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Building a home guard in Taiwan: Strengthening national identity by building up the individual
By Jonathan Gropper
While Taiwan has made investments in its military and defense mechanisms, its civil defense apparatus remains underdeveloped and what funds there end up not being utilized for their intended purpose. The current scenario could prove catastrophic in the event of a national event or a significant natural or man-made disaster. Thus, Taiwan should leverage its society via an effective civil defense apparatus to enhance its resistance, preparedness and response capabilities. In this article, we will explore how Taiwan can revitalize its civil defense apparatus as well as the benefits that an active civil defense system, a Home Guard, will have.
Civil Defense Apparatus: A Societal Asset
On paper, Taiwan’s civil defense apparatus comprises government agencies, local civil defense organizations and volunteers trained to assist in emergencies such as natural disasters and military conflicts.
However, despite its potential, Taiwan has not fully leveraged its civil defense apparatus. According to recent reports, many local governments have not adequately utilized the existing civil defense infrastructure which is ineffectually underfunded. In fact, the majority of the funds…
