The rich big-business types have far more power to determine the composition of the legislature than the average citizen of Hong Kong in much the same way that the Boer minority in South Africa controlled the political process while the Zulu and the Bantu majority had no power whatsoever.
There’s a very good reason why the pro-Democracy parties tend to have more left-leaning social and economic views than the pro-Beijing parties.
In summary though, I just think it’s bullshit that 35 - 40% of the population stupid enough to support ultra-right-wing pro-dictatorship parties is allowed to rule the 60 - 65% of the more enlightened population that voted for liberal and/or social democracy.
I mean from a purely political standpoint, HK is more democratic now than it was under the British colonial system.
Think about it this way a majority of Americans support the war in Iraq.
If you believe the masses are stupid, might as well adopt the PRC 1 party system, then you wouldn’t have to worry about those minority group that disagree with your views.
The erosion of civil liberties and of press freedom were less of an issue during the years of British rule.
Given the CCP’s totalitarian record, both in its leftist pre-Deng era and its current rightist era, I’d say it’s pretty damn important that the people of Hong Kong have a government capable of protecting, expanding, and consolidating Hong Kong’s civil liberties.
Either way, I’m sure that with Longhair in the legislature, things will start getting better.
I’m optimistic about HK, I think the PRC is really trying to see if it can manage a more politically open society.
The only controversy over the election was the lacking of enough empty ballot boxes and the openning of some ballot boxes to compact the space so that more ballot could be placed into them.
Longhair, now that’s a gadfly if I ever saw/heard/smell one. He’ll definitely make HK politics more like Taiwan politics with his ego. I think he was protesting the ballots, even though he won.
I think all this shows that Chinese are easily bullied. They tried a similar system in Poland, with the result that Solidarity wound up with more than 50 %, in an election which limited them to less than 50 %. (They got something like 99 % of the vote, and were creative enough to coopt some of the “fixed” seats held by third parties.)
Hmmm, if Longhaired Leung ever gets arrested, do you suppose he could emerge sporting a crew-cut? Or would the authorities avoid doing something that might enhance both his support, and his looks? At least I hope somebody buys him another T-shirt, he’s worn the Che one in every picture I’ve seen him in.
As far as “apartheid” goes, for chrissake, where in the world are rich and poor equally powerful?
