FORMOSA FILES PODCAST S4-E38: Chen Shui-bian 陳水扁: From Prison to Taipei Mayor
After serving eight months behind bars for libel, Chen Shui-bian is released in February 1987, and enters the fray of a newly-liberalized political landscape. In 1986, the Democratic Progressive Party became Taiwan’s first real opposition party, and Chen’s wife is elected to Parliament. Mr. Chen bides his time, and then pounces – first becoming a lawmaker, beating Frank Hsieh to become DPP caucus chief, and then setting his sights on the nation’s capital city. In 1994, direct elections for Taipei mayor are held for the first time, and Chen overcomes Frank Hsieh again to become the DPP nominee. But Chen has a few issues: he isn’t a great speaker and he doesn’t like smiling. Will this plucky lad from a dirt-poor home in Tainan overcome the odds? Find out in this week’s exciting Formosa Files Taiwan history story.
Cover: Chen Shui-bian campaigning to become Taipei Mayor at a vegetable market in Neihu. Prior to 1994, the mayor of Taipei was appointed, not elected. Pic via Thinking Taiwan.
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The Formosa Files podcast is sponsored by the FRANK CHEN FOUNDATION (陳啟川先生文教基金會)
Website: https://www.frank-chen.org.tw/
This top-rated history podcast tells stories from the history of Formosa (Taiwan) from circa 1600 C.E. - 2000 C.E., via interesting, lesser-known short stories presented in a non-chronological order.
HOSTS: John Ross is an author and co-founder of publisher Camphor Press, which specializes in books on Taiwan and China in English, while Eryk Michael Smith has worked as a writer and journalist for multiple media outlets in Taiwan, including the island's only English-language radio station ICRT (FM 100.7). Both Ross and Smith have lived in Taiwan for well over 20 years and call the island home.
