The well-being of citizens is closely tied to enriching the nation and strengthening the military. In this article, Huang discusses the policies and strategies proposed by the Republic of China (R.O.C.) government concerning the training body and mind of the people have influenced the political and social situation within the R.O.C.

   In the beginning of the R.O.C. rule, the government established policies for the political tutelage in Mainland China. These beginnings demonstrate the government’s early attempts to build up a national spirit. From the beginning of the Republic, the rights of the ruling party faced various challenges that hindered the progress of the nation’s tutelage. The outcome of inner conflicts and civil wars often still relied on the military force of individual parties. Thus it is little wonder that the political tutelage saw limited progress. 

  Despite the slow beginning, the knowledgeable and influential within the society have the recognized the inseparable relation between the strength of nation and the individual. The depiction of the Chinese person as being weak, uneducated, and filthy is shown in modern criticism of the period. One main cause to blame is military clique wars during the Warlord Era, resulting in the separation within the country. Thus the government made obvious efforts to unify the country and train its people. Certain policies, such as the introduction of scout training into school curriculum in 1929 became the first around the world. Military training for males and nursing skills for females also became mandatory for high school students. Apart from training the body and minds of the youth, the New Life Movement attempted to change the public through moral and everyday life actions. These changes and movements were not only to nurture people with fit and strong bodies, but also in loyalty and obedience during wartime. 

   After the Xi’an Incident and the end of the political tutelage, the R.O.C. government was faced with a series of wars against the Japanese as well as within. Many were forced into military servitude through harsh and unreasonable measures, and the people were weary of the losses brought by the endless battles. The wars were a great test to the incomplete attempts during the previous period to strengthen the nation, and proved the nation’s inability to gain victory over the R.O.C.’s national and political foes. The discontent among the people and worn out defenses contributed to the R.O.C.’s eventual defeat by the Communist Party and retreat to Taiwan. 

   During the period of Japanese colonialism, Taiwan became Japan’s backstage to success during World War II. In order to prepare the Taiwanese people for war, they carried out Tennoization, including Japanese language education, school military training, and enforcing social contributions of food and resources during wartime. Though the Japanese eventually faced defeat and did not succeed in gaining full support of the Taiwanese, but the Tennoization still established a military basis among the Taiwanese people. 

  When the R.O.C. government resituated in Taiwan, the Kuomingtang (KMT) party started a 38-year Period of mobilization for the suppression of Communist rebellion. This became an excuse to impose restrictive measures among the Taiwanese people and enforce Party-State ideology into education and policies. Taiwan became the military base for the KMT to recover Mainland China. The Chinese Youth Corps was instituted for the purpose of addressing the training needs of the youth. Military education was reinstituted in the high school curriculum as a preparation for war against the Communist China and Russia. Many of these restrictive measures were criticized by the people. The government also carefully regulated the population and carried out disease prevention policies to raise the quality of life. From these actions it is clear that the KMT had brought their political ambitions from China to Taiwan, and their ideals have since then altered the course of history and political environment in Taiwan. Though the martial law has been lifted, the long period of political tutelage and suppression has continued effects. 

  Political suppression is not the only factor to restrict the body and mind of the people: capitalism has also affected the way we think, live, and work. In the hundred year history of the R.O.C. we see the ups and downs of democracy in the hands of the government. Though the current situation still has much to be desired, the approaching of the age of the people and democratic society is still to be applauded and worth continue fighting for.