One in three young adults dissatisfied with Hong Kong society: survey

Almost one in three young adults in Hong Kong are dissatisfied with society, according to a survey by a local think tank, a quarter of whose respondents said they would be willing to rejoin the Occupy movement if it started up again.

Some 40 per cent said they supported civil disobedience in the pursuit of justice.

The findings by the Hong Kong Ideas Centre were released before the government is due to unveil its political reform proposal to the Legislative Council later this month, an event that may spark further protests. Of the 1,505 respondents to the survey, aged between 15 and 39, some 30 per cent expressed dissatisfaction with their home city, while 9.8 per cent said they were personally discontent. Twenty-five per cent said they would join a renewed Occupy movement.

Some 51 per cent of those called in the telephone survey responded. About 30 per cent were students, while 65 per cent were working adults.

The survey "shows that the young are no longer satisfied about the need for personal development; they also call for social improvement enthusiastically", said Anna Lai Wong Oi-ling, the centre's executive director.

The level of social dissatisfaction is highest among those aged 20 to 24, of whom 42.7 per cent said society must change.

This age group featured prominently in last year's Occupy Central civil disobedience movement, which called for greater democracy.