ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author links Taiwan's democratization to its foreign policy-making, noting that Taiwan was, and is, dependent on the United States for its survival while America espoused certain expectations in return for its protection. Thus, Taiwan leaders proved their worthiness by reforming its domestic politics (to convince others Taiwan was "free China,” meaning holding elections, honoring civil and human rights guarantees in the Constitution, and more), managing economic growth (which created a large and growing middle class, one of the main preconditions for democracy, and improved the human condition of its residents), and designing a security policy that made it a reliable ally yet did not provoke conflict with China or seek creating a military government. Taiwan was successful thereby creating the idea of the "Taiwan economic miracle” and the "Taiwan political miracle.” Meanwhile, it flourished in the milieu of a threat from China, it being isolated by the United Nations and other international organizations, and it being denied diplomatic ties by most countries in the world. This made Taiwan unique and admired.
