TNAG-2217-FCO40-3184-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1991 — Page 87

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THE PROBLEM OF 'UNGOVERNABILITY' IN THE TWILIGHT

OF COLONIAL RULE: THE CASE OF HONG KONG

Until the eruption of the 1997 issue, which spells the

scheduled termination of colonial rule, Britain had been able to

maintain stable and effective governance in Hong Kong. What is

most extraordinary is that colonial rule was not even disturbed

amid the feverish worldwide anti-colonial torrent in the

immediate aftermath of the Second World War. The tenacity and

endurance of colonial rule in Hong Kong can only partially be

attributed to the political ability and adaptability of the

colonial administrators.1 It is in fact a fortuitous

constellation of favorable conditions which have made effective

colonial governance possible, especially in the post-war period.

These conditions together have endowed the colonial government

with a decent degree of political legitimacy, making colonial

rule generally acceptable to the people of Hong Kong. The

'popularity' of colonial rule can be gauged by the fact that the

Hong Kong Chinese prefer it to rule by their socialist

motherland.

As it is an inalterable fact that China is going to resume

sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997, the people of the territory

suddenly realize that their colonial masters are compelled to

quit the place in due course and will not be able to act as the

1 See for example Ian Scott, Political Change and the Crisis of Legitimacy in Hong Kong (Hong Kong: Oxford University Press, 1989).