Hong Kong’s young democracy campaigners risk losing sight of the real changes needed in society

Anson Au says democracy is just another form of government, far from perfect and equally prone to ideological excess. Instead of chasing universal suffrage, Hong Kong needs to negotiate the best way forward to create a better society

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Published: 5:15pm, 5 Oct 2017Updated: 7:02pm, 5 Oct 2017

A system lives for the people – not the other way around. We must refocus on the practical consequences of governance itself. Illustration: Craig Stephens

The past couple of weeks have seen a resurgence in the push for democracy among youth in Hong Kong. Zealous cries for a new order have filled the air once more, in the wake of the anniversary on September 28 of Occupy Central, which ignited massive dissent among thousands of youth bound to the vision of democracy.

And just two weeks ago, former governor Chris Patten concluded his four-day visit by rallying Hongkongers to the pursuit of democracy and urging Beijing to consent.

Joined by a host of global media outlets, these sentiments betray a belief in the inherent good of democracy – but overlook the purpose of governance itself.

We must stay grounded. Democracy, as with all forms of governance, is but a means to an end – which is the establishment of a good society. My research explores what constitutes a good society and what can destroy it, and it shows that the answers don’t lie in any one form of governance.

We must separate ideology from practicality in the context of governance for a good society. As history tells us, it’s when we fail to do so that a society moves to atrocious extremes.

Pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong take part in a protest on October 1, National Day. Photo: Reuters