Evolving industrial land policy in the developmental state

An-Ting Cheng,S.N Vachkova,A Koptelov,A Iskakova

doi:10.1051/shsconf/20219802004

Abstract

As a developmental state, Taiwan had a unique institutional system managing industrial land development, which brought rapid economic growth before 1990. But the system gradually initiated conflicts and slowed down industrial development speed, which moved into a period when industrial, environmental and social sectors distrusted and impeded each other. Taiwan’s government commenced with an institutional transformation and adjusted central government’s position to improve sustainability. A new spatial planning structure was built as a departmental negotiation platform in 2016; and the economic authority raised its policy document ‘Industrial Land Policy White Papers’ in correspondence to bridge the connections vertically and horizontally. This article analyzes the development of Taiwan’s industrial land use policy after the 1960s and argues that the policy has been affected as the change of society. The research therefore concludes three stages during the period from the perspective of historical institutionalism, and argues the current stage which resulted from the introduction of National Spatial Plan may lead to a more sustainable industrial use policy. The departmental policy document, Industrial Land Policy White Paper, constructs the new power structure which reveals the institutional legacy of departmental state strategy. Meanwhile, as a forerunner, Taiwan’s experience could provide an example for younger developmental states in easing the conflicts in democratization and industrial development.

Highlights

In the late 20th century, Taiwan’s economy improved rapidly, since Taiwan adopted a developmental state strategy as its economic model after World War Two
National Spatial Plan in Taiwan was based on the “Spatial Planning Act” promulgated on May 1st, 2016
As Taiwan’s government has noticed the problem arising from the disconnection of industrial development and spatial planning, the National Spatial Plan was designed as a platform to agglomerate consensus among departments

Summary

Introduction

In the late 20th century, Taiwan’s economy improved rapidly, since Taiwan adopted a developmental state strategy as its economic model after World War Two. This article intends to connect the discussion on the development of Taiwan’s industrial policy with the specific problems encountered in managing its land use. It will trace the logic of industrial land supply from the historical context to the current challenges briefly, but focus on the relationship changes between economic development model and the guidance from spatial plans. It will introduce the institutional adjustments which made developmental state country become more balanced between economic and environment, and discuss the institutional legacy

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion