The nomination period for the 6th Chief Executive Election ended last Sunday (April 17). The Qualification Review Committee confirmed that the former Chief Secretary for Administration, Li Jiachao, became the only candidate. He was described as "the only candidate supported by the Central Committee". It may be a new chief executive produced under the "one-person mode".
However, there are also many people who criticize that this non-competitive election model is not in line with democratic principles, and they even worry that Hong Kong's future path to democracy has been interrupted.
However, the standard against which this criticism is compared is the idealized democratic vision of Europe and the United States, but ignoring the populism generated in the practice process does not help to improve the quality of governance.
Specifically, what myths exist in European and American democracy?
Part 4 of a series of in-depth reports on "Hong Kong Style Democracy"
The "dual universal suffrage" pursued by the people of Hong Kong with one person, one vote and a low electoral threshold can be said to reduce the democratic system in Europe and the United States to an electoral arrangement in which multiple parties gain political power through competition for votes, and regard the votes in the hands of citizens as the realization of political power. The only way to equality.
At first glance, the "one person, one vote" system seems to be the best solution to protect the lives of citizens, because once a politician fails, citizens can use their votes to overthrow them and select a more preferred candidate for power.
However, European and American democratic forms have their inherent limitations and problems. Unfortunately, Hong Kong society has rarely seriously discussed whether European and American democracy is suitable for Hong Kong society.
Many European and American analysts have pointed out that some local democracies, whether in the face of social disputes and public crises, or in daily social governance and public welfare, are everywhere revealing "national giants" - the phenomenon of state power being suppressed and unable to do so. It enables people to have freedom from "loneliness, poverty, misery, cruelty, and want", and the society is even more "democratic exhaustion".
The competitive electoral politics in Europe and the United States do not properly filter populism.
(Getty Images)
The intrusion of capital on individuals and personal power has made people more dependent on political power.
The picture shows people demonstrating in New York's Financial District in 2009.
(Getty Images)
Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021.
(Getty Images)
What kind of democracy is more applicable to Hong Kong?
(Xinhua News Agency)
For details, please read the 314th issue of "Hong Kong 01" e-Weekly Newsletter (April 25, 2022) "
Breaking the Myth of Democracy in Europe and America and Exploring the Road to Hong Kong's Election
".
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Hong Kong-style democracy series reports:
Hong Kong Style Democracy Part 1 | Breaking through the myths about democracy in Europe and the United States and exploring the road to elections in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Style Democracy II｜Organically combine meritocracy and democratic politics to develop democracy with Hong Kong characteristics
Hong Kong-Style Democracy Part 3｜Why did it go from "return of democracy" to "democratic rejection of the Communist Party" after democratization?
Hong Kong-Style Democracy Four｜The political reform effort was overthrown by a storm of amendments to the traditional pan-democracy and became the biggest loser