34.
The Attitudes of Hong Kong Workers
49-48.
This brings us to our second possibility: that the
weakness of trade unionism and collective pressure for social
reform in Hong Kong arises from the specific attitudes of employees
The detailed answers to this question are conveyed
themselves.
by the two surveys, first of factory workers and then of employees
generally, which we undertook. Dr. Fosh's summary report on the
first is attached as Appendix B; if, as I hope, at least the general
results of the second are available in computer-calculated form and
in time (notwithstanding certain apparent current difficulties in
their official transmission to Hong Kong) these will be attached as
Appendix C.*
649.
Summarily, however, the picture drawn by these surveys
appears, on the whole, to have no great correspondence to the
stereotype first presented to us of an almost pure "economic man",
individualistic and anti-collective except in respect of his
family associations. 85% of our factory workers, for instance, were
not refugees but reared in Hong Kong or Kowloon. Their ambitions for
themselves were limited and realistic; over 40% expected to be doing
much the same kind of job in 5 years' time and only 5 considered sett.
ing up their own business as a possible short-term objective -
though a third of them had some ultimate hope of independence as an
ideal. Their aspirations for their children were, however, high;
and they were prepared to make considerable personal sacrifice in
supporting them for post-primary education.
150.
Income had been the biggest single factor in their job choice,
but they regarded security and future prospects as in combination
equally important. They did not regard the presence of either
relatives and friends or (significantly) trade union organisation as
communicatons through F.C.O. seem somewhat unpredict-
They are not:
able
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