Economic Democracy Union

The Economic Democracy Union (EDU; Chinese: 經濟民主連合, abbreviated 經民連) is a Taiwanese civil-society organization, think tank and social-movement collective that emerged from the 2014 Sunflower Movement and the earlier anti-black-box Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement campaign. Its predecessor, the Democratic Front Against the Black-Box Services Trade Agreement (反黑箱服貿民主陣線), was an alliance of dozens of civic groups that grew out of the student-led protests in Taiwan. In September 2014 the alliance renamed itself the Economic Democracy Union, and in October 2016 it reorganized and completed registration as a legal association (社團法人). The organization describes itself as simultaneously an intellectual community, a think tank and a movement body: it publishes books, drafts and advocates legislation, and takes part in street-level civic action. Its stated mission is to resist Chinese political and business forces, defend Taiwan's democracy, critique neoliberalism, and protect Taiwan's political, economic, social and cultural subjectivity, in pursuit of a free, equal, solidaristic and sustainable new nation. Its work spans economic-security legislation, democratic-defense lawmaking, and social and economic policy advocacy. The EDU's think tank currently operates three centers — the Congressional Watch Center, the Democratic Defense and Economic Security Center, and the Economic and Social Policy Center — supported by an advisory group of think-tank consultants that formulates reform bills and policy proposals. The organization also convened the Taiwan Citizens' Front (台灣公民陣線), an individual-membership body with an executive committee and volunteer teams (including the Blue Magpie, Egret, Black-faced Spoonbill and Bird of Paradise citizen fronts, plus a choir), which engages in civic and social movements and promotes cross-generational civil-society solidarity. In 2023 the EDU published a book, "Unmasking the False Face of Chinese Capital Infiltration in Taiwan: The EDU's Struggle with the Pan-Chinese Political-Business Bloc," drawing on more than a decade of close-quarters campaigning to diagnose Chinese economic penetration of Taiwan and outline a blueprint for Taiwan's economic-security legal framework. That same year its general membership meeting adopted six medium-term movement initiatives: resisting Chinese political and economic forces; allying with pro-Taiwan international forces; advocating all-people autonomous national defense; advancing economic democracy; advancing defensive democracy; and advancing local democracy. The EDU is funded through public donations, including online giving, recurring monthly donations and credit-card contributions, and states that it regularly publishes donation totals, credit verification, annual work reports and financial reports. It maintains an active online presence through Facebook pages, a YouTube channel, a Medium account and a blog.

The Economic Democracy Union traces its origins to the 2013–2014 protests in Taiwan against the proposed Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement, which opponents criticized as being pushed through without proper legislative review — the so-called "black-box" process. Out of these protests, an alliance of dozens of civic groups formed under the name Democratic Front Against the Black-Box Services Trade Agreement (反黑箱服貿民主陣線). The movement culminated in the 2014 Sunflower Movement, a student-led occupation of Taiwan's legislature that became a defining moment in the island's recent political history. After the Sunflower Movement wound down in 2014, the alliance continued its campaigning, declaring war on the proposed Free Economic Pilot Zones bill. In September 2014 the group renamed itself the Economic Democracy Union. In October 2016 it reorganized and completed registration as a legal association (社團法人), formalizing its structure as a civil-society organization. The EDU's activities continued through subsequent political flashpoints. In 2015, as Taiwan's sovereignty appeared under pressure, it took to the streets to protest the Ma–Xi meeting and demanded a halt to cross-strait trade-in-goods negotiations. In 2019, after Xi Jinping proposed a "one country, two systems" formula for Taiwan, the EDU pushed for democratic-defense legislation to draw a red line around political negotiations with China. When political parties appeared to waver on core values, the EDU organized the Taiwan Citizens' Front on the fifth anniversary of the March 18 Sunflower Movement, proposing a citizens' platform that advocated a progressive-value-driven innovation economy and social-solidarity policies based on state investment in individuals and families. Over the years the EDU has built a think-tank structure with three centers — the Congressional Watch Center, the Democratic Defense and Economic Security Center, and the Economic and Social Policy Center — plus an advisory group that drafts reform bills and policy proposals. In 2023 it published "Unmasking the False Face of Chinese Capital Infiltration in Taiwan: The EDU's Struggle with the Pan-Chinese Political-Business Bloc," a book that reviews more than a decade of campaigning, diagnoses Chinese economic penetration of Taiwan, and lays out a blueprint for Taiwan's economic-security legal framework. The book was authored by Lai Chung-chiang (賴中強), Chiang Min-yen (江旻諺), Ou Hsu-shao (歐栩韶), Hsu Kuan-tse (許冠澤) and Tien Lung-ying (天龍英), and published by the Economic Democracy Union. That same year, the EDU's general membership meeting adopted six medium-term movement initiatives covering resistance to Chinese political and economic forces, alliances with pro-Taiwan international forces, advocacy of all-people autonomous national defense, and the advancement of economic, defensive and local democracy.

• 2023

  Publishes "Unmasking the False Face of Chinese Capital Infiltration in Taiwan" and adopts six medium-term movement initiatives.

• 2019

  After Xi Jinping proposes "one country, two systems" for Taiwan, the EDU pushes democratic-defense legislation; on the fifth anniversary of the March 18 movement it organizes the Taiwan Citizens' Front.

• 2016

  In October the organization reorganizes and completes registration as a legal association.

• 2015

  Protests the Ma–Xi meeting and demands a halt to cross-strait trade-in-goods negotiations.

• 2014

  Sunflower Movement; after it winds down, the group campaigns against the Free Economic Pilot Zones bill.

• 2014

  In September the alliance renames itself the Economic Democracy Union.

• 2013

  Democratic Front Against the Black-Box Services Trade Agreement formed amid protests against the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement.

A civic think tank and movement organization positioning itself against Chinese political and economic influence while defending Taiwan's democratic and economic sovereignty; it critiques neoliberalism and advocates economic democracy, defensive democracy and local democracy.

• Unmasking the False Face of Chinese Capital Infiltration in Taiwan: The EDU's Struggle with the Pan-Chinese Political-Business Bloc (2023 book)

• Taiwan Citizens' Front (台灣公民陣線)

• Congressional Watch Center

• Democratic Defense and Economic Security Center

• Economic and Social Policy Center

1. 1經濟民主連合官方網站edunion.org.tw
2. 2Economic Democracy Union - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3經濟民主連合 - 維基百科zh.wikipedia.org