本文試圖以民主支持度與滿意度兩項指標，來瞭解台灣近年來民主政治發展的內涵。依現有歷年調查顯示：島上民眾民主支持度呈現穩定的分佈；民主滿意度則較為起伏，且有下滑的趨勢。造成此一現象的原因，可能在於後者做為一種對現實狀況的評價，容易受到較多政治施政效果的影響；重大政治事件如2004年的總統大選，也明顯地左右社會大眾的民主滿意度。至於民主支持度做為一種長期性的政治態度，則較少受到外在因素的影響。不過，無論是台灣大眾的支持度或滿意度，都僅受政治性因素，而無經濟性因素的影響。此一發現與各國經驗相異。本文認為，這可能與政治精英慣於將政治議題設定為公共論壇的主軸有關。最後，在政黨認同與所有的人口變項中，僅有教育程度和民主支持度呈現正相關，其他變項皆未達到統計上的顯著水準。本文因此認為，隨著時序的遞嬗，因社會分歧所造成的政治分歧，有機會趨於緩和；教育的普及則有利於民主政治文化的提昇。這些發展都可能對島上民主政治的鞏固有正面的助益。

This study attempts to explore Taiwan's politics by examining the degree of people's support for democracy and satisfaction with democracy. ?As findings show, Taiwanese support for democracy was much more stable than satisfaction with democracy in the past years.?The factors affecting support and satisfaction are different. ?Merely the progress of human rights encourages.Taiwanese support for democracy.? In contrast, several variables, including political and election evaluation, influence the mass satisfaction with democracy.? However, economic evaluations are not statistically related to both support and satisfaction.With regard to party identification and demographic elements, only education indicates positive relation with people's support for democracy. ?The study concludes that Taiwan's democracy might become more consolidated, if education could play an important role in shaping mass civic culture in the coming decades.