The democratization of South Korea and Taiwan: Elections, electoral systems and electoral reform (China)

Political scientists have searched for the motivating factors behind democratization in developing countries, including South Korea and Taiwan. So far, though—mainly because of their economic achievements, the bulk of the English language studies on South Korea and Taiwan have focused on the role of economic growth in the democratization process. By contrast this study focuses on the political factors, most specifically the role of electoral systems, elections, and how electoral reform came to fruition. To do so, it qualitatively examines both South Korean and Taiwanese history and their political contexts from 1895 to current. It also looks at elections, electoral rules and conferences, where key changes were made to the system. Besides highlighting the importance of electoral systems and elections in democratic transitions, the thesis argues that the democratization process differed in South Korea and Taiwan.; In addition, the dissertation explores the issue of representation in South Korea and Taiwan and compares it to studies done on representation in Western democratic countries.