| Summary: | 博士 === 國立成功大學 === 歷史學系碩博士班 === 94 === This dissertation focuses on the development of Kaohsiung City Council in the following four periods: city council under Japanese rule from 1920 to 1935, city council under Japanese rule from 1935 to 1945, post-war city council from 1946 to 1950, and post-war city council from 1950 to 1960. The purpose is to understand the transformations of Kaohsiung political and social stratum throughout these periods.
The above mentioned four periods also outline the developments of Taiwan local councils. In 1920, local councils were established throughout Taiwan, with all the councilors appointed. In 1935, local councils began to be opened for election, but with half of the seats still appointed. Starting from 1946, for the first time, all seats in local councils were open for general election, although an indirect one. From 1950 onwards, local councils started to implement direct popular elections, which last till the present day.
In Kaohsiung, city councilors also constructed the most important social class. During Japanese rule, Kaohsiung City Council was dominated by businessmen and Japanese, and this was also the most important feature of the city council at that time. After World War II, with the withdrawal of Japanese, Taiwan natives filled in the power vacuum, and the city council also became truly a Taiwanese organization. However, after the February 28 incident, most Taiwanese political elites departed from public affairs, and after 1950, City Council was controlled by “local fractions” consisting of various “townsmen associations.”
Based on the developments of Kaohsiung City council, and in reference to previous studies on Taiwan local politics, the commonly believed theory that Taiwan local political developments from Japanese rule to the post war era is a continuum, with the only discontinuity happened during the February 28 incident, needs to be reexamined. It should also be noted that the political developments in each area are in fact different.
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