The View | Lack of political upward mobility is the real problem

Political activism by young people in Hong Kong is often explained as a conflict between an older generation primarily interested in economic comforts and a younger generation more concerned with democratic ideals and social justice.

This is what I call the radical democratic narrative. Generational conflict, an old idea, offers the optimistic message of eventual triumph by the young and the fulfilment of radical democratic hopes.

But for this narrative to be correct, the activists must stick with their convictions into old age. There is as yet no strong research or good theory to suggest this happens.

The counter narrative advanced by the establishment is that political activism is the consequence of young people’s downward economic mobility (or lack of upward economic mobility), a recent phenomenon in Hong Kong.

The proposed policy remedy is a youth policy to alleviate downward economic mobility.

I find the establishment narrative also seriously unconvincing.