The Democracy Wall

Abstract

This chapter examines minkan in the late 1970s, when independent magazines thrived and matured. The world of magazines changed after 1978. Minkan experienced a flourishing following by a crackdown, then republication, and, finally, a transformation of their underground status. During this period, the wall itself started to gain an identity as a magazine. It was no longer merely a background or a place where posters are affixed. Now the wall became a unique format of the magazine; it had a “spine” where editors sold copies of their journals; it had pages where the posters were changed regularly.¹ Such an identity was clearly manifested through the name: the “Democracy Wall.” This chapter looks at the various formats of magazines during this time, introduces a selection of magazines, and offers an analysis of certain keywords such as democracy, human rights, and rule of law. The exploration includes a reference to the pre-1949 and foreign discourses, both of which were prohibited. During the period between 1978 and 1980, minkan were available as a public communication platform, connecting with global networks, social movements, and independent associations, and forming the embryo of an oppositional party.