Taiwan’s Reversed Political Spectrum
When we look at political spectrums across the world - or at the very least, across the Western world - we see some rare commonalities. Far left parties tend to advocate for violent revolt against capitalism and social hierarchies, usually resulting in either communism or mass anarchy. By contrast, far-right parties usually advocate for some form of ethno-nationalism and the belief that society should be organised along the lines of inflexible communities such as race, religion, or culture.
Through a somewhat confusing series of self-perceptions and historical outcomes, Taiwan’s political spectrum is completely and utterly reversed.
Most historians will tell you that the Chinese Civil War ended on December 7th, 1949, with the communist People’s Liberation Army securing the entire mainland while the semi-democratic, right-wing capitalist Kuomintang Nationalists withdrew to Taiwan.
The Nationalists, to this day, still view themselves as the legitimate government of China, despite having lost the war 80 years ago and not even being in power in Taiwan. In fact, as recently as the summer of 2024, the former president and leader of the Nationalist party asserted that they still advocate for peaceful re-unification - though, most likely, under the KMT’s terms, almost certain to be dismissed by Beijing. Nevertheless, the party still calls for negotiations and open dialogue with China and its Communist Party
By contrast, the Democratic People’s Party (DPP), a left-wing party, rejects the idea that there isn’t a difference between Chinese and Taiwanese people. Their supporters back the idea too: a growing number of people, especially young people, see themselves as not Chinese, not “both”, but as strictly “Taiwanese”. Geographic separation, combined with the real threat from China, have turned people away from Beijing - and towards themselves, effectively creating a new ethnicity.
Therefore, Taiwan’s political spectrum is, in some sense, “upside-down”, as the left-wing parties draw lines along ethnicity and anti-communist sentiment, while the right-wing parties seek dialogue with the socialist neighbour across the Strait - in direct opposition to the pattern listed above.
TAI Score: Degree 4. Tensions over the Taiwan Strait hold potential to turn into a conflict far greater than a local scuffle. The US would certainly get involved, as well as Japan, with a possibility for South Korea and the Philippines to jump in as well. International economics and supply lines would be devastatingly affected. The situation undoubtedly requires constant monitoring.
