Fifteenth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

Conserving historic buildings in a private property-right regime involves so-called “entrepreneurial politics” in which the benefit of upholding collective memory and turning them to cultural capital would be diffuse to the public while the costs of restoring and maintaining the facility would be concentrated on the owners. Conserving the whole settlement is more difficult because it involves a much higher budget and coordination among owners. The conservation is expected to encounter such challenges as strong resistance from the cost-bearers, free-riding in collective conserving actions, and rent-seeking in settling compensation schemes. Given the budget constraint, how can such a highly conflictual scenario be managed? By examining a successful case in Kinmen Island of Taiwan, this study explores how such tangible heritage as buildings in historical settlements can be conserved by restoring the intangible heritages such as sacrifice rituals and by consolidating community relationship. It indicates how a conservation policy integrating market mechanisms, solidarity relationship, and effective governmental regulations and subsidy may create a synergy between tangible and intangible conservation.