前總統馬英九先生在研討會的開幕致詞表示，自由、民主向來是台灣傲人的成就，但自從三年前民進黨蔡政府上台執政以來，台灣與民主的距離越來越遠。馬英九指出，蔡政府以「轉型正義」為名，實為縱容「黨產會」與「促轉會」兩個不獨立又違憲的機關對特定在野黨進行清算鬥爭，還自比明朝的「東廠」，既黑暗又濫權。馬英九痛批，中華民國在民進黨統治下，似乎變成一個極權國家。馬英九進一步談及蔡政府多項毀憲亂政作為，包括針對台灣大學校長管中閔的「拔管案」重創大學自治、監察院「蔡系」監委干預司法的作為威脅司法獨立、忽略「以核養綠」公投的多數民意並「修惡」公投法，形同「沒收」直接民權，連陳水扁前總統在內的諸多民進黨人士都看不下去！

馬英九更指出，蔡英文總統在會見外賓或出國訪問時一向民主不離口，日前在哥倫比亞大學演講時也是口口聲聲以台灣民主為傲，近來更高調支持香港的「反送中」抗爭，實際上卻在國內修法剝奪台灣人民的直接民權。馬英九痛批，蔡總統根本沒有任何資格和正當性去批評香港政府，她比港府更惡劣！其藉機操控「反中」民粹騙選票的作為，更令人不齒。馬英九並憶起民進黨長年推動公投、人稱「蔡公投」的已故立委蔡同榮，痛批一日封殺公投的蔡英文總統，如今成了「蔡殺頭（投）」。馬英九也質疑，對公投有強烈使命感、還曾為此絕食的「聖人」林義雄如今人在哪裡？應該要出來對公投法說句公道話。

 

馬英九更憂心，蔡政府近來以「國家安全」為名，強行通過刑責甚至超過戒嚴時期的「國安五法」，恐使「思想犯」在台灣借屍還魂，這種「麥卡錫主義」（McCarthyism）復辟的「綠色恐怖」，難道台灣人還要沈默下去？馬英九更引用美國哈佛大學李文茲基（Steven Levitskyk）與齊布拉特（Daniel Ziblatt）兩位教授在《民主國家如何死亡》（How Democracies die）一書中歸納民主國家衰敗的特徵，不是政變或戒嚴，而是「專制領袖濫用政府權力並完全壓制反對黨，民主制度就用欺騙大眾的方式，一步一步走向死亡。」馬英九問道，台灣現在不就是這樣嗎？

 

馬英九表示，蔡政府打擊異己的手段，早已超出政黨良性競爭的紅線，一步步摧毀民主政治的「法治國」原則。馬英九指出，當蔡英文說「我們會因為民主而偉大」，實際上卻使得「民進黨因反民主而獨大」，台灣多年來打下的民主法治根基，在蔡總統主政三年間已被糟蹋得面目全非、危如累卵。馬英九最後呼籲，我們絕對不能坐視台灣民主的退步，今天的會議就是要喚醒愛護台灣民主的人站出來用投票保衛民主、撥亂反正，讓台灣的民主重返正道。

Former President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and former Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) delivered opening remarks, and Chief Opinions Editor Hsia Chen (夏珍) of the Storm Media gave the keynote speech. The academic seminar consisted of speakers on three consecutive panels related to different dimensions to democracy: Transitional Justice, Independent Agencies, and Civil Society. 

 

 “Taiwan moving away from democracy” is the theme of this academic seminar. From the election and autonomy at the local level, lifting of martial law to three peaceful transfers of political power, Taiwan was once acclaimed as the “beacon of democracy to Asia and the world.” But since President Tsai Ing-wen took office in 2016, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration has consolidated its political power by bullying the opposition party, undermining the autonomy of independent agencies, limiting free speech, interfering with university autonomy, and restricting participation in public referenda. These unconstitutional moves have presented immense challenges to Taiwan’s democratic culture and political system. 

 

 While we cherish Taiwan’s democratic achievements, we find that the actions of the DPP government are driving Taiwan away from democracy. For this reason, the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation and Fair Winds Foundation decided to co-sponsor this seminar. We hope to strengthen the public’s awareness of our fading democracy, refuse authoritarian rule, and defend Taiwan’s democratic development.

 

 Former President Ma Ying-jeou, also chairman of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, delivered opening remarks. He indicated that while the people of Taiwan are proud of their freedom and democracy, Taiwan is moving away from democracy. The Tsai administration, in the name of transitional justice, created two so-called “unconstitutional” independent agencies, the Ill-Gotten Party Assets Settlement Committee and the Transitional Justice Commission, in order to bully and suppress the opposition party. Under the DPP, Taiwan has seemingly become a Totalitarian state. Additionally, Ma identified many unconstitutional actions of the DPP administration, including thwarting with the inauguration of the National Taiwan University president and undermining university autonomy, appointing Control Yuan members who have interfered with judicial independence, ignoring referendum results in favor of using nuclear energy for now as a means of promoting green energy, and amending referendum laws so as to restrict direct democracy. 

 

Ma Ying-jeou also stated that President Tsai Ing-wen likes to talk about democracy while entertaining foreign guests or visiting abroad. For example, in her speech at Columbia University just yesterday, Tsai said that she is proud of Taiwan’s democracy and expressed her support for public protests in Hong Kong against the proposed extradition law. But at home, she is actually depriving her people of their direct civil rights. Ma criticized President Tsai as ill-qualified to criticize the Hong Kong government because she is even worse. Her populist ways of manipulating anti-China sentiments to gain votes are deceptive and despicable. 

Ma also expressed concerns that the Tsai administration, in the name of national security, has adopted McCarthyist-like “Green Terror” criminal laws that restrict freedom of thought and speech in Taiwan. Ma also referred to the book How Democracies Die authored by Professors Steven Levitskyk and Daniel Ziblatt of Harvard University. The book described how elected autocrats subvert democracy, rewriting the rules of politics to permanently disadvantage their rivals. The tragic paradox of the electoral route to authoritarianism is that democracy’s enemies use the very institutions of democracy—gradually, subtly, and even legally—to kill it. “Isn’t this Taiwan now?” Ma asked. 

 

Ma said that the Tsai administration’s cracking down on dissidents have crossed the red line of fair competition among political parties and undermined the rule of law and democracy in Taiwan. The foundation of freedom and democracy, laid in Taiwan over many years, are now unrecognizable under the Tsai administration. Ma called for people to wake up to Taiwan’s democratic regression. The people should stand out to defend democracy with their votes. 

長風文教基金會董事長江宜樺致詞時表示，現在處於一個對台灣民主發展相當憂心的時刻，希望透過本次研討會與大家談為何觀察到台灣的「民主倒退」以及應該如何應對。江宜樺從自身在大學教授民主理論與實踐的角度出發，從民主的三個層面：「建立」、「維護」與「鞏固」，說明民主還不是毫無疑問普及的制度，仍在擴散與鞏固過程，但民主也是人類發展中政治實驗上的奇蹟，施行並不容易。

江宜樺引述哈佛政治學者杭亭頓（Samuel P. Huntington）的「第三波民主化」（The Third Wave：Democratization in the Late Twentieth Century）一書，提及很多新興國家在試行民主一段時間後可能因各種原因倒退。江宜樺說，形容民主浪潮雖然看起來在擴大，也有退潮危機。而在老牌民主國家方面，江宜樺也舉美國選出特定總統、英國因脫歐公投分裂以及法國與德國處理難民問題導致社會分裂等，說明今天這個時代的民主正面臨民粹或威權復辟的危機。

 

江宜樺回顧台灣在1945年後的民主發展史，說明台灣民主並不是一步到位，是靠人民共同緩慢前進才有的成果。江宜樺也遺憾地指出，這三年來台灣民主不但沒有往前邁進，反而倒退；現在蔡政府無法珍惜民主政治，反而打壓在野黨，為的是讓自己的政治權力無法被挑戰。江宜樺更痛心指出，如果這是在追求民主的八零年代，大家一定起而撻伐，但為何現在社會顯得沈默？是因為過去很多號稱追求台灣民主的力量，對蔡政府的作為卻視而不見、聽而不聞。

江宜樺強調，這些力量宣稱對民主追求與堅持的立場，他全都加以懷疑！江宜樺最後期待，在當前種種漠視政府不法的時代氛圍下，今天的研討會依然不畏權勢來舉辦，談執政者不願看、不願聽的台灣民主議題，期待一時之選的各位學者專家可以滿足大家對民主的種種想像。

In his remarks, former Premier Jiang Yi-huah, also chairman of Fair Winds Foundation, indicated that Taiwan is at a worrying moment in its democratic development. He hopes that this seminar can explore the regression of Taiwan’s democracy and how we may cope with the challenges. Jiang, who has taught democratic theory and practice across different universities, pointed out that democracy is difficult to establish, preserve, and consolidate. Democracies may fade away for different reasons. Jiang quoted The Third Wave: Democratization in the Late Twentieth Century written by the late Professor Samuel Huntington of Harvard University to describe how the wave of democracy may be ebbing. Older democracies such as America, Britain, France, and Germany are also facing deep political division due to reasons like a controversial president, Brexit, and challenges of handling refugees. Democracy is facing crises of populism and relapsing authoritarianism. 

 

Jiang Yi-huah recalled that Taiwan’s postwar democratic development has been a slow and gradual progress made possible by the people. Jiang regretted that over the past three years, Taiwan’s democracy has regressed instead of progressed. The Tsai administration is bullying the opposition party in order to prevent its own political power from being challenged. Many people who fought for Taiwan’s democracy in the 1980s are now turning a blind eye to the actions of the Tsai administration. Their silence casts doubt on their stature and impartiality. Jiang therefore strongly questioned their claim to pursue democracy. Finally, Jiang commended the leading experts and scholars who have come to participate in this seminar without fear of political retaliation. Through sharing perspectives from which the authorities turn away with deaf ears, we can imagine better possibilities for Taiwan’s democracy.