4
It
is relatively low: ie it is very much a private enterprise economy.
is not, from its political situation, a democracy, so that the "back-
wardness" in labour relations which presumably stimulated official
support for the present enquiry is paralleled or complemented by the
absence of a political labour movement. There is a great variety of
organisations of business, employers and workers, but no strong movement
towards their consolidation on class lines such as is generally
characteristic of the industrial political democracies rather the
reverse, indeed: a tendency towards fragmentation and multiplication.
Which equally implies, however, a diversity of viewpoints and interest-
expressions which is probably greater than might be found in many
industrial societies with vastly greater populations.
8.
On the other hand, it is clear that in the last few years a
continuing attempt has been made by the administration (which I for one
have found pretty liberal in spirit) to improve social conditions, often
against considerable resistance from vocal and powerful local vested
interests. One might question whether the pace of advance matches the
relative wealth of Hong Kong and its past and prospective rate of
economic growth (and one might ask again whether the presence of a
labour movement with a socio-economic programme typical of that in
democratic industrial economies would not have accelerated matters).
But one sees little reason to question the genuineness of the
administration's intentions.
9.
-
Social improvement has covered several fields housing,
educational facilities, and so on.
In particular, there have been a
number of modifications (for instance, to introduce severance pay and
protect trade unionists against victimisation) to the originally limited
or restrictive labour legislation: new legislation will increase
compulsory rest days, introduce a statutory week's paid holiday, and
restrict overtime further for young persons. Other legislative amend-
ments are still under process and administrative discussion; I am not
fully informed of the present state of those relating to the revision of
the Trade Union Ordinance, for instance, but if all turn out as forecast
they should remove most of the legal impediments which have been held to
obstruct the formation and conduct of unions in the past. Whether at
this stage they will do much to help overcome the apparent weakness of
trade unionism in Hong Kong is another question.
/10.
However,