1977-1987 Taiwan’s Finest Hour: How the Revolutionists Transform the Island

To truly understand a person, one should observe how they face disaster. The way they endure suffering and shoulder responsibility is a crucial test of their inner qualities.

Similarly, to deeply comprehend a nation, one must examine the historical adversities it has faced. America overcame the division of the North and South, ultimately abolishing slavery. France endured the Reign of Terror after the Revolution, allowing liberty, equality, and fraternity to become its founding principles. The brave and formidable Spartans are also memorable, as they demonstrated noble qualities in resisting tyranny at Thermopylae.

The book “1977-1987 Taiwan’s Finest Hour: The Formosa Incident and National Memory” centers on the infamous “Formosa Incident” in Taiwan’s history, depicting a dark decade when state violence ruthlessly suppressed civil society. In just ten years, the once-docile Taiwanese people experienced self-enlightenment and moved forward against repression. Young activists, fearless of death and imprisonment, openly criticized authoritarian rule. Ultimately, their selfless sacrifices inspired society, uniting the public to use ballots, public opinion, civic organizations, and street protests to compel the authoritarian party to return political power to the people.

Cover of the book《1977-1987 Taiwan’s Finest Hour: The Formosa Incident and National Memory》. Image sourced from eslit.com.

Taiwan’s transformation is particularly significant from the perspective of modern history. After World War II, most emerging nations that gained independence from European colonial rule fell into autocratic dictatorship and corruption. However, Taiwan experienced rapid economic growth and a so-called “silent revolution” in politics. Unlike other nations, Taiwan’s authoritarian rulers were not overthrown by bloody armed conflict, but gradually relinquished power within the system, ultimately achieving a democratic state founded on human rights and the rule of law. How did this small and young island nation accomplish such a challenging task? The author aims to find the answer.

The book adopts a highly persuasive narrative: while history is complex and subject to divergent and even contradictory interpretations, we can still discern a “historical memory” of a nation—how did the Taiwanese people perceive and recognize the sparks of resistance against the system at the dawn of their democratic movement? And how did these emotions and perceptions lead to cultural and institutional changes? Taiwan’s Finest Hour offers a bold answer: individuals, as actors in events, can make the “right choices” amid historical storms.

Therefore, although the tone of the book is calm and elegant, it contains a passion that leaps off the page.

In the book, activist-politician Hsu Hsin-liang is depicted as a revolutionary figure who once served as a local magistrate in Taiwan, chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party, and a multiple-time presidential candidate. Hsu was initially a promising elite groomed by Taiwan’s authoritarian government. However, his idealistic nature was fundamentally incompatible with the rigid regime. He went on to found a political magazine and engage in local elections, formally breaking away from the authoritarian rulers.

During his campaign, Hsu’s headquarters were under surveillance by secret agents, yet young students there continued to discuss democratic ideals freely and volunteered without concern for their own safety. On Election Day, his votes were openly manipulated. Enraged, the public chose to stay silent no longer, surrounding police stations and burning police cars in fierce protest. The “Zhongli Incident” in 1977 not only propelled Hsu Hsin-liang to the position of county magistrate but also marked the beginning of the decade of the “finest hour” in Taiwan, as advocated by the book, after years of political repression.

In 1979, the “Formosa Incident” occurred, beginning as a political demonstration that escalated into a violent confrontation. The authoritarian government seized this opportunity to launch a widespread political crackdown across Taiwan, detaining hundreds of active social movement leaders. Charged with treason, these individuals faced the high likelihood of the death penalty, creating widespread fear.

However, the defendants remained defiant in court. They steadfastly denied the treason charges and expressed their deep love for their land and people. They highlighted Taiwan’s significant international challenges, criticized the oppressive political regime, and recounted the brutal torture they endured in prison.

One of the main defendants, Shih Ming-teh, declared his innocence in court but humbly requested the death penalty if it could awaken his compatriots. Another defendant, Yao Chia-wen, spoke of his fear after being arrested but drew strength from the example of early Christians persecuted by the Roman Empire. He cited Saint Peter’s question, “Lord, where are You going?” and expressed his resolve to face martyrdom alongside his brethren.

All the “criminals” of the Formosa Incident refused to plead guilty in exchange for reduced sentences. Instead, they eloquently condemned the dictatorship and faced the anticipated severe punishments with remarkable calmness, making a powerful appeal to the collective conscience. The courtroom scene moved reporters and bailiffs to tears, and the next day’s newspapers elicited overwhelming public sympathy.

The author asserts that the authoritarian rulers intended to showcase the state’s absolute power through the “Formosa Trial,” but the outcome was completely backfired. The trial, once publicized by the media, quickly turned several key political prisoners into heroes in the eyes of the people. One defendant’s wife stood for election following the trial. Despite her lack of eloquence, her mere presence on the campaign vehicle moved the crowds to tears, leading them to throw money in support, igniting a fervor throughout the streets.

This book stands out as one of the most outstanding contemporary works on Taiwanese history. With a profound sense of humanistic concern, it focuses on the moral choices made by democratic activists in numerous challenging situations. Readers will find it hard not to be moved by these poignant stories, as they revisit the tense atmosphere of Taiwan’s “finest hour” through tearful eyes.

This book also offers profound social science insights. Beyond referencing Western classics and comparing Taiwan’s democratic movement with global counterparts, it addresses many core issues in democratic theory: Does economic development contribute to political liberalization? Is a charismatic leader necessary for social movements? Are institutional changes more reliant on long-term structures or short-term events? Does democratic transition come from the benevolence of dictators or from the moral of mobilized masses?

The author, Wu Nai-te, is one of Taiwan’s most esteemed sociologists and political scientists, and was also a frontline participant in the democratic movement described in the book. Despite this, the book maintains an objective narrative distance, revealing that some participants in the democratic movement may not have maintained their principles later in life. After achieving successful democratization, Taiwan now faces the threat of China’s ambitions. The book also touches on how some “democratic pioneers” have changed over time, with a few having seemingly lost the commitment to human rights and national independence they once passionately defended.

Ironically, Wu Nai-te himself became embroiled in Taiwan’s #MeToo controversy a few years ago and subsequently withdrew from public affairs.

The theme of Taiwan’s Finest Hour is the “people in their era.” Humanity possesses both the power to challenge oppressive structures and the inertia to yield to personal desires. To genuinely seek justice, we must deeply understand the complexities of human nature. On the stage of history, revolutionaries, thinkers, and dictators may appear noble under the spotlight of power. Yet, human nature is profoundly complex; while we can achieve great things, we are also prone to making mistakes due to our inherent flaws.

After World War II, Taiwan endured a prolonged period of authoritarian rule. Tens of thousands perished in massacres, hundreds of thousands were imprisoned, and the people lost trust in each other and in their ideals amidst pervasive surveillance and harsh laws. Yet, Taiwan’s Finest Hour captures the thunder in the silence, depicting how individuals and collectives can achieve mutual success. It portrays how a nation can be reborn through self-reflection: as long as there are those who believe that human resolve can confront the relentless march of time, even the darkest nights hold the promise of a brilliant dawn of democracy and freedom.

(Featured photo from Tourism Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government)