My TakeWork with Beijing, and save Hong Kong
- Those who think their current freedom gives them carte blanche to defy the central government will end up undermining the city they claim to love
By way of criticism, people always ask me what I have against democracy. Well, nothing! At least not any more than say, Christianity, Islam, Nordic welfarism, German social democracy, American free-market capitalism or Chinese state capitalism.
I respect and admire, in some ways, all these isms and ideologies, religious and political. Each has a time and a place.
I just don’t think it makes sense to impose any ism, or make any set of political beliefs the end goal of Hong Kong’s political development – or any other place – if it means wrecking its society in the here and now.
Activists like Martin Lee Chu-ming, Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and Benny Tai Yiu-ting think it’s all worth it in the name of democracy, even if it means “destroying the city to save it” or “self-destruct together”.
They are Western-style ideologues and true religious (Christian) believers. The combination is no accident – democracy, for them, is an absolute end that demands religious devotion. Many of their comrades believe that too. That, I am sorry to say, will be the end of Hong Kong.