1979年1月美國與中華民國斷交，使臺灣面臨自失去聯合國席次以來最嚴重的外交危機。在整體社會經濟大環境方面，1979年也是充滿不安的一年，包括「多氯聯苯」有毒化學物質風暴，國際上黃金、原油價格高漲。臺灣在許多悲觀的人之心中，的確充滿層層危機，而產生「受困社會」的某些癥狀；在此情勢下，社會群體遂可能去「尋覓替罪羔羊」或「獵殺女巫」，以發洩其對現實的不滿與不安。 1979年12月10日發生「美麗島事件」（高雄衝突事件）後，衝於提供臺灣社會這處宣洩的缺口，國內輿論情勢所展現的，是一陣舉國配合執政者獵殺美麗島群巫之腥風血雨，形塑「美麗島祭壇」的恐怖氛圍。什麼樣的時代，孕育什麼樣的人民，威權政治下的悲劇，所有的人都可能是共犯結構的一員，未必僅是執政者的專斷。人的言行攤在歷史下，是無所遁形的。「美麗島大逮捕」前後國內輿論情勢之發展，展現了1979年底臺灣各界所呈現的集體意向，也讓人看到了歷史鏡子裡無可否認的過去。

In January 1979, the United States severed its official relationship with ROC, causing Taiwan to face the most serious diplomatic challenges since losing its UN seat to the PRC in 1971. Besides, a polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) toxication incident and an energy crisis occurred in the same year. As a consequence, a pessimistic atmosphere spread all over the whole island-nation. Under such an “impacted society,” ROC citizens began to search for causes or engage in activities so as to express their displeasure with the ruling party. While the Formosa Incident burst out on December 10, 1979, the Taiwanese people found an outlet to unleash their anger and tension. But since the KMT-controlled media continued to dominate public opinion, any anti-government expressions or critical views were scrutinized as “subversive.” Hence, the people's sympathetic attitudes toward the “Formosa Incident” resulted in a renewed reign of terror, which was dubbed as the “Formosa Sacrificial Rites”. Under the circumstances, not only the high official but everyone else could become an “accomplice” during the time of the totalitarian rule. The paper strives to reiterate the gloomy past, reconstruct the “general will” of the Taiwanese people, and analyze the development of public opinion during the 1979 “Formosa Arrest”.