Taiwan's United Nations memebership campaign in the 1990s: An analysis based upon human needs theory

The author in this Master's thesis introduces Human Needs Theory and supplementary propositions to interpret Taiwan's diplomatic campaign for United Nations membership in the 1990s. The theory attributes the momentum of conflict to humanity's inner aspirations, which may be categorized into three groups: needs, values, and interests. Furthermore, the theory highlights individuals and social groups as the primary unit of conflict analysis, and argues that it is the controlling system at various levels that should be held accountable for most parts of conflicts and abnormalities. The author found that the U.N. membership campaign, though costly and not yet successful, signifies the transformation of Taiwan's collective self and identity that politically and culturally differentiates the island from the Chinese mainland. By participating in the campaign actions, the Taiwanese people demanded that their collective consciousness to be refrained, and their new self image to be accepted by the international community. The author concludes that the campaign is an interest for the fulfillment of Taiwanese people's collective needs and the recognition of social values developed in Taiwan. Drawing from this conclusion, the author expects the campaign to be maintained and similar actions to emerge in the foreseeable future if Beijing and the international community keep turning down the needs and values of the Taiwanese people.