The article examines the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) rise in Taiwan during the late 1980s, arguing it was not a spontaneous uprising but a calculated maneuver by the Kuomintang (KMT) and facilitated by US imperialism to manage Taiwan’s evolving political landscape. The KMT, facing internal contradictions and pressure for democratization, strategically cultivated the DPP to channel growing discontent and prevent a genuine socialist movement from emerging.
US imperialism, according to the article, supported this development to ensure Taiwan remained within its sphere of influence and to maintain a bulwark against China. The DPP’s pro-independence stance, while seemingly oppositional to the KMT’s initial reunification goals, ultimately served US interests by perpetuating tensions with China.
The article critiques the concepts of “peace” promoted by social democrats and Stalinists, arguing that these often mask the interests of imperialism and capitalist forces. It suggests that their advocacy for “peaceful” resolutions to the Taiwan issue often ignores the underlying class struggles and the potential for genuine socialist revolution. True peace, according to the author, can only be achieved through the overthrow of capitalism and the establishment of a socialist society that addresses the root causes of conflict and inequality.
find the original article here: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/04/11/wvpw-a11.html