Party Politics During the Democratization Period and the Foreign Policy Change: The Case of Taiwan, 1986-2000.

PARTY POLITICS DURING THE DEMOCRATIZATION PERIOD AND THE FOREIGN POLICY CHANGE: THE CASE OF TAIWAN, 1986-2000 YU ZhenhuiDepartment of Politics and Public AdministrationFaculty of Social SciencesThe University of Hong KongE-mail: zhenhuiy@hkusua.hku.hkThis study aims to explore the impact of party politics within a democratizing state /political entity on its foreign policy change, based on a critical review of the recent hot debate on the ?democratic peace? theory. This study will develop a theoretical framework to analyze the correlations between party politics during the democratization period and the foreign policy change, and conduct an intensive case study of Taiwan during its democratization period to contribute to this research area. The ?democratic peace? theory basically argues that democracies do not fight against each other theoretically and historically, and thus the spread of liberal democracy globally will bring about more peace and stability in the international relations. However, if an authoritarian state /political entity is undertaking a democratic transition, i.e., from a one-party authoritarian rule to a more competitive multiparty system, will it consistently stick to a stable foreign policy making in accordance with the ?democratic peace? proposition? Will it make any irrational or risky foreign policy change due to the development of party politics domestically? If yes, under what circumstances? Through the analytical framework applied in this research and an intensive case study of Taiwan, it shall be assumed that party politics within a democratizing state /political entity may produce some radical foreign policy change toward its ?identified? opponent, which may lead to regional instability and even a possibility of war, under the circumstances that will be summarized and analyzed in this study. ..PAT.-Conference Proceeding [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]