The Role Of Citizen Political Participation In Hong Kong And Singapore
...Hong Kong and Singapore are city states that traditionally have
lacked broad political participation, instead political decisions were left up
to a small group of leaders. Historical factors were critical in determining the
role of political participation in both city states. Hong Kong's history of
colonial rule and the strength of the People's Action Party (PAP) in Singapore
acted to keep broad citizen participation in government to a minimum.
Hong Kong after World War Two remained a colony of England and it's
government remained under colonial rule. Unlike in other Asian nations such as
Singapore their existed no major anti-colonial movement and the Colonial
government was insulated from political pressure because many residents and
immigrants from China appreciated the commercial opportunities that Hong Kong
had to offer and were afraid that if England gave up control of Hong Kong the
small state would be over run by the newly established and expansionist
communist China to the north. During the years immediately after 1949 China was
expanding, taking over Tibet and Mongolia; Hong Kong's feeling of insecurity was
very real. The Colonial government did in subsequent years establish Hong Kong's
Legislative Council and Executive council, and the Colonial government appointed
prominent and respected local Chinese citizens to serve on these bodies. These
councils although far from democratic did ensure that the Chinese citizenry
would at least have representatives to express their pleasure or displeasure
with the colonial administration. But these representatives lacked any real
power and served only at the pleasure of the Colonial administration. The
government of Hong Kong was administered and run by the English Foreign...
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