The Impact of Mainland China's Economic Growth on Hong Kong's Demand for Democracy

1. Team Promise Ivy Lam • Jake Lau • Linda Lau • Sandy Chan

2. Agenda 1. Current Economic Situation 2. Current Political Situation 3. The Results 4. Conclusions

3. Assumptions: Pro-Democratic • General Public • Students • Academics • Business People • Political Leaders

4. Purpose • Question at Hand: Does the growth of economic prosperity in mainland China affect Hong Kong’s demand for democracy? • Key Issues: • Future employment, opportunities, government

5. Research Methods • Archival Research- existing data sources • Expert Interviews (Emily Lau, Long Hair, Professor Ahlstrom, Kevin Lee, Arthur Lau, Professor Chi Lee) • Focus groups (Kevin Lee, Arthur Lau) • Direct observation (City Forum—Sunday Public Political Forum) • Questionnaire Survey

6. Progress Diagram Hypothesis/ Purpose Data Collection/ Research Conclusions • Field Research • Expert Interviews • Focus Groups • Direct Observation • Assumptions • Archival Research • Reflection • Compile data

7. Current Economic Situation • Mainland China • Shift from State-owned enterprises to private investment • Expanding role of foreign enterprises in China • Expanding middle class • Internal generation and containment of intellectual capital • Hong Kong • SARS 2003, Financial Crisis • Opportunities within Hong Kong may be limited

8. Current Political Situation Demand for Democracy • Hong Kong • Push towards a more democratic future • Effort is not newbegan in the early 1980’s • Mainland • Demand for democracy is suppressed • Many do not even know what democracy is

9. THE RESULTS:ECONOMIC HOPES vs. DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS 5 CATEGORIES Hong Kong Business Leaders Political Leaders Academics Civil Society Students General Public

10. HK’s General Public • Less educated(46% enter Secondary 1st school, while only 5% continue to Matriculation) • 7% college degree • Polarized views • Pro-Beijing • Pro Democracy • Indifferent (majority)

11. Students Two Primary Viewpoints: • Indifference • Pro-Democratic General Sentiment: • Futility • What causes the feeling of futility? • The offices that really matter are voted on by minority group anyway • “Closet Activists”

12. Academics General Sentiment: • HK people are slowly emerging from political apathy • HK people are participators in politics, but NOT activists • Demonstrations • Society is uniform, afraid • People fear breaking away from the pack

13. Business Leaders • Entrepreneurs, Factory owners, Bankers, Small Business Owners • Business cannot afford to be opinionated • Less concerned with politics • Pursuit of economic opportunities • Business must be adaptive • Economic opportunity is paramount to democracy

14. Political Leaders Pro-Democratic - Emily Lau Wai -Hing The Frontier, Legislative Councilor - Leung Kwok Hung, Long Hair April 5 Action, Legislative Councilor - Wu Chi Wai Democratic Party, Wong Tai Sin District Councilor Pro-Beijing • Propagandas, newspaper articles, TV talk shows

15. Political Leaders (Pro-Democratic) --- Increasing social and democratic awareness undoubtedly --- Some local people are realistic Demonstrate realistically and selectively: One may join demonstrations one day and redraw on the day after --- Larger participation in Demonstrations: most powerful tool to voice out their grievances towards current gov’t and economic situations altogether e.g. Abolished Article 23 by July 1 Demonstration, 2003

16. Political Leaders (Pro-democratic) - Disagree that HK relies much on mainland economically CEPA: useless HK --- Largest investor in Pearl Delta River --- One of world’s largest cities (EL: goose which can lay golden eggs)  X begging for economic gifts Stand firm for the universal suffrage, larger say and participation in gov’t

17. Political Leaders (Pro-Beijing) • e.g. Tsang Yuk Sing - Doubt HK people sense of democracy • Universal suffrage: step by step, following guidance given by the Central gov’t as to work out a harmonic HK through negotiations and discussions - Demonstrations: unpatriotic political leaders try to win seats, by creating chaos (threat to social harmony)

18. Political Leaders (Pro-Beijing) - HK is economically tied with mainland (motherland) closely -- appreciate efforts of central gov’t in recovering local economy -- solve socio-economic problems first (instead of making unrealistic pursuits, unreasonable demands)

19. Conclusions • Uniformity, Indifference, FEAR • Who wins?! ECONOMY vs. Democracy • Economic promise wins: Taiwan, HK • Over time, HK civil society will emerge from apathy (July 1st demonstrations) • As more become educated, demand for true democracy will increase • Change takes time

20. WHY SUCH “APATHY”?! Uniformity Fear Apathy APATHY Futility TEXT Education