The Role Of Citizen Political Participation In Hong Kong And Singapore :: essays research papers

The Role of Citizen Political Participation in Hong Kong and capital of capital of capital of SingaporeBoth Hong Kong and Singapore are metropolis states that traditionally take holdlacked broad semipolitical participation, instead political decisions were left upto a small group of leaders. Historical factors were critical in determining therole of political participation in both city states. Hong Kongs history of colonial rule and the strength of the Peoples do Party (PAP) in Singaporeacted to keep broad citizen participation in political relation to a minimum.Hong Kong later World War Two remained a colony of England and itsgovernment remained under colonial rule. Unlike in other Asian nations such asSingapore their existed no major anti-colonial movement and the Colonialgovernment was insulated from political pressure because umteen residents andimmigrants from chinaware appreciated the commercial opportunities that Hong Konghad to offer and were afraid that if England g ave up witness of Hong Kong thesmall state would be over figure out by the newly schematic and expansionistcommunist China to the north. During the years immediately after 1949 China wasexpanding, taking over Tibet and Mongolia Hong Kongs feeling of insecurity wasvery received. The Colonial government did in subsequent years establish Hong KongsLegislative Council and Executive council, and the Colonial government appointedprominent and respected local Chinese citizens to serve on these bodies. Thesecouncils although faraway from democratic did ensure that the Chinese citizenrywould at least have representatives to express their pleasure or displeasurewith the colonial administration. But these representatives lacked any realpower and served only at the pleasure of the Colonial administration. Thegovernment of Hong Kong was administered and run by the English Foreign serviceofficers that flocked to Hong Kong, the last vestige of English Empire. In HongKong it really was the Eng lish that ruled not the Chinese public.In Singapore following the end of World War Two a single political partycame into power in Singapore, the Peoples Action Party which was a potentlyanti-colonial left wing party was a made up of communists and more keep backsocialists. After independence Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and his allies were fitted to steer the party away from communism and toward a more moderate stance.The Peoples Action Party tolerated dissent and other political parties becauseLee Kuan Yew felt he had a solid political base. The PAP so dominated politicsthat no other political party emerged in Singapore as a strong force. In thedemocratically held elections in Singapore the PAP always win by largemajorities. The greatest blow came to the PAP in 1984 when the reverse wonThe Role Of Citizen Political Participation In Hong Kong And Singapore essays research paper The Role of Citizen Political Participation in Hong Kong and SingaporeBoth Hong Kong and Singapore are city states that traditionally havelacked broad political participation, instead political decisions were left upto a small group of leaders. Historical factors were critical in determining therole of political participation in both city states. Hong Kongs history ofcolonial rule and the strength of the Peoples Action Party (PAP) in Singaporeacted to keep broad citizen participation in government to a minimum.Hong Kong after World War Two remained a colony of England and itsgovernment remained under colonial rule. Unlike in other Asian nations such asSingapore their existed no major anti-colonial movement and the Colonialgovernment was insulated from political pressure because many residents andimmigrants from China appreciated the commercial opportunities that Hong Konghad to offer and were afraid that if England gave up control of Hong Kong thesmall state would be over run by the newly established and expansionistcommunist China to the north. During the years immediately after 1949 China wasexpanding, taking over Tibet and Mongolia Hong Kongs feeling of insecurity wasvery real. The Colonial government did in subsequent years establish Hong KongsLegislative Council and Executive council, and the Colonial government appointedprominent and respected local Chinese citizens to serve on these bodies. Thesecouncils although far from democratic did ensure that the Chinese citizenrywould at least have representatives to express their pleasure or displeasurewith the colonial administration. But these representatives lacked any realpower and served only at the pleasure of the Colonial administration. Thegovernment of Hong Kong was administered and run by the English Foreign serviceofficers that flocked to Hong Kong, the last vestige of English Empire. In HongKong it really was the English that ruled not the Chinese public.In Singapore following the end of World War Two a single political partycame into power in Singapore, the Peoples Action Party which was a strong lyanti-colonial left wing party was a made up of communists and more moderatesocialists. After independence Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and his allies wereable to steer the party away from communism and toward a more moderate stance.The Peoples Action Party tolerated dissent and other political parties becauseLee Kuan Yew felt he had a solid political base. The PAP so dominated politicsthat no other political party emerged in Singapore as a strong force. In thedemocratically held elections in Singapore the PAP always won by largemajorities. The greatest blow came to the PAP in 1984 when the opposition won