國立臺灣大學政治科學論叢

Abstract / Chinese PDF Download

This  paper,  based  on  governance  paradigm  employs  network  analysis  to investigate the formation of networks on Farmers’ Associations (hereafter FAs) in Taiwan   and   in   particular   their   impacts   on   operation   and   management   of organizations.      Governance   paradigm   emphasizes   that   governments   should effectively  integrate  resources  and  functions  of  non-government  organizations (NPOs) into public authorities and transform them into public service capabilities of governments.    The basic assumption of this paper is that FAs have ever been playing  a  significant  role  in  the  development  of  rural  areas  in  Taiwan.    Since 1950s,  the  government  and  FAs  have  formed  an  unique  governance  which  has successfully   achieved   modernization   of   the   agricultural   sector   in   Taiwan.   However, such an unique developmental device has suffered from inefficiency and unproductivity in terms of operation and management.     Currently,  FAs  are  encountering  a  critical  challenge  that  is  inherited  from historical  institutional  development.    As  FAs  involve  in  politicized  network relations  suggested  by  governance  paradigm,  they  might  fall  into  organization bureaucratization,  dictator-like  leadership  and  closed  decision  making  process, non-market operation, rent-seeking, and particularly moral hazard.      As a matter of  fact,  FAs  and  the  party-state  have  formed  a  governance  relations  since  KMT ruled  in  Taiwan.    FAs  have  played  agricultural  policy  agents  and  made  a  great contributions to rural modernization in this island state.    However, FAs, partisan organizations   and   local   political   elites   form   political   networks   which   are effectively  used  by  FAs  to  implement  multifunction  goals  under  a  support  of government.    Nevertheless,  political  network  become  a  critical  predicament  of operation and management of FAs.