The modern members of the association formed their own group, the Popular Party (Taiwan Minshuto). The Popular Party soon divided on the grounds of ideological differences in 1929, when the more conservative members of the Party organized the League for the Attainment of Local Autonomy (Taiwan Chiho Jicji Renmei).

     The Taiwan Cultural Association claim that its goals was to provoke the "awakening of the Formosan national consciousness and the development of a political atmosphere favorable to the ultimate enforcement of the principle of self-determination." Before the leftist took over the group in 1927, the Cultural Association sponsored schools where courses in Chinese lightweight, literature, and history were topped, along with other subjects that received little attention in Japanese schools. It also functioned as the home front we for the establishment of a Foremosan Parliament, which was based in Japan. In 1927, The Cultural Association became involved with the plight of the Taiwanese peasant farmers exploited by the government supported Japanese Sugar Company.

     The Japanese sugar company's manipulated sugar cane prices and later all lands for which the occupants could not establish positive proof of ownership. The radical elements of the Cultural Association was essentially abolished.

     The Popular Party proposed to establish a democratic system, develop a fair economic system, and eliminates social inequities. The Party's activities actually centered on the reform of the local autonomy system, and the development of a labor movement. Attempts to establish a Taiwanese parliament failed to materialize in significant concrete results. The goal of developing a labor movement was more successful. The party helped organize several labor unions,and to supported a number of strikes in Japanese-owned factories. The Party was eventually suppressed by Japanese officials in 1931.

     The League for the Attainment of Local Autonomy to adhered to the sole purpose of attaining local autonomy. Ultimately, however, the actual reforms they affected were minimal.

     If the spiky ideological differences that precipitated the factionalization of these political groups, they all shared several common threads. Taiwanese anti-colonialism was a product of Japanese education Taiwanese students in Japan came to realize that they were "second-class subjects, capable of first-class performance." perhaps the conservative and radical factions of these groups differed in strategy that can current of nationalism was evident.

  Prev   |8|9|10|11|12|13|14|15|16|17|18|   Next