Active Democracy

Abstract

This chapter examines how citizens in Taiwan conceptualize and support democracy by analyzing three broad and interrelated questions. First, do ordinary citizens in Taiwan support democracy? Second, do those that are more politically engaged show more affinity toward democracy than those who are less engaged? Third, do political activists support democracy both in theory and in practice? By using survey data and by conducting 20 elite-level interviews, we find that there are significant differences in democratic support among political activists and ordinary citizens. While citizens may support democracy in theory, they are likely to remain apathetic when democracy is in turmoil in Taiwan. Political activists, however, may provide less support for democracy as an ideal, but they are more likely to evaluate democracy in depth. Moreover, while people view Taiwan as democratic, political activists are more likely to see distinctions of democracy in theory and in practice in Taiwan. These results, along with discussion of Taiwan’s democracy, civil society, and political movements, show that the current generation of activists are less likely to be complacent in the existing political structures and may advocate for more fundamental changes in the future.