Repositioning the Hong Kong government: Social foundations and political challenges

The relationship between government and society in Hong Kong has become an intensely debated topic as the complexities of governance grow and the old strategies of consensus building without genuine public participation fail to satisfy. Lacking democratic credentials, the Hong Kong SAR government finds itself more and more limited in its capacity to implement policies and less able to rely on traditional allies. A society dissatisfied with old forms of governance has become ever more ready to mobilize itself outside of the formal political structures. This collection by leading scholars examines the Hong Kong government's efforts to reposition itself in the economy and society under the pressures of globalization, economic and political restructuring and the rise of civil society. Drawing on changing theoretical conceptions of state, market and citizenship, Repositioning the Hong Kong Government offers new interpretations of the problems of governance in Hong Kong and puts forward positive suggestions for resolving them. Repositioning the Hong Kong Government will be essential reading for scholars, students and policy-makers with an interest in Hong Kong society and politics, and to scholars of East Asian societies, globalization, and state-society relations. Copyright © 2012 Hong Kong University Press.