In late July, 2006, Yu Shyi-kun, chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), addressed the party¿s 12th congress and offered an ¿apology¿ (daoqian) for the DPP¿s failure ¿to meet the expectations of the society and people of Taiwan during the previous six years.¿ As charges of corruption and calls for the president¿s resignation swirled around the embattled Chen Shui-bian administration, Yu¿s frank admission of failure reflected the crisis of self-confidence and pessimism that seemed to have gripped the party. This book presents the main themes which emerged following Chen Shui-bian's election and examines the direction taken by his administration on each of the major issue areas: domestice political dynamics; socio-political "hot buttons"; and foreign policy/national security. In sum, how the Chen administration defined, debated, and impacted specific aspects of the evolving Taiwanese polity.