Why Do We Have to Abolish the Province?: An Assessment and Adjustment of Administrative Division in Taiwan

by Liu Tao-yi. Taipei: Yang-Chih Book Co., Ltd., 1997, 260 pp. NT400 (paperback), NT 550 (hardback). ISBN 957-97212-8-9

This book focuses on one of the most controversial topics in Taiwan: the adjustment of the administrative divisions in Taiwan, especially the abolition of the province of Taiwan under the rule of Taiwan authority. The adjustment of the administrative divisions has significant implications for the division of political power and electoral results of political parties. The author has attempted to approach the problem in a scientific and rational way using the optimal allocation of resources as the basis for analysis and assessment.

The author points out the irregularity of the administrative divisions in Taiwan. The area under the rule of Taiwan authority was 36,181 km² , and 98.32% of that area was under the administration of Taiwan province. Thus Taiwan provincial government and Taiwan authority covered almost the same area and their functions were overlapping to a large extent. Nevertheless, there were two municipalities, Taipei and Kaohsiung, under the direct administration of Taiwan authority which enjoyed the same powers as Taiwan province but only covered an area of less than 1% of Taiwan. Based on a detailed analysis of population and area data of various settlements and on fieldwork, the author proposes three basic scenarios for administrative divisions after the abolition of Taiwan province. The most ideal scenario is to divide Taiwan into 22 municipalities and 358 towns/townships.

The book provides a systematic analysis of the administrative divisions in Taiwan, ranging from an overview of the historical evolution of administrative divisions, conceptual and empirical analyses of rational administrative division for better resource allocation, to an analysis of the changing settlement...