Hong Kong is a prosperous and multicultural city that once had colonized by Britain for more than 150 years
before sovereignty was handed back to China in
1997. However, according to Lahtoo, a reporter from The South China Morning Post, we can easily trace the marks of British colonization even at today’s Hong Kong. He pointed out, Caucasian people have a larger advantage for finding jobs in Hong Kong compare to people of other races with the same qualification simply because of being “White”. Meanwhile, though Hong Kong’s motherland People’s Republic of China now is the second largest economy in the world: millions of mainland Chinese traveled to Hong Kong every year with incredibly strong purchasing power that contributed Hong Kong’s economy largely, nonetheless, Hong Kong people still are unwilling to call themselves Chinese and admit their Chinese identity.
From Frantz Fanon’s book The Wretched of the Earth, we can find possible explanations for those scenarios that Lahtoo mentioned in his report. In an advanced society like Hong Kong, such obvious job inequalities based on employee’s races would not expect to happen. However, according to Lahtoo, Hong Kong people do not feel weird by that. Fanon states that Colonization caused indigenous people’s inferior status and Settler’s superior status in the social relations. Meanwhile, besides physical inferiority, indigenous people would also feel they are mentally inferior to the settlers; this mentality can be hardly washed away unless there is a violence clashed, in this way can liberation be truly gained. Fanon also states that violence is a cleansing force that is able to free the natives from the inferiority complex and from their despair and inaction. However, When we trace back to Hong Kong’s handover history, there was no sign of such a “cleansing power”. Both British and Chinese government agreed mutually through negotiations and talks. This would also give Hong Kong people the mindset that that Hong Kong is still not fully and forcefully liberated and humanized from the century-long Colonization.
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Really powerful connection between the authors article and Fanon. The brief modern history of Hong Kong was also interesting, as I think most people remain unaware of the situation despite occurring during most of their lifetimes. Do you think that a violent clash is the absolute only way to change this inferiority complex? What do you think the role of time could play in this problem?
ReplyDeleteI do not think it is the only way and also do not want to see any violent clashes happen in Hong Kong. I believe that as time pass by and the political power comes from mainland China gradually saturated into the Hong Kong society, the mindset of Hong Kong people would change. Although, as China has been increasing its political and economic influence worldwide, this would further increase Hong Kong resident's confidence towards China.
DeleteWhat do you think? Should there be a reform for Chinese citizens?
ReplyDeleteA reform is definitely possible as there are already multiple reforms going on within China right now. However, I believe the basic problem lies here is that China as the motherland of Hong Kong needs to gain its political and economic influence largely enough that made Hong Kong people believe they are actually better off under Mainland China's rule compare to under British People's rule.
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