TNAG-1014-FCO40-1264-HM-Government-s-responsibility-for-internal-affairs-in-Hong--1981 — Page 21

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機密

social workers) by modern theories, on the role of the news modia in society. Some are influenced also by the underlying feeling that they have not received the rocognition and fair deal

There is a tendancy therefore they deserve from the Government. for them to be suspicious and critical or Government policies and to slant their reports in favour of the pressure groups, many of whose members are after all their former class-mates.

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Pressure groups generally therefore enjoy considerable advantages over the Governmont in obtaining news coverage for their activitics. There is no reason to believe that there will be any reduction in press interest in pressure groups; indeed coverage of their activities could well increase in the future as now stretagens are being continuously developed. On the other side of the coin, however, continuing coverage of the

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same sort of protests and demonstrations and the same 'spokesmen' saying more or less the same thing tends to become counter- productivo. The public will grow bored and begin to suspect that the motive of the group is to create trouble for its om sake. (There are many examples to support this observation).

Damage done by Pressure Groups

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It is difficult to assess that damage has been done to the stability and well-being of the community by Hong Kong

Such an assessment raises basic questions prossure groups.

To many people, such about the character and needs of society. groups are nothing but a healthy sign of the maturity of the community, especially as most of them were formed in the carly 1970s when the Government itself became increasingly open and

From one responsive and encouraged constructive criticism.

point of view, the groups have helped in focusing attention on social problems, stirring the conscience of the community, even bringing about a quick Government respons, loading to solutions

Their technique of or improvements to Goverment programmes. mass mobilization is regarded by many professionals working in the social welfare field and academics in tertiary education institutos as an integral part of community development, theroby the underprivileged are led to discover their own rights and to strive to improve their quality of life. Special Branch confirm that, while some pressure groups my bo motivated more by self-interest than altruism, their activities have not generally been subversive and they do not soom to have had the effect of subverting the population so far.

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But SCOPG has been tasked with examining the pressure groups more critically and does not fool 1 to see the groups in such a favourable light. It is the potential of pressure groups which is disturbing the possibility of their developing into something more sinister or unleashing forces damaging to the whole community. The activities of pressure groups can encourage a widespread critical and argumentative attitude

In itself not when mocking the Government' is fashionable.

a phenomenon to be afraid of, it nonetheless provides an ideal breeding ground for discontents and trouble-makers; while there is always the danger that any group, no matter how innocent and

/well-meaning

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