TNAG-0328-FCO40-364-Activities-of-New-Left-groups-amongst-students-and-youth-of--1973 — Page 52

CONFIDENTIAL

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This is a very old C'ist thema and hard to refute when the MK. Gast

would not spend welfare schemes. Unter Sw M. Machchose the Situation should improve

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no doubt affected by television, people's

expectations rose disproportionately.

Young

people became readier to take a critical

interest in social and political problems.

One communist theme which appears to have been

influential is that budget surpluses are not

spent for the benefit of the local people because

Hong Kong is obliged to send large sums of money

to bolster up the British economy.

Linked with

growing affluence there has been a breakdown of

family and clan ties, which has given the young

a feeling of alienation. This is exacerbated by

the approach of 1997 and the uncertain future.

The young, who expect to live the prime of their

lives under whatever power is in China in the

1990's, thus feel resentful at what they regard

as the inferior position in Hong Kong of the

Chinese and the Chinese language. This feeling,

linked with Chinese patriotic sentiments, is

likely to develop.

Criticisms

The movement's general line is an anti-Colonial

one, claiming that Colonial rule produces