Democratic fundamentalism in Hong Kong

On the Chinese mainland, there are some people who are anxious for systematic change, and their opposition to the current system also smacks of democratic fundamentalism. They believe that China should immediately hold multi-party elections, and they look at street politics in Taiwan and Hong Kong in an excessively idealistic and romantic way.

Research has demonstrated that the development of democratic politics is based on the development of the relevant society and economy, and that democracy is concrete and always in progress.

Street politics and youth politics have a strong appeal, but they are often stuck in a single mindset and cannot see the complexities of political development and construction. Social movements that wave a colorful flag or chant a catchy slogan often develop into movements in which the majority's opinion is hijacked by a radical minority.

Democratic practices in Latin America have also demonstrated that democracy comes through order. A reversal of the current order, namely, a nation-wide general election, is not plausible. The degradation caused from the Arab Spring to the Arab Winter in the Middle East and North Africa shows that radical democratic movements will not bring democracy, but will instead bring political chaos.

"Occupy Central" does have democratic values, but whether the movement will bring democratic victory is far from clear. On the contrary, we need to seriously consider whether it will ultimately expand the gap in Hong Kong society and impact the city's economic competitiveness, social order, and people's well-being.

The writer is an associate professor of Contemporary Chinese Studies and Politics at the University of Nottingham, and at the same time serves as a senior fellow and deputy director of the China Policy Institute of the University's School of Contemporary Chinese Studies.

The article was translated by Zhang Lulu. Its original unabridged version was published in Chinese.