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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Elections & Politics

US Bicentennial: Journalist Warns 'Too Democratic' Narrative Threatens Taiwan's System

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Analysis Named sources Context piece
  • Japanese journalist Yaita Akio marked the U.S. Bicentennial by noting that both American and Taiwanese democracies face severe challenges.
  • He warned that the notion of Taiwan being "too democratic" is a dangerous narrative exploited by external forces to promote authoritarianism.
  • Yaita argued that Taiwan's issues stem from insufficient democratic deepening and weak rule of law, not an excess of democracy.

Japanese journalist Yaita Akio marked the United States' 250th Independence Day anniversary by reflecting on the shared challenges facing democratic systems in both the U.S. and Taiwan. He emphasized that democracy is not a given and requires constant vigilance and maintenance.

Both the U.S. and Taiwan, as members of the democratic camp, are facing various severe challenges to their democratic systems, constantly reminding us that democracy and freedom were hard-won and are not to be taken for granted; if not carefully maintained, they can regress at any time.

— Yaita AkioReflecting on the state of democracy in the U.S. and Taiwan on the U.S. Independence Day.

Yaita cautioned against the growing sentiment in Taiwan that the island is "too democratic." He described this idea as a potentially dangerous narrative, often born from frustration with low administrative efficiency and social division caused by elections. However, he warned that external adversaries exploit these internal complaints, amplifying societal contradictions to promote authoritarianism and undermine democratic legitimacy.

These adversaries aim to portray authoritarian regimes as more efficient and competitive, foster self-doubt among Taiwanese citizens about their own system, and oversimplify complex policy issues like power shortages or low birth rates by blaming them on "too much democracy." Yaita asserted that these are classic cognitive warfare tactics designed to weaken national identity and promote a narrative of democratic failure.

Taiwan is just too democratic!

— Taiwanese public sentimentDescribing a worrying sentiment Yaita Akio hears in Taiwan.

From a political science perspective, Yaita dismissed the "too democratic" argument as a false premise. He contended that Taiwan's current struggles are not due to an excess of democracy but rather a lack of its deepening and insufficient rule of law. True democracy, he explained, encompasses not just voting and protest but also robust legal frameworks, rational discourse, and respect for minority rights. Addressing issues of efficiency and social order requires strengthening legal norms and democratic processes, not reverting to authoritarianism. Yaita concluded that the "too democratic" narrative serves as fertile ground for cognitive warfare, steering discussions toward the conclusion that democracy is ineffective and authoritarianism is superior.

The real democracy is not only voting and protesting, but also includes the rule of law, rational thinking, and respect for minorities.

— Yaita AkioDefining true democracy beyond basic participation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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