| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立成功大學 === 政治經濟研究所 === 88 === There are thirteen referendum cases in Taiwan since 1990. In these cases, they were almost in connection with local issues. But in 1998, there was a case held by Tainan City Government, and was interested everyone. It is because that, in the case, one of the issues was involved in national question ─“Should Taiwan Be Governed by P.R.C.?”and the other issue that is out of the Tainan City Government''''s jurisdiction is“Should We Build International Airport in Che-Ku?”
The study focuses on the case of Tainan City, and comments upon democracy theory and social choice theory. In these two theories, we can find some advantages and weakness of referendum. According to that, the research also has some discoveries and suggestions to this case.
First, in the democracy theory, the main advantages of referendum are popular sovereignty and legitimacy. But in the case, the most evident weakness is the problems of legitimacy and legality in the process. Second, in the case, the issue is too complex to understand the preference of public opinion. Third, to prevent majority tyranny, government should set up some check and balance machinery to solve the most serious problem of referendum. Forth, in the research, we can know people are pressing for a reference law in Taiwan.
At last, referendum can''''t solve all problems, but we don''''t always reject it. If government can build a proper institution, referendum not only won''''t obstruct the representative democracy, but also will remedy the weakness of it.
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