ABSTRACT
In ideal democracies, the legislature serves as the political representative of the people, making laws to promote the public's interests. This chapter discusses the bumpy legislative process of the Statutory Minimum Wage (SMW) in 2010, which was probably the most significant change in labour policy in post-handover Hong Kong. It traces the transformations of Hong Kong's Legislative Council (LegCo), its composition, functions and powers, from the colonial era to the present in regard to social policy reform. The chapter discusses the political bickering among LegCo members and that between the LegCo and the government, using SMW legislation as a case study. Under the colonial rule of the British empire, Hong Kong's political regime was characterized as an executive-led government. SMW was a piece of popular legislation supported by the majority of the public and championed by directly elected legislators, but was vehemently opposed by the business sector and their political representatives in the LegCo.
