This study aims to examine the ever-changing constitutive meaning of the Taiwanese identity from a generational perspective. We argue that the idea of identifying-as-Taiwanese has been transformed from a primordial-based ethnic identity to a civic-based national identity, which can be systematically differentiated between younger and older generations.

This paper first attempts to explore the increasing descensus of national identity of Taiwanese voters based on electoral survey data. Second, factors that determine individual s orientation in diversified national identity are analyzed and the relationship between descensus of national identity and partisanship as well as partisan vote-choices are also causally modeled. As the survey data collected between 1991 and 1993 show, there was an increasing trend of the descensus of national identity.