ABSTRACT
In Hong Kong’s transition to democracy, business interest groups neither have strong incentives to democratize the system from above nor are forced to democratize the polity through pressure from below. They are perceived to be anti-democratic. Three factors explain why they do not support Western-style liberal democracy in Hong Kong. First, business interest groups enjoy privileged positions under the current “indigenous democracy” and they do not have strong incentives to lead Hong Kong toward democracy. Second, business interest groups are not forced to democratize the polity by having democracy from below. Third, Beijing’s mainland-Hong Kong economic integration strategy hinders Hong Kong’s democratization. Economic integration strengthens the desire of businesses to protect their self-interests instead of supporting democratic reforms. Taken together, if the current “indigenous democracy” is beneficial to business interest groups and if business interest groups can maintain the status quo in the context of weak democracy from below and strong economic support from Beijing, it is reasonable to believe that business interest groups will not support the move toward liberal democracy in Hong Kong.
