"In the next 10 years, we will create a ‘golden decade’ that will lay a solid foundation for another 100 years of the Republic of China,” he said. “We have a 100-year plan for education, the environment and social justice, as well as peace across the Taiwan Strait."LOL. We'll see.
Ma's 'Golden Decade' meme first emerged on the 19th of May 2010 on the eve the anniversary of his inauguration. A critique published by the TT followed the next day. The 'Golden Decade' is based on the 'Six Country Statement' and comprises:
- First - build a strong country based on innovation so Taiwan’s competitiveness will be upgraded.
- Second - revive the country with culture, in the hope of using culture to promote Taiwan’s advantage.
- Third - save the country with an environmental protection initiative and build a low-carbon homeland using green energy.
- Fourth - consolidate the country with constitutional politics and strengthen government management with honesty.
- Fifth - make the country more secure in terms of social welfare by establishing a social safety net.
- Sixth - protect the country with peace, namely using peace to construct a new order in the Taiwan Strait.
Most of these goals on the surface seem quite laudable. I agree that innovation is a key to competitiveness. I like the fluffy sounding words like 'low carbon' and 'green energy' and 'social safety net'. What worry me are the references to 'new order in the Taiwan Strait' (does not suggest keep the 'status-quo' that a majority want), 'strengthen government management with honesty' (means?) and 'revive the country with culture' (whose?) .
Finally, I admit I chuckled when I read of the '100 year plan for education, the environment and social justice, as well as peace across the Taiwan Strait.' This seems to be a mimicking of the DPP's earlier announced '10 Year Plan'. How? The DPP came out with their 10 year plan in March 2010, some 2 months before Ma's speech. Links here and here. This chimes with my theory of a key KMT strategy in recent years which I call 'Duplicate & Negate'. Other examples include the infamous 2008 "Million People High Five, Come-back Win" hat scandal and 2004/2008 referendums.
Now look again at three of the four areas covered in the 100 year plan. Education, environment and social justice are all traditional DPP themes. Ma is seeking the middle ground, trying to gain light greens and independents. Unfortunately, invoking another 100 (bloody?) years of the ROC and expanding from a 10 to a 100 year plan more likely came across to many Taiwan voters as unnecessarily and wildly optimistic if not a little boastful, perhaps even sinister.
