Might, Not Right: Political Legitimacy in Taiwan Before 1750
analytical Essay
1610 words
Famously close to the Chinese mainland and centrally located in the heart of the southeastern seas, the tiny island of Taiwan became desirable only within the last few centuries as the global market expanded. Before the extension of international trade in the 16th and 17th centuries, Taiwan was inhabited by a number of linguistically distinct aboriginal peoples who are thought to have arrived some 70,000 years ago from Southeast Asia. Despite politically charged claims to the contrary, Chinese interest in the island was not kindled until Dutch occupation in 1621, which demonstrated a potential for profit in its resources and strategic location. When the imperial Chinese Qing dynasty acquired Taiwan from the descendants of the merchant pirate-lord who had ejected the Dutch from their colonial seat, they had little use for it. After considering and rejecting various policies, including quarantine, the Qing reluctantly pursued a colonization project of their own, hesitant to pour money into the tiny “ball of mud” off their eastern coast.
The Dutch and the Chinese interacted with the native population as their policies and representatives’ personalities dictated, but neither acknowledged the prior claim of the original inhabitants. These two colonial powers believed that the natives insufficiently utilized their land and natural resources. This enabled the colonizers to proclaim the lands empty and open to seizure, conveniently ignoring the aborigines who had made their home on the island for millennia under the doctrine of vacuum domicilium. The Dutch and the Chinese had superior military forces, considerable material resources, and powerful political structures to bolster their claims to Taiwan. However, simply possessing these ...
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...rd that has been revised for political gains.
Works Cited
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In this essay, the author
- Explains that taiwan became desirable only within the last few centuries as the global market expanded. chinese interest in the island was not kindled until dutch occupation in 1621.
- Explains that the dutch and the chinese interacted with the native population as their policies and representatives’ personalities dictated, but neither acknowledged the prior claim of the original inhabitants.
- Explains that dutch rule in taiwan was established with a musket in one hand and the bible in the other.
- Analyzes how the dutch shifted their focus from trade to the development of land and exportable goods. they did not consider the native peoples capable of engaging in sustained, intricate agricultural practices.
- Explains that the franchise system was successful in extracting exportable trade goods from the aborigines and would be preserved under zheng chenggong and the qing.
- Analyzes how ming loyalist zheng chenggong ejected the dutch from fort zeelandia and other colonial holdings in taiwan. the qing dynasty solidified their control of the southern mainland in 1683.
- Explains that the qing administration on taiwan was perpetually understaffed and engaged in tax-farming, where the right to collect taxes from aboriginal villages was sold to the highest bidder.
- Analyzes how michael stainton explores three of the more prominent origin theories and how they have been used to defend or attack the continued chinese presence on taiwan.
- Argues that modern political implications of accepting the legitimacy of aboriginal claims do not have to be drastic.
- Cites berkhofer, robert, hsu, madeline, and stainton, michael.
Related
- analytical
- opinion
- explanatory
- Darwin's law of natural selection reveals that the natural world is indeed a brutal place, where those unfit for their environment will be supplanted by the better adapted. Just as the Galapagos Islands showcased the process of evolution within the natural world, the island of Taiwan has been a petri dish for natural selection of the political sphere even as the first western powers showed interest in the island. This early pre 1750s period of Taiwanese history had the factions of the Taiwanese Aborigines, Chinese and Dutch all striving for control over the island. As in early Taiwan along with the rest of the world, typically the actuality of who will have de facto rule is often dictated by military might rather than modern ethical ideal of who morally has the right to govern but this strength to grasp power is not the sole aspect of legitimacy to rule. There must also be additional attributes to gain power and keep it, such as the will to claim the title of ruler and a level of political competency to govern the land and its people. Looking back in hindsight the Taiwanese Aborigines, in comparison to the Dutch and Chinese, fulfill the requirements of political legitimacy, through military strength, governing prowess, drive for ownership and modern ethical views, answering the historical question, that has seeped into current political issues, of what faction had the right to rule early Taiwan.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that darwin's law of natural selection reveals that the natural world is a brutal place where those unfit for their environment will be supplanted by the better adapted.
- Argues that the qing dynasty never had a firm grasp on taiwan and the vast majority of taiwan remained wild and left to the aborigines.
- Analyzes how the historical ethics of this time and the concept of right to land ownership counters the modern ideals of appreciation for other cultures and ethnic equality.
- Analyzes how the dutch used military force against violent uprisings and the ming dynasty rather than on the inhabitants of taiwan.
- Explains that the taiwanese aborigines remained in control of the majority of taiwan even though they had a less advanced and developed military juxtaposed to the dutch and chinese's.
- Argues that the fabricated morals and ideals of dutch and chinese officials to take advantage of the aborigines can be vilified as much as the european policies in the americas.
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In this essay, the author
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In this essay, the author
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3387 wordsRead More - The U.S. Arms Policy and Taiwan From the 1970's to the 1990'sanalytical essayEdwin K. Snyder, A. James Gregor and Maria Hsia Chang, The Taiwan Relations Act and the Defense of the Republic of China, p69.
In this essay, the author
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In this essay, the author
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1229 wordsRead More - Opium Wars in Chinaanalytical essayThere were many problems with the system of trade in China; even before opium trading began. China, believing herself to be the most civilized and advanced country, did not feel the need to satisfy Britain, a “barbarian” country’s request for freer trade and were concerned the British wanted land. Britain however, had no desire for land and only wished to trade, believing it was their right to do so. These misunderstandings and differing opinions were only the start of more to come. They set the foundations to the British and Chinese hostilities.
In this essay, the author
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In this essay, the author
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In this essay, the author
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In this essay, the author
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547 wordsRead More