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compressed in comparison to most other Third Wave democracies. In Huntington’s
(1991) tripartite typology of democratization, Taiwan’s democratization experience
exemplifies “transformation,” with the elites taking the lead to liberalize and
democratize the system (Gold 1997: 163).
On the issue of transitional justice, Taiwan’s experience was also different.
The conventional starting point for discussions on the role justice played in Taiwan’s
democratization is the “February 28, 1947 Incident,” which began as a routine seizure
of illicit cigarettes, became an island-wide uprising, and ended in a harsh military
crackdown. Kerr (1965), a first-hand account published in the mid-1960s of the
events surrounding the “228 incident,” estimated that between 15,000 and 30,000
people were killed across the island over several months. Thereafter, this tragic
event had long symbolized the tensions between the Taiwanese and the mainlanders
and over the KMT’s authoritarian rule. This paper will not go into the details on the
causes and effects of the tragedy, which have been amply dealt with elsewhere.
8
We
will only point out a few important aspects.
For almost four decades, “228,” as the incident is called, was a taboo in
Taiwan’s political lexicon. The uprising was repressed but truth and reconciliation
were also postponed. It was not until Taiwan’s democratic transition was well under
8
Lai, Myers, and Wei (1991) is usually considered the standard-bearer account on the
228 Incident. For a more recent rendition, see Phillips (2003).
Convention