The White Terror (1947–1987) was one of the longest periods of martial law in modern history. For forty years, Taiwan lived under the shadow of censorship, surveillance, and authoritarian control by the Kuomintang (KMT). Yet when martial law was lifted in 1987, the very legacies of repression became catalysts for profound political transformation and cultural revival. Taiwan’s democratization in the late 20th century, along with a surge in efforts to reclaim local identity, cannot be fully understood without recognizing the influence of the White Terror.

By the 1980s, Taiwan’s rapid economic development, rising middle class, and global diplomatic isolation created pressures for political reform (Copper, 2016). Students, intellectuals, and grassroots movements began pushing against the boundaries of authoritarian rule, often invoking memories of repression to demand change.

When the KMT formally lifted martial law in 1987, Taiwan entered a new political era. Opposition parties such as the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), founded in 1986 despite restrictions, gained legitimacy. Activists who had once been silenced now became leaders in shaping Taiwan’s democratic institutions (Rigger, 1999). The memory of the White Terror became both a warning and a rallying cry: citizens sought to prevent its return by embedding democratic principles, human rights protections, and accountability mechanisms into Taiwan’s political system.

A key dimension of Taiwan’s democratization was the demand for transitional justice — efforts to confront and address the legacy of repression. Families of victims of the 228 Incident and the White Terror sought acknowledgment, reparations, and historical truth. In the 1990s, the government began to officially recognize the events, establishing memorial days, erecting monuments, and publishing official reports (Tsai, 2009).

The 228 Memorial Museum in Taipei, along with archives documenting political imprisonment and executions, became sites of public remembrance. This process was not just about correcting history; it was also about legitimizing a new Taiwanese identity built on openness, justice, and democratic values. The act of remembering repression became central to Taiwan’s political culture, ensuring that past traumas informed future governance.

Alongside political change, Taiwan experienced a cultural revival in the post-White Terror era. For decades, Mandarin had been enforced as the sole official language, while Hokkien, Hakka, and Indigenous languages were marginalized in public life. After democratization, local languages reemerged as central markers of identity. Schools began offering Hokkien and Hakka instruction, Indigenous cultural programs expanded, and media outlets flourished in multiple languages (Cheng, 2010).

The revival extended beyond language to literature, film, and art. Authors and filmmakers revisited the White Terror, often portraying stories of silence, trauma, and resilience. Works such as Hou Hsiao-hsien’s film A City of Sadness (1989) brought the 228 Incident and its aftermath into public consciousness, sparking dialogue about suppressed histories and giving voice to experiences once deemed too dangerous to share.

This reclaiming of local culture became an act of resistance against past assimilation policies, reinforcing a Taiwanese identity distinct from both Japanese colonial legacies and KMT-imposed nationalism.

The legacy of the White Terror shaped not only survivors but also younger generations who inherited its memory. For many families, stories of lost relatives, hidden traumas, or whispered warnings against speaking too freely became intergenerational lessons. The younger generation of the 1980s and 1990s transformed these memories into demands for justice, greater self-determination, and cultural recognition (Rigger, 1999).

This generational shift also explains the growing emphasis on Taiwanese identity in contemporary politics. While older generations may have carried both Chinese nationalist and Taiwanese local identities, younger citizens, unburdened by direct allegiance to the KMT’s wartime mission, embraced a distinctly Taiwanese self-conception. The repression of the White Terror ironically helped to crystallize this sense of identity by underscoring the costs of authoritarian assimilation.

The White Terror profoundly shaped Taiwan’s trajectory. While it was a period of fear, censorship, and repression, its legacy became foundational to Taiwan’s democratization and cultural revival. The lifting of martial law in 1987 did not simply mark the end of authoritarian rule; it marked the beginning of a new era in which memory, justice, and identity were reclaimed as central pillars of society.

Taiwan’s democracy today is deeply intertwined with the memory of repression. The trauma of the White Terror underscored the dangers of unchecked power and the suppression of identity, while its aftermath created fertile ground for the flourishing of democratic institutions, cultural diversity, and a distinct Taiwanese consciousness. In this way, the White Terror stands not only as a dark chapter in history but also as a catalyst for renewal, shaping the island’s modern identity and its commitment to democratic values.

References

Cheng, T. J. (2010). Language policy and identity in Taiwan under the KMT. Routledge.

Copper, J. F. (2016). Taiwan: Nation-state or province? Routledge.

Rigger, S. (1999). Politics in Taiwan: Voting for democracy. Routledge.

Tsai, S. (2009). The February 28 Incident in Taiwan: Historical memory and reconciliation. Cambridge University Press.