ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with a very controversial topic in Hong Kong today: the emergence of so-called nativist groups which promote the political separation of Hong Kong from the Chinese mainland, either by asserting full autonomy, declaring independence, or even by returning to British control. By revisiting the relationship between democracy and nationalism, it is possible to determine that the main reason for the rise of this aspiring interest group in Hong Kong politics is the failure to find a broad-based compromise on universal suffrage. The history of the former British colony had seen the development of a strong civic identity which sees democratic values as an essential component. This stands in contrast to China’s ethnically-centered nation-state that must be ruled by the Chinese Communist Party. The rise of the Hong Kong national sentiment demonstrates a failure to instill this uncritical Chinese identity. In terms of politics, while nativists have made gains in the recent 2016 legislative elections, the Chinese and Hong Kong governments have sought to curtail the movement’s development but any repression of the still highly fragmented and leaderless movement could galvanize it further, allowing it to transform into a serious interest group that upends the current political situation.
