Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE)

Understanding Insurgencies and Democracy in Hong Kong

Since the turnover from British colonialism in Hong Kong to Chinese colonialism in 1997, Hong Kongers continue to lack personal influence over what rules govern their region. Deemed a special administrative region, Hong Kong’s government operates directly under China through the “One Country, Two Systems” rule. Thus, under Beijing’s ruling, Hong Kong and China are the same country, but China operates as a communist country and Hong Kong operates as a hybrid regime. Under British colonialism, citizens of Hong Kong began protesting for more political and economic freedom through political insurgencies that flourished under Chinese rule. Despite these protests, Beijing’s firm grasp on Hong Kong’s governmental system remains inflexible to change. This article empirically shows the historical precedents that led to the Umbrella Movement by analyzing the work of historians, political scientists, and journalists. This combination of disciplines yields the best results to address why democracy has not been implemented in Hong Kong and why hope for a democratic Hong Kong remains dismal. The research question is: Why have political insurgencies not brought democracy to Hong Kong? Through an examination of the majority student-led protests, Beijing’s dismissal of democracy, the use of media, insurgencies in Taiwan and the Special Administrative Region of Macau, and the future of Hong Kong; democracy will remain a foreign concept. As a result of Hong Kong’s long history of colonialism under Britain and China, citizens of Hong Kong continue to fight more for an independent political and economic system instead of a democratic society.