The Political, Economic and Social Causes of Hong Kong Protests

Abstract

In recent years, Hong Kong has evidenced the waves of protests demanding the rights and freedom. In the city that enjoys almost full employment and high per capita GDP, what made the citizens risk their citys own prospects and throng the streets? The paper examines the key reasons of the Hong Kong protests in 2014 (The Umbrella Movement) and 2019 (Anti-extradition bill protests) with the background, occurrences, and consequences of the two protests. The 2014 protest demanded the right to democratically elect their next chief executive from among candidates nominated through open and fair processes, rather than the proposed undemocratic selection process. The proximate cause of the 2019 protest is the introduction of Extradition Bill and people marched in support of five demands. The movements were under the leadership of Hong Kong youth and rather organic than organized, inherently loose in structure. Digital media and internet technology were widely used in the movement, served as a platform for circulating information and participating in the movement and allowed for the rapid deployment of protestors. Slogans in both protests have mobilized diverse cultural and historical and portrayed Hong Kongs distinctiveness reinforcing a sense of cultural community among the population. These social movements can be interpreted as the result of the ambiguous institutional framework. One Country, Two System principle is conflict-prone because the relationship between one country and two system is paradoxical. Pursuing one country may diminish the value of two system whereas reinforcing two system would weaken one country. The foundation of one country should be maintained while respecting the difference of two systems. Yet, the institutional framework does not specify how much of the difference be acknowledged, and how strong the foundation be emphasized. Peoples lack of confidence in the central and local government were the deep-rooted cause of the protest movements. In the absence of a trusting relationship with the central government, people believed that the amendments were designed for the motherlands effective control over Hong Kong. The irresponsiveness of the local government and its strategy to use police force and emergency law only escalated peoples anger. They were also underpinned by the general overheated dissatisfaction towards Mainland control and Mainland Chinese who challenge locals for the jobs, properties and many other resources. Many young protesters are frustrated by the low upward mobility, narrowing job prospects and rising living expenses that they believe the government and Mainland Chinese are responsible for. Moreover, the Hong Kong government was lenient and limited in nation-building process in Hong Kong citizens, which led to the failure in the process of building a countrywide Chinese identity. The protests represent Hong Kongs fight for a democratic political system and the struggle for genuine democracy in Hong Kong. When One Country was forced over Two Systems in political, social and economic sphere and waned the citys uniqueness and core values, Hong Kong citizens took to the streets demanding their rights and freedom.

이 논문은 2014년, 2019년 홍콩 시위의 발생 원인과 특징을 분석하였다. 홍콩시위는 중국의 홍콩에 대한 일국(一國)의 강조에 반하여 정치적, 경제적, 사회문화적 양제(兩制)의 존중을 외치는 홍콩시민들의 요구에서 발생하였다. 2019년 홍콩 시위는 2014년 홍콩 시위와 비교하여 그 규모와 범위가 확대되었으며 캠페인과 슬로건, 미디어의 사용의 방법이 세분화되고 다양화되었다. 반면 강력한 리더십이 부재(不在)하며 유기적이라는 공통점을 보인다. 홍콩 시위의 직접적인 배경은 일국을 확대하는 중앙과 홍콩 정부의 정책의 추진이나, 그 본질은 중앙정부에 대한 불신과 비소통적인 홍콩정부에 대한 실망과 분노에서 비롯된 것이다. 또한 빈부격차, 불평등, 제한적 상승이동(upward mobility)의 기회 등 경제적 요인과 국가건설(nation-building)의 결여 및 약한 국민 일체감 (national identity), 對중국 사회경제적 통합(convergence)에 대한 반감 등 사회문화적 배경이 복합적으로 작용했다고 할 수 있다. 일국양제는 홍콩의 회귀를 자연스럽게 이끌었지만 역설적으로 대륙과의 국민통합을 위한 정책 실현의 걸림돌이 되었으며 중국에 대한 반감과 홍콩의 자주성(local identity)을 형성하는 원인이 되었다. 그런 이유에서 홍콩 시위는 일국이 확대되고 양제가 제한될 때 필연적으로 발생하였다고 평가한다.