Taiwan has amazing healthcare coverage for its citizens. A lot of Economic development and good transportation infrastructure. Most of Taiwan is also relatively safe compared to the rest of the world.
Taiwan also has a high amount of human capital.
So what’s left? Is Taiwan a developed country now or what else does Taiwan need to do?
Some things that I think they need to improve on are:
As Iv said before, TAiwan has a smattering of 1st worldness, along with a lot of 2nd worldness and tinges of 3rd worldness here and there. Its got it ALL baby.
Its a microcosm of the world at large with its goods and ills.
What’s missing:
Longer paid holiday
An understanding of other cultures
Competitive wages
Common sense, especially on the roads
and most like a whole lot of other things…
Its a fairly modern developing country, just we dont know what it is developing into.
They have common sense on the road … try to avoid the others … :eh:
Taiwan does not feature in the UNDP HDI rankings for obvious reasons.
In 2003, the DGBAS reckoned that Taiwan was ranked 24th. So, yes, it would appear to be a highly developed country by that metric.
Taiwan joined the WTO in its status as a developed country.
Any organization that describes Taiwan as any kind of a country will have to endure a hissy fit from our neighbour across the strait: Taiwan will never gain status as a developed country for this reason. As a developed economy, maybe.
I believe Korea was categorized as developed a decade or more back, and when I moved to Taiwan from Korea - at about the same time - the two seemed roughly comparable in terms of development. Warmer here, and chodofu replaced kimchi as the dominant street odour.
It’s getting better all the time…on many levels it has been a case of nowhere to go but up, but as we all know development is a never ending learning process.
I don’t know but compared to developing country Taiwan certainly seems better. I think Taiwanese could use more paid holiday and with the number of people I wonder how easy it would be for companies to hire additional people to take the workload. There are labor rights but the problem is many Taiwanese won’t stand up for themselves, and besides just 30 years ago people worked 6 days a week with no paid holidays whatsoever and employees are basically seen as slaves (not to mention no labor insurance or employment insurance of any kind so if you got hurt on the job you are SOL) so Taiwan has come a long ways. Compared that to China where people get paid 3 cents an hour with no vacation at all and the government won’t do anything should labor dispute come up (since China wants to butter up corporations) in fact will put you down if you try to expose any kind of corruption.
As far as law and order Taiwan was more of a totalitarian dictatorship just 30 years ago where any men decided to grow their hair more than 3 inches long they will be arrested and shaved like a boot camp rookie. People could get shot for even petty crimes it’s understandable if you came from a country that did something like that you would be careful about giving the police any power.
[quote=“Taiwan Luthiers”]
As far as law and order Taiwan was more of a totalitarian dictatorship just 30 years ago where any men decided to grow their hair more than 3 inches long they will be arrested and shaved like a boot camp rookie. People could get shot for even petty crimes it’s understandable if you came from a country that did something like that you would be careful about giving the police any power.[/quote]
Well put into perspective. Given that Taiwan’s Democracy is incredibly young, it’s pretty amazing looking at all they’ve accomplished. What’s required for that next step? I’d say their corporate environment needs to change a lot. Be it towards the Japanese model, or Western… It needs a lot more professionalism, and yet more open work relations. Financial sector could use a kick too.
Taiwan has moved forward by all accounts, but so have plenty of other places. It is hard to put Taiwan in the same category as Denmark, for instance.
Also, no one has mentioned the environment here. It’s a pig sty. Again, I’ve heard it’s improved a lot and also that it’s much better than in China, but it’s still a pig sty. I wouldn’t swim at the beaches in Taoyuan County that I’ve been to. I wouldn’t swim in the rivers here either. Likewise, there are days when I can’t see the sun due to the pollution. Inappropriate development and ugly architecture also mar many landscapes (not just urban) here.
Speaking of buildings, what about construction laws/permits, the way houses are built here and where they’re built is just crazy…
A bit more service mindedness wouldn’t go amiss either, although please don’t let this place turn into the fakeness of US service mindedness…
The problem is that it seems like most people here are of the impression that as long as it doesn’t affect me personally, then I don’t give a shit.
No-one seems to give a rats ass about the environment, as long as no-one can’t see it. The newly done up river parks in Xindian look great on the surface, but dig a little bit deeper and you’ll find that most of them are built on top of piles of garbage (yes, I lived close by and saw what the construction company put in the ground).
They’re super strict on recycling household garbage, but where does it end up? And what about those great big “recycle” places that are spread out around the city that’s nothing more than a junk yard that just seems to get bigger and bigger piles or crap?
I thought a developed country took account for its actions, or at least some of them, but here no-one takes any responsibility for anything unless they’re forced to.
Sounds more and more like Sweden everyday. 
Sounds more and more like Sweden everyday. [/quote]
Can you imagine 6’5" Taiwanese chicks with Swedish-sized casabas wandering Taipei city??? Talk about being a “developed” country! I gotta go to my “private place” now to contemplate that on the Tree of Woe…
The newer buildings are a big improvement on the old gongyu. The best thing is that you can’t put those ugly rails on the new buildings.
In Taipei City the sidewalks are also generally kept clear and you can walk around the city. Outside Taipei they either don’t exist or are obstructed.
[quote=“Rabidpie”]Taiwan has amazing healthcare coverage for its citizens. A lot of Economic development and good transportation infrastructure. Most of Taiwan is also relatively safe compared to the rest of the world.
Taiwan also has a high amount of human capital.
So what’s left? Is Taiwan a developed country now or what else does Taiwan need to do?
Some things that I think they need to improve on are:
Depends. If you want us to pay tariffs or somehing else, then we are not. Internationally speaking, I mean. Yeah, it’s official.
Who gives a damn if Taiwan is considered ‘developed’ or not? I don’t consider my friends’ academic credentials before deciding whether they’re smart or dumb. I don’t think about a chef’s qualifications before declaring if the food he’s served me is delicious or not.
Me too. Don’t like the terminology. I mean if they just use, rich, poor etc. I’d understand its about class, but developed??? Plus, I think the developing world will always be developing coz the developed world will stay developed or be more developed raising the bar higher.
[quote=“GuyInTaiwan”]Taiwan has moved forward by all accounts, but so have plenty of other places. It is hard to put Taiwan in the same category as Denmark, for instance.
Also, no one has mentioned the environment here. It’s a pig sty. Again, I’ve heard it’s improved a lot and also that it’s much better than in China, but it’s still a pig sty. I wouldn’t swim at the beaches in Taoyuan County that I’ve been to. I wouldn’t swim in the rivers here either. Likewise, there are days when I can’t see the sun due to the pollution. Inappropriate development and ugly architecture also mar many landscapes (not just urban) here.[/quote]
But in Taiwan you can walk around without fearing for your safety. Your house and cars are safe. This is not the case in some areas of Europe such as London.