Taiwan's Election Commission Draws Line on Caning The recent rejection by Taiwan's election commission of a referendum proposal to legalize caning as punishment for serious crimes like sexual assault and fraud is a welcome development.
The move underscores the ongoing tensions between Taiwan's democratic institutions and its authoritarian past, which has left a legacy of corporal punishment.
Taiwan was under military rule until 1987, and it wasn't until the lifting of these restrictions that the country began to transition towards a more democratic system.