ABSTRACT
What have been the principal power showdowns within the Nationalist state on Taiwan since 1949? What have been the principal confrontations between economic elites within the Chinese society on Taiwan since 1945? These historical questions are fundamental to any discussion of the mechanics of Taiwan's relationship to the world system, the nature of its authoritarian regime, or the consequences of either of these for domestic social outcomes. The generalized influence of the "world system," "the state," or "the bourgeoisie" must pass through particular social networks, and particular contests within those networks, before resulting in particular outcomes. Yet, largely because of the extreme discretion of Nationalist institutions, there is still no circumstantial account of the elite politics of Taiwan's development, in Chinese or any other language. Accordingly, what follows is a "heuristic history" intended to provoke argument about these general questions and to orient discussion of specific episodes on Taiwan. 1
