The Role Of Citizen Political Participation In Hong Kong And Singapore

The Role of Citizen Political Participation in Hong Kong and Singapore

Both Hong Kong and Singapore are city states that traditionally have lacked broad political participation, instead political decisions were left up to a small group of leaders. Historical factors were critical in determining the role of political participation in both city states. Hong Kong's history of colonial rule and the strength of the People's Action Party (PAP) in Singapore acted to keep broad citizen participation in government to a minimum.

Hong Kong after World War Two remained a colony of England and it's government remained under colonial rule. Unlike in other Asian nations such as

Singapore their existed no major anti-colonial movement and the Colonial government was insulated from political pressure because many residents and immigrants from China appreciated the commercial opportunities that Hong Kong had to offer and were afraid that if England gave up control of Hong Kong the small state would be over run by the newly established and expansionist communist China to the north. During the years immediately after 1949 China was expanding, taking over Tibet and Mongolia; Hong Kong's feeling of insecurity was very real. The Colonial government did in subsequent years establish Hong Kong's

Legislative Council and Executive council, and the Colonial government appointed prominent and respected local Chinese citizens to serve on these bodies. These councils although far from democratic did ensure that the Chinese citizenry would at least have representatives to express their pleasure or displeasure with the colonial administration. But these representatives lacked any real power and served only at the pleasure of the Colonial administration. The government of Hong Kong was administered and run by the English Foreign service officers that flocked to Hong Kong, the last vestige of English Empire. In Hong

Kong it really was the English that ruled not the Chinese public.

In Singapore following the end of World War Two a single political party came into power in Singapore, the People's Action Party which was a strongly anti-colonial left wing party was a made up of communists and more moderate socialists. After independence Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and his allies were able to steer the party away from communism and toward a more moderate stance.

The People's Action Party tolerated dissent and other political parties because

Lee Kuan Yew felt he had a solid political base. The PAP so dominated politics that no other political party emerged in Singapore as a strong force. In the democratically held elections in Singapore the PAP always won by large majorities. The greatest blow came to the PAP in 1984 when the opposition won