No One Can "Self-Deny": Look at Tsai Ing-wen's Misunderstanding of Democracy

 No One Can "Self-Deny": Look at Tsai Ing-wen's Misunderstanding of Democracy

United Daily News Editorial (Taipei, Taiwan)

June 11, 2019

 Translation of an Excerpt

The DPP started on June 10^th to conduct opinion polls for the presidential primary; it will be decided this week who will be its standard bearer in the race. It is noteworthy that the DPP recently held the presentation of campaign planks for Tsai Ing-wen and Lai Ching-te; the two exchanged jabs and crossed swords. Tsai Ing-wen angrily accused Lai “If the ruling party ‘denied itself’, how will we face the election?” Lai Ching-te, however, countered by saying “Taiwan is not a hereditary monarchy, accusing him of staging a palace coup was not factual.” Up to this point, the chances for the two to cooperate have become zilch.

Tsai Ing-wen described Lai Ching-te’s entering the DPP primary as intraparty "self-denial", believing it was an intolerable and unrighteous act. In Tsai Ing-wen’s eyes, she believes that this is Lai Ching-te’s "denial" of her governance, hence, launching attacks from her comrades. Viewed from the spirit of democratic politics, this precisely reflects Tsai Ing-wen's mentality that she "cannot tolerate dissent"; especially, the dissent this time did not come from the opposition camp, but from a former premier she herself appointed.

From the prospective of democracy, the general public does not care whether Lai Ching-te’s challenge constitutes “self-denial” within the DPP government; what people care more about is whether or not the Tsai government has the capability of “self-reflection” or even “self-rectification.” However, the lofty President Tsai only wants the people to listen to her instructions and accept her reforms. She only worries whether her will can be fulfilled. After last yearend’s electoral defeat, she has shown no fear in her countenance, because she could immediately find the best scapegoat; she still insists on finishing up to the end the construction of the slanting house she has been building, and never allows a change of hands.

Tsai Ing-wen’s shallow knowledge of democracy has been completely exposed from her governance of the past three years and the primary this time. It is pitiful that DPP comrades, in order to preserve their power and interests, could only scramble to “choose sides." Let us ask, is blind "self-affirmation" precisely the sedative for the DPP?

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