林爽文起事（1787∼1788）是清朝臺灣歷史上最大規模的動亂。這動亂由天地會抗拒壓制而引發。本文探討天地會在臺灣的傳播、起事性質、起事者背景、意識形態，以及起事對臺灣發展的影響。清政府要掃除天地會而激發抗爭後，起事也演變成漢族族群械鬥。參加動亂，不管自願還是被迫，包括原籍福建和廣東的，以及各行業。不過，他們缺乏社會意識，而族群情結更阻礙階級意識形成。無論如何，林爽文起事使社會動亂惡化。從一七八七到一八八八年間臺灣有八十八次民變，是一七八六年之前一百零三年間二十七次三倍多。在同樣期間，福佬客家械鬥也從七次增加到四十四次。漳泉兩籍械鬥從一六八三到一七八六年間的四次增加到一七八七到一八七一年間二十二次。但清廷對付動亂的措施卻也有些建設性的效果。簡化移民手續，及開放八里坌港有利臺灣北部的拓展。漢族也利用為平埔族設計的「番屯」制度開墾近山地區。另一方面，清廷獎賞官銜和官職給助平起事的士紳豪族而結為社會權力精英階層。這些擁有特殊地位的。更有權勢施行政治及社會控制而加深臺灣社會統治者和被統治者的分化。

　　　　　The Lin Shuang-wen Rebellion (1787-1788) is generally considered the largest popular disturbance in the history of Taiwan. This paper examines the spread of the Heaven and Earth Society, the composition and ideology of the rebellion, and its impact on the development of Taiwan. The Ch'ing government's attempts to outlaw the Heaven and Earth Society precipitated the initial revolt that soon turned into ethnic strife between the Hakkas and the Hoklos, and among the Hoklos themselves. Hailing from different ancestral places in Fukien and Kwangtung, as well as all walks of life, the rebels did not necessarily join the revolt on their own accord. Regardless of their intention, however, they lacked social consciousness and their involvement in ethnic strife further impeded the formation of class consciousness. Social unrest intensified sharply after 1787 as the rebellion aggravated ethnic enmity and anti-Ch'ing sentiments. From 1787 to 1888, 88 revolts ensued, three times the incidence of 27 from 1683 to 1786. During the same two periods, the incidence of strife between Hakkas and Hoklos increased from seven to 44. Moreover, instances of infighting among the Hoklos grew from four before 1786 to 22 between 1787 and 1871. The Ch'ing government's responses to this surge of disturbances resulted in some unexpected consequences. The simplification of the emigration process and the opening of Pa-li-fen port facilitated the developments of Taiwan, especially its northern region. Han Chinese on the island further capitalized on "the aborigine colonization system" to reclaim the land contiguous to the mountains. Most importantly, the imperial court's policy of bestowing official titles on local leaders who helped put down popular uprisings created power elite "status groups." With this newly invested authority, they in turn enforced political and social control on the local level, further polarizing Taiwanese society in the nineteenth century.