爭辯中的銅像政治：以嘉義縣為例

Abstract

在當代民主國家處理轉型正義的討論脈絡下，往往涉及意識形態、歷史記憶與認同，因而極具爭議性。2017年底甫通過《促進轉型正義條例》（以下簡稱「促轉條例」）的台灣，也面臨如何處置蔣銅像的政治難題。在觀察全台灣現存的蔣銅像分布及數量後，本文試圖解開以下謎題：其一，民進黨長期執政的縣市——嘉義縣，為何在中央與地方皆由民進黨籍首長執政之下依舊無法有效率地推動蔣銅像處置的進度？為何中央與地方同屬民進黨執政下，推動威權象徵處置的政治意志無法被彰顯？其二，探討「促進轉型正義委員會」（以下簡稱「促轉會」）在推動業務上何以遭受困難？ 本研究主要以文本分析與半結構式訪談為主。訪談的部分，挑選數個嘉義縣國民中小學、「促轉會」的相關人員作為訪談對象。本研究發現，嘉義縣的蔣銅像之所以進度緩慢，並非單純的政治立場或意識形態所致，而主要與當地實際的物質因素、城鄉差距議題相關。由於各校自身缺乏足夠財政也缺乏其他單位的資源挹注，各校往往無法負擔銅像處置的費用，進而使得其對銅像處置議題興趣缺缺。不過，當2023年「促轉會」解散，業務轉由「轉型正義會報」及「人權及轉型正義處」（以下簡稱「人轉處」）推動後，內政部明確制定補助要點，使得各校得以向中央申請補助以順利推動銅像處置。 最後，本文指出，蔣銅像處置的成功與否，並不總是基於意識形態決定。儘管顯而易見地，銅像政治往往是政黨認同、歷史記憶乃至國族認同的投射，不同地域間所面對的物質因素、與行政機關之間的互動亦會影響各個案例上在處置的成敗。

In the context of transitional justice discussions in contemporary democracies, the handling of authoritarian symbols often involves complex debates over ideology, historical memory, and identity, making it highly contentious. Taiwan, which enacted the Transitional Justice Act in late 2017, faces similar political challenges in addressing the legacy of Chiang Kai-shek statues. By examining the distribution and quantity of Chiang statues across Taiwan, this study seeks to unravel two puzzles: First, why has Chiayi County—a region long governed by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) at both central and local levels—struggled to efficiently advance the removal of Chiang statues, despite shared political alignment? Second, why has the Transitional Justice Commission (TJC) encountered significant obstacles in implementing its mandate? This research employs textual analysis and semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, including staff from Chiayi County’s elementary and middle schools and TJC personnel. The findings reveal that the slow progress in Chiayi County is not solely due to political ideology but is primarily linked to material constraints and urban-rural disparities. Schools lacked both the financial resources and external support to cover removal costs, leading to disengagement with the issue. However, after the dissolution of the Transitional Justice Commission in 2023, its responsibilities were transferred to the Transitional Justice Committee and the Department of Human Rights and Transitional Justice (hereinafter referred to as the “Department of Transitional Justice”). The Ministry of the Interior subsequently established clear subsidy guidelines, enabling schools to apply for central government funding to facilitate the proper handling of statues. Ultimately, this study argues that the success of Chiang statue removal is not always ideologically predetermined. While statue politics inevitably reflects party affiliation, historical memory, and national identity, material conditions and administrative interactions between local institutions and central authorities also critically influence outcomes in individual cases.