ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti, ðə kjˈuːəmˌɪntæŋ, fˈɪɹɪŋ sˌoʊsɪˌɑːpəlˈɪɾɪkəl ɪnstəbˈɪlᵻɾi ænd kˈɑːmjuːnˌɪst ɪnsˈɜːdʒənsi, bɪɡˈæn ɐ fˈoːɹdˈɛkeɪdlˈɔŋ ˌɔːθoːɹɪtˈɛɹiən ɹˈuːl, bɪɡˈɪnɪŋ wɪððə səspˈɛnʃən ʌvðə kˌɑːnstɪtˈuːʃən, wˌɪtʃ ɪŋklˈuːdᵻd ɐ bˈæn ɔnðə fɹˈiː pɹˈɛs.
In 1950, the Kuomintang, fearing sociopolitical instability and communist insurgency, began a four-decade-long authoritarian rule, beginning with the suspension of the constitution, which included a ban on the free press.