An academic survey in 2008 unexpectedly indicated that half of Taiwanese adults were unable to have faith in democracy definitely. It was very difficult to be believed, especially when Taiwan just accomplished the “two-turn-over test” to meet Huntington’s definition of democratic consolidation. However, the survey result seems to be rational since meanwhile all economic indexes indicated that Taiwan’s economy was in a trouble. Nonetheless, in theory, people of a consolidated democracy should believe that democratic system and procedure must be the most appropriate method to solve collective conflicts. This controversial matter reminds us that democratic consolidation is not static. Economic difficulties or any other factors may cause decay. Hence the meaning of democratic consolidation is not only procedural but also substantive. Consequently, this study would like to clarify the association between economic development and people’s faith in democracy, and then to see economic difficulties would be a potential hazard to Taiwan’s democracy or not.
