ABSTRACT
In his seminal work on society and politics in Hong Kong, Lau calls "the existence of political stability under highly destabilizing conditions" in Hong Kong a "miracle" of the 20th century (Lau 1982, p. 1). In a recent review of the study of social conflict and collective actions in Hong Kong, Leung notes that "[although a rapidly modernizing society under colonial rule, Hong Kong has been exceptional in having been spared the frequent turmoil and instability that have plagued other countries of a similar socio-economic and political status. Since they have not been a particularly salient feature of the society, social conflict and social movements have rarely been the subject of inquiry in studies of Hong Kong" (Leung 1996, p. 159).
