Peasant Party (Taiwan)
Encyclopedia
The Peasant Party is a minor party in the Republic of China
(Taiwan
). It was established on 3 February 1989, but only came into the political horizon when its founder Tiuⁿ Bêng-hián (張銘顯) was elected in the 2005 National Assembly election
. Tiuⁿ claimed that the party has more than 6000 members. On the national question, it leans towards Taiwan independence
.
(the People's Republic of China
versus the Republic of China
; or the Communist Party of China
versus the Kuomintang
) should recognize each other as sovereign States, similar to the model adopted by the Federal Republic of Germany
and the German Democratic Republic. It predicts that the two parties will reunite when the economic conditions become similar. However, the Peasant Party does not consider the islands of Taiwan
and the Pescadores
part of China
, because they consider the Republic of Formosa
of 1895 recovers de jure
sovereignty
over these islands, after the surrender of Japan
following World War 2
. This led them to assert that the current sovereign territory of the Republic of China only covers Quemoy and Matsu
(both historically and administratively part of Fujian
).
It regards 'the Taiwanese people' to be all who were born in Taiwan ('jus soli
'). It considers Taiwan to be (almost) terra nullius
, but acknowledges that several states have exercised sovereignty over Taiwan, seemingly in an attempt to counter any claim of sovereignty by arguments of jus sanguinis
.
Economically, the party believes that the government should protect the basic income of the farmer
s (peasant
s); that Taiwan's membership of the World Trade Organization
is not an excuse to give up agriculture
, allowing a flood of imported agricultural produce.
It supports a constitution
al basis for ecological principles
, and that constitutional reform should be 'internationalized'.
The Peasant Party has been sending groups to pay tribute to the Yasukuni Shrine
in Japan, to pay tributes to the 30 308 Taiwanese soldiers drafted during the Japanese rule over Taiwan.
In June 2005, the Peasant Party joined the staunchly independence-leaning Taiwan Defense Alliance
.
and Changhua County
during legislative and National Assembly elections. It broke this pattern for the first time in the 2005 National Assembly election
when its leader won a seat with 15 516 votes (0.4 %) under the party-list proportional representation
system.
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
). It was established on 3 February 1989, but only came into the political horizon when its founder Tiuⁿ Bêng-hián (張銘顯) was elected in the 2005 National Assembly election
ROC National Assembly election, 2005
An election for the National Assembly took place in Taiwan on Saturday 2005-05-14, from 07:30 to 16:00 local time. It elected an ad hoc National Assembly whose only function was to serve as a constitutional convention in order to approve or reject amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of...
. Tiuⁿ claimed that the party has more than 6000 members. On the national question, it leans towards Taiwan independence
Taiwan independence
Taiwan independence is a political movement whose goals are primarily to formally establish the Republic of Taiwan by renaming or replacing the Republic of China , form a Taiwanese national identity, reject unification and One country, two systems with the People's Republic of China and a Chinese...
.
Policy stance
The Peasant Party regards the two belligerent parties of the Chinese Civil WarChinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
(the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
versus the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
; or the Communist Party of China
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
versus the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
) should recognize each other as sovereign States, similar to the model adopted by the Federal Republic of Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
and the German Democratic Republic. It predicts that the two parties will reunite when the economic conditions become similar. However, the Peasant Party does not consider the islands of Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and the Pescadores
Pescadores
The Penghu Islands, also known as Pescadores are an archipelago off the western coast of Taiwan in the Taiwan Strait consisting of 90 small islands and islets covering an area of 141 square kilometers....
part of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, because they consider the Republic of Formosa
Republic of Formosa
The Republic of Formosa was a short-lived republic that existed on the island of Taiwan in 1895 between the formal cession of Taiwan by the Qing Dynasty of China to the Empire of Japan by the Treaty of Shimonoseki and its invasion and occupation by Japanese troops...
of 1895 recovers de jure
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
over these islands, after the surrender of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
following World War 2
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. This led them to assert that the current sovereign territory of the Republic of China only covers Quemoy and Matsu
Matsu Islands
The Matsu Islands are a minor archipelago of 19 islands and islets in the Taiwan Strait administered as Lienchiang County , Fujian Province of the Republic of China . Only a small area of what is historically Lienchiang County is under the control of the ROC...
(both historically and administratively part of Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
).
It regards 'the Taiwanese people' to be all who were born in Taiwan ('jus soli
Jus soli
Jus soli , also known as birthright citizenship, is a right by which nationality or citizenship can be recognized to any individual born in the territory of the related state...
'). It considers Taiwan to be (almost) terra nullius
Terra nullius
Terra nullius is a Latin expression deriving from Roman law meaning "land belonging to no one" , which is used in international law to describe territory which has never been subject to the sovereignty of any state, or over which any prior sovereign has expressly or implicitly relinquished...
, but acknowledges that several states have exercised sovereignty over Taiwan, seemingly in an attempt to counter any claim of sovereignty by arguments of jus sanguinis
Jus sanguinis
Ius sanguinis is a social policy by which citizenship is not determined by place of birth, but by having a parent who are citizens of the nation...
.
Economically, the party believes that the government should protect the basic income of the farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s (peasant
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
s); that Taiwan's membership of the World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
is not an excuse to give up agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, allowing a flood of imported agricultural produce.
It supports a constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
al basis for ecological principles
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
, and that constitutional reform should be 'internationalized'.
The Peasant Party has been sending groups to pay tribute to the Yasukuni Shrine
Yasukuni Shrine
is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is dedicated to the soldiers and others who died fighting on behalf of the Emperor of Japan. Currently, its Symbolic Registry of Divinities lists the names of over 2,466,000 enshrined men and women whose lives were dedicated to the service of...
in Japan, to pay tributes to the 30 308 Taiwanese soldiers drafted during the Japanese rule over Taiwan.
In June 2005, the Peasant Party joined the staunchly independence-leaning Taiwan Defense Alliance
Taiwan Defense Alliance
The Taiwan Defense Alliance is a political party that appeared in Taiwan on August 19, 2004. It appears to be staunchly pro-independence.-External links:*...
.
Electoral history
The Peasant Party had campaigned unsuccessfully in Chiayi CountyChiayi County
Chiayi County is a county in southwestern Taiwan surrounding but not including Chiayi City. Its historical name in Taiwanese Hokkien derives from Tsirosen in the Formosan languages...
and Changhua County
Changhua County
Changhua County is the smallest county in Taiwan located on the westside of Taiwan. It is officially governed as a county of the Republic of China .-Urban townships:# Beidou Township # Erlin Township...
during legislative and National Assembly elections. It broke this pattern for the first time in the 2005 National Assembly election
ROC National Assembly election, 2005
An election for the National Assembly took place in Taiwan on Saturday 2005-05-14, from 07:30 to 16:00 local time. It elected an ad hoc National Assembly whose only function was to serve as a constitutional convention in order to approve or reject amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of...
when its leader won a seat with 15 516 votes (0.4 %) under the party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation systems are a family of voting systems emphasizing proportional representation in elections in which multiple candidates are elected...
system.
See also
- List of political parties in Taiwan