So now we approach the solstice and our days are growing short, the year draws to an end. In this season, I always find myself reflecting on the year that is passing away.
Six months ago this week, as our hemisphere reached out toward the sun, I was brooding about Hong Kong. The British were about to end a tenure of a century and a half and editorial writers everywhere, myself included, were filled with apprehension for the fate of the four million Hong Kongese once the People’s Republic of China took over. Most of the many stories closed with a wait-and-see attitude. Six months later, I’ve done a fair amount of waiting and very little seeing.
Then – the news media was caught up in the throes of “event journalism.” The British, in their fancy uniforms, were hauling down the last colonial flags, but there was not much happening of news value. That would come later. But, as is so often the case with event journalism, by the time things start happening, attention has shifted elsewhere.
I went to the library this week and scanned the issues of major new magazines for the past six months, looking for a word about Hong Kong. Aside from mentions of the Hang Seng, Hong Kong’s stock market, I found exactly two articles, both in the Economist. One was eight paragraphs long, the other four. Desperate, I checked the New York Times and found two more articles.
What news I could find was not encouraging. When Beijing took over in July, Hong Kong’s democratically-elected legislature was disbanded and replaced by a provisional legislature, appointed by the People’s Republic. The provisional legislature is to be replaced by elections in May. In September, Hong Kong’s chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa proposed, and the provisional legislature endorsed, shrinking Hong Kong’s electorate from 2.7 million to 180,000. That’s more than 90 percent of the electorate which will not have a voice in Hong Kong’s future.
Half of the seats in the new legislature – 30 out of 60 – will not be voted on by even the greatly reduced electorate. That half will be elected by what are called functional constituencies. These legislators will be appointed by Hong Kong’s businesses and professionals. There will be legislators directly representing insurance companies, lawyers and banking. Let’s hope this doesn’t catch on in the U.S. Congress.
Controlling the legislature by using functional constituencies is a smooth move by Beijing. Functional constituencies were introduced to China by western imperial powers in Shanghai and Hong Kong in the 18th century as a method of denying political power to the local Chinese while maintaining a mask of propriety. It seems the People’s Republic has adopted the denigrating tactics of colonialism for its own purposes and now dares the west to call foul.
There are no fancy uniforms or marching bands to greet this news – there were no cover stories in the U.S. media. I had to do some digging to learn that the people of Hong Kong are losing their democracy – but it is news and if I have not misread history, it is bad news.
Twenty People, One Vote
So now we approach the solstice and our days are growing short, the year draws to an end. In this season, I always find myself reflecting on the year that is passing away.
Six months ago this week, as our hemisphere reached out toward the sun, I was brooding about Hong Kong. The British were about to end a tenure of a century and a half and editorial writers everywhere, myself included, were filled with apprehension for the fate of the four million Hong Kongese once the People’s Republic of China took over. Most of the many stories closed with a wait-and-see attitude. Six months later, I’ve done a fair amount of waiting and very little seeing.
Then – the news media was caught up in the throes of “event journalism.” The British, in their fancy uniforms, were hauling down the last colonial flags, but there was not much happening of news value. That would come later. But, as is so often the case with event journalism, by the time things start happening, attention has shifted elsewhere.
I went to the library this week and scanned the issues of major new magazines for the past six months, looking for a word about Hong Kong. Aside from mentions of the Hang Seng, Hong Kong’s stock market, I found exactly two articles, both in the Economist. One was eight paragraphs long, the other four. Desperate, I checked the New York Times and found two more articles.
What news I could find was not encouraging. When Beijing took over in July, Hong Kong’s democratically-elected legislature was disbanded and replaced by a provisional legislature, appointed by the People’s Republic. The provisional legislature is to be replaced by elections in May. In September, Hong Kong’s chief executive, Tung Chee-hwa proposed, and the provisional legislature endorsed, shrinking Hong Kong’s electorate from 2.7 million to 180,000. That’s more than 90 percent of the electorate which will not have a voice in Hong Kong’s future.
Half of the seats in the new legislature – 30 out of 60 – will not be voted on by even the greatly reduced electorate. That half will be elected by what are called functional constituencies. These legislators will be appointed by Hong Kong’s businesses and professionals. There will be legislators directly representing insurance companies, lawyers and banking. Let’s hope this doesn’t catch on in the U.S. Congress.
Controlling the legislature by using functional constituencies is a smooth move by Beijing. Functional constituencies were introduced to China by western imperial powers in Shanghai and Hong Kong in the 18th century as a method of denying political power to the local Chinese while maintaining a mask of propriety. It seems the People’s Republic has adopted the denigrating tactics of colonialism for its own purposes and now dares the west to call foul.
There are no fancy uniforms or marching bands to greet this news – there were no cover stories in the U.S. media. I had to do some digging to learn that the people of Hong Kong are losing their democracy – but it is news and if I have not misread history, it is bad news.
(c) Mark Floegel, 1997