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The Umbrella Movement and Hong Kong's Protracted Democratization Process

Author: Stephan Ortmann

In: Asian Affairs, Vol 46, No 1, 2015, pp. 32-50

Ortmann explains the movement in the context of the slow process of institutional democratization and the dashing of early hopes. He notes the obstacles to progress through the democratic political parties created by the Hong Kong authorities. He also points to the role of the business elite, afraid that fully democratic politics would lead to radical economic and social policies, and the constraints imposed by Beijing. As a result the democracy movement has become divided, and students have come to the fore in promoting protest.

Available online as PDF at:

https://www.cityu.edu.hk/ais/doc/20150219_SO_UmbrellaMovement.pdf