Abstract

For many observers, the rule of law has been highly significant in terms of Hong Kong's economic development during its colonial past and in the more recent era of Chinese rule. Yet at the same time, the political arrangement that has emerged since 1997 is widely perceived as being characterized by government domination over the individual. Following the government's concerted efforts to enact anti-subversion legislation and the overwhelming popular reaction against it, a state of domination has become increasingly apparent. This paper will consider the notions of political liberty and domination that have emerged within the context of the Basic Law and the prospects for the future in terms of political reform.