ABSTRACT

Civic engagement is an ancient concept which deals with citizens political, social and moral responsible participation. This chapter analyses the relationship between citizens participation and policy-making, policy implementation as well as policy evaluation; and most importantly between the state machine and its citizens nowadays. The value of the 'Xindian Great Bitan Revitalization Project' lies in its observable embedded elements of civic engagement. The chapter presents a new departure for Taiwan's democratization. According to the principles of grassroots democracy and local democracy, there are many activities in which citizens can take part in the loop of decision-making such as writing or calling their local elected law maker. The year 1990 is the milestone of Taiwan's democratization and liberalization. Before democratization, Taiwan was under the authoritarian rule of the Kuomintang. The Kuomintang under martial law and the long-lasting anti-Communism measures took full-scale control of ideology and withheld the possibility for Taiwan to cultivate a real civil society.