Series Of Hong Kong Mainland Conflict Media Essay

In 2012 to 2013, there are a series of Hong Kong-Mainland conflict. Hatred towards Chinese is ignited as quarrels between Hong Kong people and Chinese are seen easily in daily life. Some Hong Kong people claim Mainland Chinese as locust since they think Chinese sap the resources and welfare in Hong Kong. The uncivil behavior of Chinese such as shouting in public area can be easily seen and it deepens the Hong Kong-Mainland conflict. The discord even rises into the political level. Thousands of protesters waving British colonial flags showed the view that Hong Kong has their unique history is endemic among Hong Kong people. The upholders think that Hong Kong should not be governed by Mainland government and the One Country Two System should be preserved. While some of the Chinese think that Hong Kong is a part of China so China has the right to interfere the Hong Kong government. In facts, it is time for Hong Kong people think about the question about personal identity of themselves and the future of Hong Kong. Marxism and the National Question written by J.V. Stalin discuss about the definition of a nation and the minorities autonomy or self-determination which have reference value in today situation.

Background information of this passage

The passage was written in 1913. At that time, the spread of newspaper and of literature generally, a certain freedom of the press and cultural institution, and increase in the number of national theatres and so forth, all unquestionably helped to strengthen “national sentiments” [1] . Since there were lots of national movements the Russian Social-Democracy need to express their view towards this phenomenon.

Is Hong Kong a nation?

According to the passage, Hong Kong has the condition of becoming a nation. Stalin thinks that nation is not racial or tribal which means different race and tribe can combine with a same nation finally. A nation can only be defined as a nation when four conditions are present. The conditions are: formed on the basis of a common language, territory, economic life, and psychological make-up manifested in a common culture. The idea discussed is influential in China as it directed China government to recognized different nation.

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In fact, I agree the argument stated by Stalin about the definition of a nation. As Born and bred in Hong Kong, I can see a lot of differences between Chinese and Hong Kong people especially when more interactions happened. I think the differences explained why there are lots of conflicts in nowadays. This argument provides evidence to me to support Hong Kong as a nation.

The first condition, common language, refers to the spoken language among the citizen rather than the official language. The spoken language in Hong Kong called Hong Kong Cantonese is a unified and special language which mixes up with words and phrases from English and Japanese and dialect from Min Nan etc. or develop some proverb according to the historical factor. Even through there are similarities between Hong Kong Cantonese and Putonghua, the main point is that there is no other spoken language can replace the position of Hong Kong Cantonese.

Although both American and British speak English, they are different nation. The reason behind is the second condition, common territory. Only when people live together can become a nation. A part of Hong Kong people migrated from other place such as China and Southeast Asia. They settled down in Hong Kong generation after generation and in the new territory, they build up a new Hong Kong nation.

The third factor is economic cohesion. Hong Kong experienced its own economic life which is different from Mainland China. In the early colonial period, Hong Kong is an entrepot trade center in Asia. Until Korea War, the , the entrepot trade in Hong Kong is affected as the United Nation implemented the embargo towards China. The economic transition started. Hong Kong proceeded industrialization and there are lots of light industry such as textile factories, electronic component factories and etc. The economic transition started again when China instituted the “Open Door Policy”. Hong Kong has become the international financial center until now even though there are barrier such as Asian financial crisis in 1997 and the SARS outbreak in 2003. Besides, the ideology in Hong Kong is different from the Mainland China. Hong Kong government believed in the free market policy in capitalism. Hong Kong was once described by Milton Friedman as the world’s greatest experiment in laissez-faire capitalism while China believed in their socialist market economy. Even though the Hong Kong government is driving economic integration between Hong Kong and China, there are still a lot of differences between two places such as business law, business culture and corporate social responsibility etc.

The forth factor, a psychological makeup or national character which is intangible for the observer but cannot be ignored. National character is a not a fixed thing, it vary from different condition of life. The special national character of Hong Kong began to develop in the colonial period. The British culture was diffused and invading the position of traditional Chinese culture or combine with the traditional Chinese culture. “Lion rock spirit” descried as never give up, hard-working and endurance became a symbol of Hong Kong local and significant culture. After 1997, Hong Kong developed their local core value included democracy, rule of law. In recent year, there are a series of social movements aim at protecting these values, for example, some scholars are planning Occupying Central to strive for “true universal suffrage”, as Hong Kong government ignore Hong Kong’s people feeling and driving integration between two places (some Hong Kong people claim that Hong Kong is turning red).

What is Hong Kong future?

“The right of self-determination means only the nation may arrange its life in the way it wishes. It has the right to arrange its life on the basis of autonomy It has the right to enter into federal relations with other nations. It has the right to complete secession. Nations are sovereign, and all nations have equal rights.”

Stalin think that a nation has the right to secede especially there is policy of oppression such as restriction of freedom of movement, disfranchisement and repression of language etc. However, it doesn’t mean all nations should secession and self-determination is beneficial to all nations. Stalin though that the solution of nation depends on the historical condition in the nation itself. Besides, Stalin connect the fate of national movement with bourgeois movement while he also state that “a democratic country giving the opportunity to the nation to have free development can reduce the national struggle to minimum”.

Rather than secession, I believed the way to solve the national problems by a democratic government and it was a more suitable way for Hong Kong people in the past. As I thought a mature democratic government will not allow oppression policy towards the other nation or tyranny of the majority. Through democratic government, the minority can take advantage and get respect form other nation. Using the Switzerland which has stated by Stalin as an example, the direct democracy system and high level of autonomy in the twenty six states allow different nation enjoy an equal position. However, my view changed after the Catalan independence in last year. Even though there is democracy and autonomy in Catalan, once there are some policy which erode the advantage of the nation, national struggle will be ignited due to the oppressing policy in the past. It reminds me if the Beijing government keeps ignoring Hong Kong people’s demands, for example, the universal suffrage, or even instituting oppressing policy, self-determination will be the only way for Hong Kong.