The Double Standards of Political Efficiency

In Taiwan, the government often struggles to complete necessary reforms but excels in suppressing opposition and covering scandals. This contradiction raises an important question: why is it that when it comes to beneficial policies, the process is slow and inefficient, yet when silencing critics, actions are swift and precise?

Selective Law Enforcement

Legal scholar Robert K. Merton’s theory of structural functionalism suggests that institutions prioritize self-preservation over public service. Taiwan’s judicial system demonstrates this by selectively enforcing laws. High-ranking officials or wealthy elites often escape severe punishment, while opposition figures or activists face exaggerated charges, prolonged detention, or even politically motivated trials.

Media Manipulation and Narrative Control

Propaganda models, as discussed by Noam Chomsky and Edward Herman, explain how media serves the interests of the powerful. In Taiwan, state-friendly media outlets use these strategies to glorify the ruling party while vilifying the opposition. Political enemies are painted as national threats, diverting public attention from corruption and policy failures.

Bureaucratic Inefficiency in Public Service

Max Weber’s bureaucratic theory describes an ideal system where rules ensure fairness and efficiency. However, Taiwan’s government bureaucracy is often a roadblock to real progress. Infrastructure projects, social welfare reforms, and public services face endless delays due to so-called “procedural difficulties,” yet when it comes to controversial policies benefiting political elites, approvals happen almost overnight.

Case Studies: The Contradictions in Action

In cases involving economic policies, environmental protection, and social justice, inefficiency is the norm. For example, urban renewal projects meant to benefit citizens take years to pass due to red tape, but land acquisitions that benefit private corporations get approved swiftly. Similarly, when a scandal threatens those in power, damage control is immediate and thorough, with key evidence disappearing and whistleblowers facing intimidation.

Public Distrust and the Demand for Accountability

Public trust in Taiwan’s government has been eroded by these double standards. Theories of democratic decay suggest that when institutions prioritize power consolidation over governance, democracy itself weakens. To restore credibility, Taiwan must enforce laws equally, ensure media neutrality, and eliminate political interference in the judicial system.

Conclusion

A government that is flawless in wrongdoing but broken in governance is a danger to democracy. Without systemic reforms, Taiwan risks deepening public cynicism and further eroding trust in its institutions. The people deserve a government that serves them, not one that excels only at protecting itself.

幹正事千瘡百孔，做壞事滴水不漏

台灣的政治與媒體環境充滿矛盾。政府在推動真正造福人民的政策時，常常因行政效率低落、法律漏洞或內部鬥爭而進展緩慢，甚至充滿問題。然而，當涉及政治打壓、媒體操控、掩蓋醜聞或打擊異己時，整個體系卻運作得毫無破綻。新聞報導嚴重失衡，政敵被塑造成國家叛徒，而執政者則被描繪成愛國者，即使他們的行為實際上是在掏空國家。司法、媒體與政府的緊密結合，使得真正的改革變得困難，而權力的運作則越來越偏向保護既得利益者，而非人民。