Expanding the participatory dimension of democracy: Sunflower activism's influence on politics in Taiwan

Abstract

Theorists of democracy have offered a range of reasons why citizen participation beyond elections is beneficial to representative democratic models. This thesis draws on these teories to examine the influence of the Sunflower Movement and subsequent Sunflower activism on democratic politics in Taiwan between March 2014 and September 2015. The thesis argues that Sunflower activists are both (1) generating informal spaces enabling citizens to participate in public oversight, civic education, and informing and legitimating policy-making and (2) promoting the improvement of formally institutionalised participation. This claim is supported through a focused qualitative analysis of activists' social media platforms and websites since 2008. These expose a pattern of dissatisfaction and participatory democratic aspirations shared by the Sunflower Movement and its antecedents. Interviews with members of four Sunflower activist groups and analysis of the groups’ publications demonstrate how these projects attempt to increase citizen participation. In addition to operating a range of informal participatory spaces, the groups champion the revision of legislation to expand citizens’ institutionalised participation. A brief survey of official responses indicates that the Sunflower activists' advocacy gained concessions from politicians, by influencing their campaign rhetoric and promises to voters. More importantly, it began to inform legislative debates. The findings suggest that within the short time frame covered in this thesis, the Sunflower activism expanded the arenas for citizens’ political participation in Taiwan.