SOAS Research Online

Abstract

This chapter reviews the existing research and key trends of continuity and change in Taiwan’s party politics. Rather than examining all Taiwan’s registered parties, the chapter’s focus is on relevant parties that have won a certain share of votes and seats in national elections. The two main chapter themes are party change and party system change. The theme of party change considers questions such as how have Taiwan’s parties transformed organizationally and ideologically over the last three decades. Research on party systems examines patterns of competition and cooperation between all relevant parties within a political system rather than a single party. The chapter includes analysis on a number of dimensions of party system change in Taiwan. First, it looks at patterns of party system fragmentation, such as the number of relevant parties within the system and their relative sizes. Second, it examines patterns of ideological change, such as whether Taiwan’s parties have converged on centrist positions or become polarized on core issue spectrums. A third party system dimension discussed is whether the relationship between parties has been cooperative or antagonistic.