TNAG-0328-FCO40-364-Activities-of-New-Left-groups-amongst-students-and-youth-of--1973 — Page 98

G.F. 323 0003230

CONFIDENTIAL

-5-

Group G: School drop-outs and others

11.

In this category are many young people who are rather disillusioned with society and who can easily be influenced by almost any agitator. For the majority the disillusionment does not seem to last long. There is a small minority which is rather bitter and who are generally secondary school drop-outs who have ended up as shop assistants, messengers, factory workers, etc. To these must be added those youths who have not gone beyond the primary school level and who are roaming about without any regular employment. These young people have not taken root in society, and have no sense of career. Some of them form the volatile element present in many civil disturbances. Young people in this category do not normally have a positive outlook of their own, which makes them all the more susceptible to influence by radical elements in any campaign for reform. Bearing in mind the very large number of school drop-outs every year at both the secondary and the primary levels, the trouble potential from this group cannot be over-emphasised.

General Observations

12.

So far it is possible to discern two broad motivations at work amongst Chinese youth, namely:

(a)

a growing awareness that the gulf between the rich and the poor shows no signs of narrowing, and a growing conviction that there is genuine social inequality in Hong Kong; and

(b) growing patriotic sentiments.

With China

re-appearing to play an active role in the field of international diplomacy, it can be expected that 'united front' work will be stepped up towards the local Chinese intelligentsia many of whom are as yet uncommitted.

CONFIDENTIAL