TNAG-2119-FCO40-3025-Future-of-Hong-Kong-general-1990 — Page 50

8

signified that to the Hong Kong Chinese, co-option by the

colonizers was the only means to obtain political status. In

fact, the colonial government had over time instituted a

structure of political mobility for the colonial subjects based

upon political sponsorship from above. 6 Through political co-

option, the Hong Kong government was able to enlist the

collaboration of the Chinese elite in colonial rule. Given the

depoliticization of the Chinese community and its freedom from

serious social conflicts, the acquiescence of the Chinese elites

in colonial domination went a long way to ensure effective colonial

rule.

(4) General consensus on the political system and public

policies. There was a high degree of public acceptance of the

political system and the major policies formulated and implemented by the Hong Kong government, 7 so much so that the

Hong Kong people vociferously demanded their preservation in the

post-1997 arrangements. In particular, government by

consultation, limited involvement of government in social and

economic affairs, a moderate welfare role of government, an

untrammelled capitalist market system, political elitism,

consensus politics and political moderation had become common

understandings in Hong Kong. In such a context, political

radicalism was difficult to nourish. In fact, it was difficult to

6 See Ambrose Yeo-chi King, 'Administrative Absorption of Politics in Hong Kong: Emphasis on the Grassroots Level,' Asian Survey, Vol. 15, No. 5 (May 1972), pp. 422-39; and Lau Siu-kai, Decolonization Without Independence and the Poverty of Political Leaders in Hong Kong (Hong Kong: Hong Kong Institute of Asia- Pacific Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1990), pp. 5-6.