ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the development of Hong Kong's civil societies. A fact that has often been overlooked in the contemporary analysis of Hong Kong's transition to democracy is that Hong Kong has been a colony not an independent territory. The creation of the Hong Kong colony immediately established a dichotomous state and society. The retreat by the local elites to China once Hong Kong was handed over left the Chinese population without its traditional forms of political leadership. The turmoil surrounding the Sino-Japanese war as well as the collapse of the Qing dynasty and the rise of the Nationalists all had a profound impact on Hong Kong. Political associations supporting either side in addition to fervent nationalist/anti-imperialist movements all formed in what Chan described as the 'breeding ground of revolutionary activities'. The City District Officer scheme was instituted following the 1966 and 1967 riots in an effort to ensure a grassroots link to the Chinese population.
