1. Political parties and political participation in Hong Kong
Speaker: Fong Chi Hang, Brian

2. Biography
Lecturer, Division of Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong
Vice Chairman, SynergyNet
Convenor, Communication Group of the Alliance for Universal Suffrage
Part-time Member, Central Policy Unit of HKSAR Government

3. Contents
A theoretical overview of political party and political participation
Political parties and party politics in Hong Kong
Constraints on the development of party politics in Hong Kong
Impacts of underdevelopment of party politics

4. A theoretical overview of political party and political participation

5. Definition of political participation
In political science, political participation is defined as “actions of private citizens seeking to influence or support government and politics” (Milbrath and Goel, 1977).
Different forms of political participation:
- Running for electoral offices
- Organizing and joining political parties
- Forming and joining interest groups / civil society groups
- Casting votes in elections
- Engaging in protests and rallies
- Making phone calls to radio talk shows, Internet mobilization.

6. Political participation in colonial Hong Kong
Political participation is largely affected by the nature of political system and political culture.
In colonial Hong Kong, political participation was very limited because of the closed nature of the colonial governance system and “refugee mentality” of the local population.
The situation has changed since 1980s ……

7. Definition of political party
In political science, a political party is defined as “a group of people that is organized for the purpose of winning government power, by electoral or other means” (Heywood, 2002).

8. Four characteristics of political party
Parties aim to exercise government power by winning government power;
Parties are organized bodies with a formal “card carrying” membership;
Parties typically adopt broad issue focus, addressing each of the major areas of government policy; and
Parties are united by shared political preferences and a general ideological identity.

9. Functions of political party
Representation
Recruitment of political leaders
Policy initiation
Interest articulation and aggregation
Political mobilization and socialization
Organization of government

10. Political parties and party politics in Hong Kong

11. The development of party politics in Hong Kong
The Sino-British negotiations in 1982 – 84
The Beijing democracy movement in 1989
The landslide victory of UDHK in the 1991 Legco election

12. The development of party politics in Hong Kong
Debates over Chris Patten’s constitutional reforms in 1992 – 94
The reorganization of political parties after 1997

13. Hong Kong’s political spectrum
In most of the countries, political parties are distinguished according to their ideological orientation, i.e. the left-right political spectrum.

14. Pro-democracy VS pro-China
Political parties in Hong Kong are not distinguished according to the left-right political spectrum, but are divided into two major camps according to their political positions on:
(1) Democratic development;
(2) Attitudes towards the Beijing and
Hong Kong Governments; and
(3) Political values.

15. Pro-democracy VS pro-China
Position on
Democratic
Development
Attitudes towards
Beijing and
HKSAR
Government
Political values
Major
Political Parties
Pro-
democracy
camp
Advocates early implementation of universal suffrage
Adopts a more critical attitude towards the CPG and the HKSAR Government
Put emphasis on values such as human rights, civil liberty and rule of rule DP CP
LSD
ADPL
Pro-China
Adopts a more conservative approach towards constitutional reform
Enjoys a better relationship with the Chinese and Hong Kong Governments
Stress on values like stability and prosperity with little emphasis on human rights and the rule of law issues
DAB LP

16. Hong Kong’s political spectrum

17. Parties’ different position - Political VS socio-economic issues
法案 / 議案動議 / 議案修訂
(2004 – 2008)
民主黨
公民黨
民建聯
自由黨 表決 結果
普選行政長官
重點：立法會認為2012年適合普選行政長官(動議) 支持 棄權 否決
普選立法會
重點：立法會認為2012年或之前適合以普選方式產生立法會所有議員(動議) 反對
香港電台轉型為「香港公共廣播公司」
重點：促請政府就香港電台未來的角色、定位和發展路向作出檢討，積極研究把香港電台轉型為「香港公共廣播公司」(動議)
棄權 / 沒有 投票
《截取通訊及監察條例草案》
重點：二讀草案 通過
Source: SynergyNet, 2008

18. Parties’ different position - Political VS socio-economic issues
法案 / 議案動議 / 議案修訂
(2004 – 2008)
民主黨
公民黨
民建聯
自由黨 表決 結果
反對開徵商品及服務稅
重點：反對開徵商品及服務稅 (動議) 支持 通過
制定公平競爭法例
重點：促請政府檢討現行公平競爭政策，研究制定公平競爭法例的可行性，以保障香港的營商環境(動議) 反對 否決
最低工資、最高工時
重點：促請政府落實最低工資、最高工時(動議)
Source: SynergyNet, 2008

19. Constraints on the development of party politics in Hong Kong

20. Major obstacles on party development
The CPG’s anti-party stance
The existence of Functional Constituency seats in the Legco
Effect of the proportional representation electoral system
Abolition of the Municipal Councils
Restrictions on the power of Legislative Council after 1997
Hong Kong people’s skepticism about partisan politics

21. The CPG’s anti-party stance
The CPG does not want to see the formation of a governing party.
Rather, the CPG is more inclined to a bipartisan Chief Executive who brokers interests between various local political forces.

22. The existence of Functional Constituency seats in the Legco
Half of the seats in the Legco are elected by FC with very narrow franchise.
Number of independents Legislative Councillors DP 19 13 12 9
DAB 6 LP 10 8 CP -
Other pro-democracy groups 5 4
Other pro-China groups 7 3
Independents 16 18
Source: Ma, 2007

23. The existence of Functional Constituency seats in the Legco
The FC systems provides good protection to the business sector and hinders the development of pro-business parties.

24. Effect of the proportional representation electoral system
Fighting for higher positions on the party list under the PR system.
Encouraged independents to run and large parties to split lists.
It weakens the solidarity and centralization of political parties.

25. Abolition of the Municipal Councils
Before 1997: three levels of councils (District Boards, Municipal Councils and Legco)
After 1997: two levels of councils (District Councils and Legco)
This created a big gap in upward mobility for party politicians.

26. Restrictions on the power of Legislative Council after 1997
Article 74 of the Basic Law
The voting-by-group system

27. Restrictions on the power of Legislative Council after 1997
Declining number of private member’s bills
Composition
Private member’s bill proposed 53 12 9
Private member’s bill passed 26
Private member’s bill success rate
49.1%
100%
Source: Ma, 2007

28. Restrictions on the power of Legislative Council after 1997
Private members’ bills passed in
Source: SynergyNet, 2008

29. Restrictions on the power of Legislative Council after 1997
Declining success rates of member’s bill amendments
Composition
Members’ amendment proposed
219
138
102 46
Members’ amendment passed
136 98 15 5
Members’ amendment success rate
62.1%
71%
14.7%
10.9%
Source: Ma, 2007

30. Restrictions on the power of Legislative Council after 1997
Number of motions rejected under voting-by-group system in
Legco term
Number of Motions Tabled
Number of Motions Rejected
Rejecting Rate 59 11
16.9% 58 12
20.7% 56
19.6% 36 4
11.1%
Source: SynergyNet, 2008

31. Hong Kong people’s skepticism about partisan politics
Hong Kong people remain skeptical about party politics and the term “political party” carries negative connotations in people’s minds.
Source: Lingnan University, 2009

32. Impacts of underdevelopment of party politics
Problems in governance:
The lack of governing party in Hong Kong points to the fact that the HKSAR Government has no effective political machine to engineer social support for its policy programmes.
Problems in recruitment of political leaders:
Local parties are less effective in training and recruiting political talents.

33. Summary of the lecture
Political party is a group of people that is organized for the purpose of winning government power.
Political parties in Hong Kong are divided into two major camps according to their political positions on democratic development and attitudes towards the Beijing and Hong Kong Governments.

34. Summary of the lecture
Party development in Hong Kong is hindered by a number of factors, including the CPG’s anti-party stance, people’s skepticism about partisan politics and the undemocratic nature of Hong Kong’s political system.
Underdevelopment of political parties has already brought about negative impacts on Hong Kong’s political development and governance.

35. Further reading