government; that power and order are not identical with a straitjacket of doctrine, whether economic or political; that it is possible to reconcile individual liberty-a loose texture of society with the indispensable minimum of organising and authority".
104. I bring those opinions to the task of governing Hong Kong, where the ink of international agreements and the implacable realities of history, geography and economics shape and determine the way in which such views can be applied. That is a fact well understood by men and women in this Territory, better understood by them perhaps than by many of those who would like the people of Hong Kong to be the heroic pawns of their own doubtless well-meaning preconceptions.
105. So the pace of democratisation in Hong Kong is we all know--necessarily constrained. But it is constrained, not stopped dead in its tracks. There are, of course, those who say that whatever may happen elsewhere, Hong Kong doesn't need any further political development. They often make an impressive case. The Territory is already honestly and decently governed. Its economy flourishes. Personal freedoms are extensive by any standards. While I recognise the special nature of Hong Kong's unique historical experience, these arguments are all for standing still.
106. And standing still is not an available option. The Governments of the United Kingdom and China have agreed in the Joint Declaration that democracy should be carried forward with a Legislature constituted entirely by elections. The Basic Law provides for a steady increase in the number of those directly elected to the Legislature. It does not visualise stagnation. What is more, and this was doubtless recognised by those who drafted the Basic Law, the community wants a greater measure of democracy. Whenever the community is asked, that is the answer it gives.
107. Democracy is more than just a philosophical ideal. It is, for instance, an essential element in the pursuit of economic progress. Let me give an example of what I mean. Without the rule of law buttressed by democratic institutions, investors are left unprotected. Without an independent Judiciary enforcing laws democratically enacted, businesses
31
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.