Conclusion

Abstract

This book argues that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has a unique system of democracy, implying that the previous studies in comparative politics have perhaps focused excessively on the procedural aspects of democratization. The case of Hong Kong demonstrates that, substantively speaking, it is already a democracy with home grown characteristics, including the rule of law, judicial independence, a strong civil society, horizontal accountability, the complexities of using a civil disobedience movement in pushing for democratization, and the gradual progress in democratizing the election methods for the chief executive. If so, the study of democratization in other parts of the world can perhaps focus on liberalization, the building up of the rule of law and judicial independence, and the utilization of social and political movements that exert pressure on the government to democratize the political system.