Book excerpt: The last decade of the 20th century witnessed rapid changes not only in global politics but also in Taiwans quests for new identities. The notorious martial law was lifted in July 1987, and long-repressed calls for democratization began to be heard that caught worldwide attention. In tandem with economic transformation, the entire world of thought in Taiwan underwent significant changes. Both economic and ideological restructuring have been basic elements of transformation in postwar Taiwan. However, rapid democratization has opened a Pandoras box, and stirred a whirlwind of discord. Taiwan in Transformation: 1895-2005 elaborates on the where from and the where to of the Taiwan transformation and attempts to answer such questions as: Is the old Taiwanese work ethic just a relic of the past? Is Taiwan going to become an Armageddon of ideological wars?