The striking dockers and other demonstrators in Hong Kong, increasingly one of the most interesting places in the world politically, are waving flags from the Colonial period "as an act of provocation".
Provocation of whom? Hong Kong was never British territory, being only ever under lease. Therefore, neither independence, nor the status of a British Overseas Territory in perpetuity (like all of those which still remain), was ever going to be an option there.
To our shame, we put in place far too little in the way of representative democracy, ordered liberty, workers' right or social welfare provisions in order to make the place a beacon for their eventual extension to the whole of China. Clearly, though, we put in place enough to light the spark.
If the waving of the old flags means anything, then it means that. And the eventual extension of representative democracy, ordered liberty, workers' right and social welfare provisions to the whole of China will be more than a fair exchange for the British acquisition of a love of Cantonese food.
No comments:
Post a Comment