Generally speaking, the first generation of Taiwanese writers was more conservative and fearful from the dark memories of Japanese colonial rule, the experiences of the February 28 Incident and the white terror period; the second generation was still under the white terror, but possessed an attitude of more realistic thinking; while the third generation possessed more critical viewpoints and even a rebellious attitude in addition to realism. Such a rebellious attitude was especially precious because Taiwan's media and literary forums were under strict and efficient control of the KMT regime at that time.

While such phenomena were normal in the process of literary development, Taiwan's unique sociopolitical change and her international diplomatic setbacks during the 1970s also contributed to it. Since the Lei Chen (the publisher of Free China Fortnightly) incident of 1960, Taiwan no longer had freedom of expression, and became the society of only one voice. Diplomatic setbacks such as expulsion from the UN (1971), Nixon's China visit and Shanghai Communique(1972), diplomatic recognition between Japan and China (1972), etc., brought great shocks to Taiwan. In addition, President Chiang Ching-kuo's pragmatic domestic policy and Taiwan's export-oriented industrial progress created a middle class who in turn demanded different voices.

During this period, the publishing sector had a major change. Every year, twenty to thirty volume of short works, poems, long novels, etc., were published. The authors included the first generation writers who were still productive, the second generation writers, and the newly sprung out third generation writers.

1972
The New Poetry Debate (hsin-shih lun-chan) was the precursor to a large-scale reform movement of 1977. It moved to oppose the western influences, semantic obscurity, evasion of social reality, etc., in contemporary Taiwan poetry. Heretofore forbidden area of the studies of Taiwanese literature under Japanese rule was also begun to be investigated.

1975
Taiwan Political Journal (T'ai-wan cheng-lun) was published. It was critical of the repressive policies of the Nationalist government. The Journal was banned after only four issues. The Government policy of alternately tightening and loosening control also affected the environment for literature.