ALLEGIANCE, APATHY, OR ALIENATION - THE POLITICAL-CULTURE OF PROFESSIONAL CONSTITUENCY VOTERS IN HONG-KONG

Professionals were granted representation in the Hong Kong Legislative Council in 1985 and they are recognized by the government as important pillars of Hong Kong's future economic prosperity and social stability. Whether these voters support (are allegiant to) or reject (are alienated from) the political system will have an important impact on Hong Kong's future political development. The results of a survey of the political culture of professional constituency voters in Hong Kong show that these voters are strongly aware of government and politics in the territory. They exhibit positive affective and evaluative orientations toward, and hence are allegiant to, the existing political system, while their affective and evaluative orientations toward the post-1997 system are negative. Thus, a group which is at present fairly status quo-oriented is likely to develop a sense of alienation from the future government. These negative feelings about the future are being expressed in the form of emigration and withdrawal. If they were to be manifested as frustration, they would have a destabilizing impact during the transition to Chinese rule.