Land grabs in Taiwan: a study of the rural social movement in Dapu Village

In the last few years, the question of land expropriations has become a major source of discontent in Taiwan. Even if these kinds of policy have had a long history, it is particularly in the last decade that they have triggered rural unrest, causing a dramatic increase in rallies and protests against seizures and inadequate compensations. As a result, land grabs are perceived as one of the biggest threats to the stability of the entire system. This thesis analyses the case of the rural social movement in Dapu Village in Taiwan’s Miaoli County, well known for the high number of people involved and the court victory against the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) and the Miaoli County Government. In doing so, it argues that in order to evaluate the outcomes of a social movement it is also necessary to take into account other factors such as the nature of the issue, the perceived opportunities and threats, and the interactions between the movement’s actors and the authorities. As such, this...Show moreIn the last few years, the question of land expropriations has become a major source of discontent in Taiwan. Even if these kinds of policy have had a long history, it is particularly in the last decade that they have triggered rural unrest, causing a dramatic increase in rallies and protests against seizures and inadequate compensations. As a result, land grabs are perceived as one of the biggest threats to the stability of the entire system. This thesis analyses the case of the rural social movement in Dapu Village in Taiwan’s Miaoli County, well known for the high number of people involved and the court victory against the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) and the Miaoli County Government. In doing so, it argues that in order to evaluate the outcomes of a social movement it is also necessary to take into account other factors such as the nature of the issue, the perceived opportunities and threats, and the interactions between the movement’s actors and the authorities. As such, this thesis begins by exploring the reasons for land conflict, describing how neoliberalism impacted on Taiwanese land governance to create two different but simultaneous forces driving the process: the central government’s need (and right for public interest) to expropriate land in order to create developmental zones, and underfunded local governments’ power in the reallocation of lands, ultimately leading to cases of corruption and misallocation of resources. Following this, through the application of political opportunity structure and resource mobilization theories, this thesis will answer the main question: how did the social movement and the authorities mobilize their resources during the conflict over land grabs in Dapu? In doing so, a more nuanced view of the conflict’s outcomes will be gained as well as a deeper insight into the overall successes and failures of the movement.Show less

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Land grabs in Taiwan: a study of the rural social movement in Dapu Village