When Chen Shui-bian, Taiwan's first non-Kuomintang president, left office in 2008, his tenure was widely considered a disappointment. More recent events, however, suggest the need for a reassessment of this crucial period in Taiwan's political development. Taiwan's Democracy Challenged provides that assessment, considering key facets of both the progress toward and the obstacles to democratic consolidation during the Chen Shui-bian era.

CONTENTS: Taiwan's Democracy Under Chen Shui-bian—K. Templeman, L. Diamond, and Y.-H. Chu.

POLITICS AND PUBLIC OPINION.Party Politics and Elections: The Road to 2008—S. Rigger.The Democratic Progressive Party in Majoritarian Elections—J. Lin.Partisanship and Public Opinion—E.C. Yu.Polarized Politics and Support for Democracy—Y.-H. Chu, M. Huang, and Y. Chang.DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS IN ACTION.Executive-Legislative Relations Under Divided Government—S. Hawang.Horizontal Accountability and the Rule of Law—W.Chen and C. Hsu.Strengthening Constitutionalism—Y.-H. Chu.STATE-SOCIETY RELATIONS.Civil Society and the Politics of Engagement—C. Huang.Press Freedom and the Mass Media—C. Feng.Restructuring State-Business Relations—J.W.Y. Wang, S. Chen, and C. Kuo.Democratic Progressive Party Clientelism: A Failed Political Project—C. Wang.NATIONAL SECURITY AND CROSS-STRAIT RELATIONS. Depoliticizing Taiwan's Security Apparatus—Y. Tzeng.Troubled Waters: The Conflict over Cross-Strait Relations—T. Leng.