ABSTRACT
The introduction of "representative government" in Hong Kong after the signing of the Sino-British Joint Declaration in 1984 brought hope that by 1997 the classical bureaucratic authoritarian governance that had characterized Hong Kong during the colonial era would be replaced by a democratic and accountable government. Such hope for a full democracy now seems futile, given China's hostility to democratic politics in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and its preference for a new hybrid of elite politics. This article reviews the politics of Hong Kong's transition and examines the future role of civil service bureaucratic power amid the conflicting interests and demands of various key players in the larger political arena.
