was organized by prominent people from both Japan and Taiwan with two common objectives-strengthening the friendship between Japan and the R.O.C. and increasing the integration between Japanese and Taiwanese. The two political ideals, however, were destroyed completely after 1936 under the military administration that demanded all Taiwanese to demonstrate their patriotism. Consequently, the Development of the Common Prosperity Association was forced to dissolve. Nevertheless, this association's objectives and its internal conflicts also reflected the national identity dilemma existing among the more educated Taiwanese. Prior to the Sino-Japanese War, the Han Taiwanese-Chinese felt connected to the mainland China due to sharing the same culture and ethnic background, but under the colonial government administration, they must show their loyalty toward Japan. Because Taiwanese situated in the middle of the two countries, the nation identity was a big issue among them. More in depth study and research in regarding to the Development of the Common Prosperity Association of East Asia should shed more light on the Taiwanese nation identity issue during the Japanese colonial period.