Bulletin Spring‧Summer 1997

highlights of RGC-funded Projects government that consults public opinion rather than one that is popularly elected. Accordingly, democratic r e f o rm as envisaged by many people is basically the improvement of the existing system rather than a drastic departure from it. Traditionalistic Concept of Good Government Hong Kong people's concept of good government is also quite traditionalistic, as the survey results reveal. They tend to regard as ideal a paternalistically authoritarian government, one that will intervene in social and economic affairs on their behalf. Amidst the shadows of traditionalism, transformations i n po l i t i cal values can be detected. There is an obvious desire for a greater say in public affairs. Most respondents were u nw i l l i ng to see a government w i t h paramount and unchallenged authority. They were also skeptical of the colonial government's sincerity and competence in safeguarding the territory's interests vis-a-vis that of the British and Chinese governments. These transformations show that expectations of government functions have been changing as 1997 approaches. The government's performance is increasingly j udged by its response to public demand for greater political say. Origins of Conservatism The legitimacy enjoyed by the colonial regime sets Hong Kong fundamentally apart from other colonies. The idea of democracy has only shallow roots in the minds of Hong Kong Chinese. What are the underlying reasons? Utilitarianism Prevails One reason may be that in Hong Kong the colonizers established themselves before the arrival of the colonized, which greatly reduced the latter's propensity for anti- colonial sentiments. And although Hong Kong people are deprived of political power, they are amply compensated for through the unfettered freedom to make money under a generally fair legal system. The government's efforts at p r omo t i ng economic development are also appreciated by the public. There is therefore sufficient coincidence of interests between the colonial regime and its subjects to ensure that the colonial status of Hong Kong is not threatened from within. Anti-colonial sentiments quite often spring from a sense of shame shared by A Political Culture Unique to Hong Kong 29