Characteristics and Development of HK's Political System (1900-1941)

Absorption of Chinese elite into Executive and Legislative Councils

Chow Shouson 周壽臣: mediator of Guangdong-Hong Kong General Strike 省港大罷工, appointed as the first Chinese unofficial member of ExCo; Wu Tingfang 伍廷芳 as the first Chinese unofficial member of LegCo; Robert Hotung 何東, Wei Yuk 韋玉, etc. …

Rising political influence of Chinese associations

Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, Po Leung Kuk actively assisted government in carrying out welfare programmes; offered political assistance to government (e.g. TWGHs’ Chinese merchants’ meeting in opposition to Seamen’s Strike 海員大罷工; TWGHs and PLK set up a mediation committee against the Guangdong-Hong Kong General Strike); Heung Yee Kuk served as a communication channel between government and inhabitants in N.T.

Discrimination against Chinese

Peak District Reservation Ordinance 山頂區保留條例 (1904) forbade local Chinese to reside in the Peak District; English was adopted as the sole official language

Adopting conciliatory measures towards Chinese

Chinese traditions and customs were preserved (e.g. setting off firecrackers in N.T. during Lunar New Year)

China factor in the development of this period

Seamen’s Strike, Guangdong-Hong Kong General Strike showed that the grassroots lived a hard life→carried out both oppressive and conciliatory measures to lower anti-British sentiment

Having Governor as the core of government

Letters Patent 英皇制誥, Royal Instructions 皇室訓令 guaranteed Governor's highest ruling power in HK; head of Government Secretariat, Exco and Legco, had the right to appoint and dismiss members in 2 councils, and served as nominal Commander-in-Chief 名義上的總司令 of HK British Force; enjoyed legislative, executive, military, and certain judicial powers

Utilizing an appointment system

all members of Exco and Legco were appointed by Governor (e.g. high ranking officials)→ ensured all government decisions would be smoothly carried out

Having an executive-led government

government was led by executive branch; government secretariat made and proposed all policies and bills