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Why Taiwan Matters: Small Island, Global Powerhouse
Now in an updated paperback edition, Why Taiwan Matters offers a comprehensive but compact introduction to a country that exercises a role in the world far greater than its tiny size would indicate. Leading expert Shelley Rigger explains how Taiwan became such a key global player, highlighting economic and political breakthroughs so impressive they have been called "miracles." She links these accomplishments to Taiwan's determined society, vibrant culture, and unique history. Drawing on arts, economics, politics, and international relations, Rigger explores Taiwan's importance to China, the United States, and the world. Considering where Taiwan may be headed in its wary standoff with China, she traces how the focus of Taiwan's domestic politics has shifted to a Taiwan-centered strategy. All readers interested in Asia and international affairs will find this an accessible and entertaining overview, replete with human interest stories and colorful examples of daily life in Taiwan.
228 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 13, 2021
A short but affectionately detailed introduction to Taiwan. Chapters cover Taiwan's unique geography and indigenous history, economic development, the transition to democracy, popular culture, cross-strait relations, and precarious diplomatic situation.
The only real fault I can have for this introductory volume is that it is now almost ten years old, and so it cannot describe the dramatic developments in recent years. That said, the author's appeal in the last chapter, "Why Taiwan Matters", is convincing. But as more people are learning about that already, through the straits crisis or semiconductor shortage or half a dozen other reasons to care - another subtitle might be "Taiwan is interesting." If I needed to introduce somebody to the topic, I'd be very happy to point them here.
The only real fault I can have for this introductory volume is that it is now almost ten years old, and so it cannot describe the dramatic developments in recent years. That said, the author's appeal in the last chapter, "Why Taiwan Matters", is convincing. But as more people are learning about that already, through the straits crisis or semiconductor shortage or half a dozen other reasons to care - another subtitle might be "Taiwan is interesting." If I needed to introduce somebody to the topic, I'd be very happy to point them here.
March 18, 2023
...And Why We Must Defend It
I found this book interesting and informative. Rigger's research is indeed outstanding, and her expertise on Taiwan is evident throughout the book.
Having just recently finished The Tiger Leading the Dragon: How Taiwan Propelled China's Economic Rise, I am fully onboard with Rigger's points of view and excellent research.
One of the strengths of this book is how it provides a comprehensive history of Taiwan, from its early inhabitants to its modern political status. Rigger also does a great job of explaining the complexities of Taiwan's relationships with China, the United States, and other countries in the region.
I think it's also worth noting that Rigger's writing is engaging and accessible, making this book a great choice for anyone interested in learning more about Taiwan. Overall, my assessment is that this book is an interesting and important read, particularly given the ongoing conflicts in the region.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in history, politics, or international relations, especially those interested in the Asia-Pacific region.
4.3/5
I found this book interesting and informative. Rigger's research is indeed outstanding, and her expertise on Taiwan is evident throughout the book.
Having just recently finished The Tiger Leading the Dragon: How Taiwan Propelled China's Economic Rise, I am fully onboard with Rigger's points of view and excellent research.
One of the strengths of this book is how it provides a comprehensive history of Taiwan, from its early inhabitants to its modern political status. Rigger also does a great job of explaining the complexities of Taiwan's relationships with China, the United States, and other countries in the region.
I think it's also worth noting that Rigger's writing is engaging and accessible, making this book a great choice for anyone interested in learning more about Taiwan. Overall, my assessment is that this book is an interesting and important read, particularly given the ongoing conflicts in the region.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in history, politics, or international relations, especially those interested in the Asia-Pacific region.
4.3/5
July 28, 2024
great book. explained so much about taiwan's history and its precarious situation it is in politically and economically. this truly showed how little i knew about taiwan, i never knew about their authoritarian era and how it was a slow and painful transition to democracy. taiwan truly is a miracle on how they were able to grow their own industries ground up and then quickly transition to relying on mainland for more industrial labor. now they run a fineline where many taiwanese own businesses within china, so interconnected yet politcally disjointed
February 13, 2019
Fascinating introductory book on Taiwanese history covering all the way up to modern politics (~2012). I've been looking for an English book on Taiwanese history for a while that would have filled in the gaps of the lack of my Taiwanese education. Shelley Rigger paints a beautiful exposition with a lot of depth and color to understand where Taiwan is today without sensing any particular personal leanings or biases.
Some broad concepts I've learned:
* Understanding the Republic of China's early history (1945 ~ 1960's) given the context of the Chinese Civil War
* How Taiwan transitioned from an authoritarian regime to a democratic one with zero bloodshed
* The factors contributing to the "Taiwan Economic Miracle"
* Understanding how modern Taiwanese cultures are shaped by its history
* How modern Taiwan navigates the political ecosystem to maintain its de facto autonomy
Reading this book made me feel more in touch with my roots and heritage. I was able to elicit personal anecdotes from family members that tied to specific historical events in Taiwan and overall they were consistent with Riggers' worldview of Taiwanese history.
Some broad concepts I've learned:
* Understanding the Republic of China's early history (1945 ~ 1960's) given the context of the Chinese Civil War
* How Taiwan transitioned from an authoritarian regime to a democratic one with zero bloodshed
* The factors contributing to the "Taiwan Economic Miracle"
* Understanding how modern Taiwanese cultures are shaped by its history
* How modern Taiwan navigates the political ecosystem to maintain its de facto autonomy
Reading this book made me feel more in touch with my roots and heritage. I was able to elicit personal anecdotes from family members that tied to specific historical events in Taiwan and overall they were consistent with Riggers' worldview of Taiwanese history.
September 12, 2020
4.5 stars
This served as a fantastic follow up to Jonathan Manthorpe's 2005 Forbidden Nation: A History of Taiwan. Whereas Manthorpe's book provided a very solid and readable foundation to Taiwan pre-1949 and the introduction of the KMT, I was a bit disappointed in the paucity of information on Taiwan post-1949 in his book. Thankfully, Rigger provides a much more thorough look at the latter half of the 20th century and first decade of the 21st century on Taiwan, going in depth on topics such as democracy, the economy, and the very thorny issue of how Taiwan maintains the status quo with China, and I think she does a good job making the problem understandable for readers without a lot of background in Taiwan/China relations. This was just the book I was looking for - lots of information on how Taiwan has been operating for the past few decades, information on the various nuanced stances on the issue from both sides of the strait. It’s now a bit outdated, as quite a lot has happened since 2011 (the rise of Xi Jinping in China, the presidency Tsai Ing-wen in Taiwan, the crackdown on Hong Kong and the end of the “one country, two systems” promise, etc) that have truly changed the situation between Taiwan and China. Nonetheless, it’s still an illuminating read.
This served as a fantastic follow up to Jonathan Manthorpe's 2005 Forbidden Nation: A History of Taiwan. Whereas Manthorpe's book provided a very solid and readable foundation to Taiwan pre-1949 and the introduction of the KMT, I was a bit disappointed in the paucity of information on Taiwan post-1949 in his book. Thankfully, Rigger provides a much more thorough look at the latter half of the 20th century and first decade of the 21st century on Taiwan, going in depth on topics such as democracy, the economy, and the very thorny issue of how Taiwan maintains the status quo with China, and I think she does a good job making the problem understandable for readers without a lot of background in Taiwan/China relations. This was just the book I was looking for - lots of information on how Taiwan has been operating for the past few decades, information on the various nuanced stances on the issue from both sides of the strait. It’s now a bit outdated, as quite a lot has happened since 2011 (the rise of Xi Jinping in China, the presidency Tsai Ing-wen in Taiwan, the crackdown on Hong Kong and the end of the “one country, two systems” promise, etc) that have truly changed the situation between Taiwan and China. Nonetheless, it’s still an illuminating read.
May 30, 2024
Out of all the attempted synopses of Taiwan by Western authors, this author best captures the whole picture— not just the politics, anthropology, history, economics. She does the best job of capturing it all in one source
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February 1, 2021excellent for people who are looking for a quick introduction to taiwan's history + development
February 11, 2015
Dr. Rigger's book on Taiwan is a tour de force of the island from its geographic points of interest through the fiendishly thorny question of sovereignty and PRC-ROC relations. I picked up the book to brush up on my Taiwanese political history, and was not disappointed. But I read the read of the book too, finding it easy to read. It spans from large, event-based historical description through thick, descriptive accounts. Dr. Rigger's career has clearly been steeped in the field, and she employs interviews, curious cases and poignant examples to provide a rich and full account of an under appreciated country and case study.
January 1, 2015
An interesting perspective from an individual who has visited Taiwan over multiple years. There are also some interesting youtube videos by the author. She has developed a love for Taiwan and for its people.
Good to read
Good to read
April 22, 2022
Good book that goes through Taiwan’s history, political development on the island, economic development and strategic importance globally.
The beginning and end were fascinating and kept me interested. The middle of the book went into excruciating detail about political party politics on the island. It’s a good view of what happened but it wasn’t what I was looking for and it became a slog before things picked up in the last third.
The most interesting aspect was delving into the psychology of the Taiwanese people and their complicated relationship with China. It’s not as simple as - they want their independence from China. Most want some form of a status quo, with democratic freedoms but maintaining cultural and economic ties with the China mainland.
Also interesting to dig into the US historic position with Taiwan which has been more or less - we don’t so much care what happens as long as it doesn’t happen by force or coercion and without the say of the Taiwanese people. The fact that neither Taiwan nor China know what the US would really do in a conflict is by design and constrains both parties.
Interesting book, especially the first and last thirds.
The beginning and end were fascinating and kept me interested. The middle of the book went into excruciating detail about political party politics on the island. It’s a good view of what happened but it wasn’t what I was looking for and it became a slog before things picked up in the last third.
The most interesting aspect was delving into the psychology of the Taiwanese people and their complicated relationship with China. It’s not as simple as - they want their independence from China. Most want some form of a status quo, with democratic freedoms but maintaining cultural and economic ties with the China mainland.
Also interesting to dig into the US historic position with Taiwan which has been more or less - we don’t so much care what happens as long as it doesn’t happen by force or coercion and without the say of the Taiwanese people. The fact that neither Taiwan nor China know what the US would really do in a conflict is by design and constrains both parties.
Interesting book, especially the first and last thirds.
October 13, 2025
I got a copy of this book from a friend more than ten years ago, and for some reason, didn’t pick it up until now. What a mistake! I spent 10 years in Taiwan, and reading this book has warmly brought back memories of the island and its people.
The book is a tour de force about Taiwan’s history, development and political status with the background theme of its delicate relationship with China (inside and outside), presented in an academic tone yet still an enjoyable read. The book is inevitably slightly outdated however, missing recent PRC’s increasingly bellicose statements and threats and some events like Ma Ying-jeou and Xi Jinping talks in Singapore or the Trump–Tsai call.
But still, highly recommended. I’ve learned a lot of new things about Taiwan, and in particular, it cleared some doubts I always had about the relationship between waishengren and benshengren and the use of the Taiwanese Hokkien language.
The book is a tour de force about Taiwan’s history, development and political status with the background theme of its delicate relationship with China (inside and outside), presented in an academic tone yet still an enjoyable read. The book is inevitably slightly outdated however, missing recent PRC’s increasingly bellicose statements and threats and some events like Ma Ying-jeou and Xi Jinping talks in Singapore or the Trump–Tsai call.
But still, highly recommended. I’ve learned a lot of new things about Taiwan, and in particular, it cleared some doubts I always had about the relationship between waishengren and benshengren and the use of the Taiwanese Hokkien language.
August 24, 2020
An excellent introduction to a country often completely ignored by East Asia specialists. This book is good for academics, foreign policy specialists, and curious tourists.
It was published in 2011, so we miss the important changes from the Sunflower Movement, the rise of Xi across the strait, and the lessons from oppression in Hong Kong.
The strongest part of this book is the focus specifically on Taiwan, not just as a China issue or US foreign policy issue, but as an end in itself whose people deserve to have their voices listened to. If it has a weakness, I would say the author (like many US scholars) vastly underplays the importance of state-led industrial policy to Taiwan’s economic success.
All in all, I strongly recommend reading this one.
It was published in 2011, so we miss the important changes from the Sunflower Movement, the rise of Xi across the strait, and the lessons from oppression in Hong Kong.
The strongest part of this book is the focus specifically on Taiwan, not just as a China issue or US foreign policy issue, but as an end in itself whose people deserve to have their voices listened to. If it has a weakness, I would say the author (like many US scholars) vastly underplays the importance of state-led industrial policy to Taiwan’s economic success.
All in all, I strongly recommend reading this one.
April 15, 2020
If you are looking to understand why there is friction between the PRC and the US over Taiwan - this book and specifically the last two chapters are a great place to start.
Chapter 8 and 9 (the last two chapters) are exactly what I was looking for in the book. Discussions of the key points from the Shanghai Dialogue, the TRA, the six assurances, etc. In a manner that places them in enough historic context to make them understandable.
The other chapters have some interesting, colorful, and insightful details about Taiwan. I recommend them for background knowledge.
Chapter 8 and 9 (the last two chapters) are exactly what I was looking for in the book. Discussions of the key points from the Shanghai Dialogue, the TRA, the six assurances, etc. In a manner that places them in enough historic context to make them understandable.
The other chapters have some interesting, colorful, and insightful details about Taiwan. I recommend them for background knowledge.
September 30, 2021
This is the first book I read to learn about Taiwan's history, politics, and people. Sometimes, I felt this book was repetitive, but other times I thought that the discussion was nuanced. Overall, it was easy to read and follow (except for one dense chapter about history).
I learned about Taiwan through many different lens/perspectives, and I especially enjoyed reading the Chapter 7 and 9 (Making Peace with the China Inside and the China Outside; Why Taiwan Matters to America and the World).
Thank you to my friend Jony for letting me borrow and then keep this book!
I learned about Taiwan through many different lens/perspectives, and I especially enjoyed reading the Chapter 7 and 9 (Making Peace with the China Inside and the China Outside; Why Taiwan Matters to America and the World).
Thank you to my friend Jony for letting me borrow and then keep this book!
January 19, 2024
Definitely the best intro book on Taiwan that I've come across. Since it was published in 2013, it's a little outdated since it missed the Sunflower Movement and Xi Jinping, but still the first book on Taiwan that I'd recommend to any newcomers.
March 20, 2020
As the only book in my library about Taiwan, I was impressed by Riggers' smooth writing and well-informed narrative.
December 18, 2020
Well researched and broad reaching. Does a great job explaining the intricacies of Cross-Strait relations.
February 5, 2015
Author Shelley Rigger is a professor of East Asian Politics at Davidson College in North Carolina who has studied and made multiple trips to Taiwan over the course of three decades, so it's safe to say she has the credentials and experience to write a book about "Why Taiwan Matters," boldly subtitled "Small Island, Global Powerhouse." Drawing from years of interviews and conversations she herself conducted, as well as respected studies, articles, and reports, Rigger has successfully consolidated matters of the country's history, politics, economics, culture, and even geography into less than 200 pages.
From the culturally rich and diverse population and how to define "China," to the symbolic importance of Taipei 101 and Taiwan's standing as "proof of the feasibility of democracy" in an Eastern country, Rigger provides useful information to demonstrate the complex relationships Taiwan has outside of and within its borders.
One excerpt that adequately illustrates the importance and paradoxical nature of the island is as follows:
“[Taiwan’s] square mileage puts it 138th in the world, smaller than Switzerland but bigger than Belgium. Its population puts it in a neighborhood with Malaysia, Ghana, and Syria—about 50th in the world. When it comes to economics and politics, though, Taiwan carries disproportionate weight. The island’s steady ascent up the manufacturing ladder from textiles and toys to high-tech equipment and IT services positions it at the global economy’s cutting edge,” (p. 187).
And with the figures to back up her claims, it is surprising to discover how big of a player such a small island (and one that isn’t recognized as an independent country or allowed representation in the U.N., at that) plays in the global economy. Rigger’s research is comprehensive and (mostly) objective; but most importantly, her delivery is not dry or overdone. The book offers a useful outline of the colonization, industrialization, and globalization of Taiwan, as well as showing how all of those stages are interconnected. There are also a lot of interesting facts, and even mentions a few attractions to check out if you find yourself in Taiwan.
In short, Rigger argues not only why Taiwan matters (to China, America, etc.), but why it should matter. Calling it a global powerhouse might be a bit excessive, but perhaps not as much as one might think before picking up the book.
From the culturally rich and diverse population and how to define "China," to the symbolic importance of Taipei 101 and Taiwan's standing as "proof of the feasibility of democracy" in an Eastern country, Rigger provides useful information to demonstrate the complex relationships Taiwan has outside of and within its borders.
One excerpt that adequately illustrates the importance and paradoxical nature of the island is as follows:
“[Taiwan’s] square mileage puts it 138th in the world, smaller than Switzerland but bigger than Belgium. Its population puts it in a neighborhood with Malaysia, Ghana, and Syria—about 50th in the world. When it comes to economics and politics, though, Taiwan carries disproportionate weight. The island’s steady ascent up the manufacturing ladder from textiles and toys to high-tech equipment and IT services positions it at the global economy’s cutting edge,” (p. 187).
And with the figures to back up her claims, it is surprising to discover how big of a player such a small island (and one that isn’t recognized as an independent country or allowed representation in the U.N., at that) plays in the global economy. Rigger’s research is comprehensive and (mostly) objective; but most importantly, her delivery is not dry or overdone. The book offers a useful outline of the colonization, industrialization, and globalization of Taiwan, as well as showing how all of those stages are interconnected. There are also a lot of interesting facts, and even mentions a few attractions to check out if you find yourself in Taiwan.
In short, Rigger argues not only why Taiwan matters (to China, America, etc.), but why it should matter. Calling it a global powerhouse might be a bit excessive, but perhaps not as much as one might think before picking up the book.
June 23, 2018
Been working on this one for a while. Shelley Rigger is a professor at Davidson College. This book was a gift form a mutual friend Brad Bromstead, in large part, because of my interest in history in general and in Taiwan specifically, because my son Tripp was born in Taiwan. The book is a thorough analysis of Taiwan's history and relevance. Necessary for anyone interested in the subject who wants to go a few notches deeper on the details.
June 8, 2012
A good introduction to Taiwanese history, politics and culture though I often sought more depth than what was presented here. That said, it provided good background for my upcoming trip to Taipei. Recommended.
December 8, 2012
Really interesting introduction to Taiwan's history/culture. Enjoyed it a lot!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews