Applying Elitism …. CXS Education Occupation Income Family Background Inter-relationship Formal (business partnership) Informal (social relationship) Executive Councillor University Business / Professional High Income Group Majority with middle / upper class background Business cooperation Frequent gathering – Jockey Club

….applying elitism And they hold power …. Political …. Executive councillor and legislative councillor, Chairman/women of committees of Universities, Housing Authority / Society, Exchanges & Clearings, Education Commission, Elderly Commission, Employee Retraining Board, HKITC….. Economic …. Owners of corporations, chairman of ….. But not the largest companies in HK Ideological …. Promote liberalism … free market, individualism, small government …. With legitimacy

But …. Elites also have competition among themselves Institutional landscape changed as the power structure (economic and social change) changed …. So changes in who are the dominant elites

Applying pluralism Think of any issue …. Environmental protection Can you a)identify a lot of interest groups involved? b)each has their room to express their opinion in the political decision process ? c) opinions are treated ‘fairly equal’ in the process? d) opinions have impact and reflected in the decision? e) no group can control the process! f) state is a neutral agent

State and Society The formation of state

State State … a compulsory political association with continuous organisation will be called a ‘state’ so long as it and insofar as its administrative staff successfully claim the monopoly of physical force in the enforcement of its order…. State …. Legitimacy Modern states are characterised by clearly defined geographical boundaries within which a widely acknowledged political and administrative apparatus operates exclusively and is ultimately able to enforce its authority through the use of physical coercion.

Minimal politics Primitive society … ‘stateless’… they have an ill-defined territory and lack of a clearly defined political and administrative apparatus. Feudal society … still lack of a well-defined political and administrative institutions applicable to all territories concerned. The real question is not whether primitive or early societies have politics, but whether they have government in the sense of having political and administrative structures

Minimal government Territories still ill-defined Collective goals beyond mere survival and sufficiency … development Leadership positions emerged Traditional authority leadership Division of labour Extensive political activities / establishment of control

Conflict or Consensus Consensus.. People come together due to a common belief / common good Conflict.. State developed as a consequences of clashes between individuals or groups of individuals or between societies People seek power … and maintain it State as domination

Rise of Nation-state in the West Industrial revolution … state as vehicles for economic development (internal and external) (functional explanation) Emergence of nationalism … common ethnic / cultural / language group patriotism drawing boundary

Nation state in the East Old nationalism … nations seeking boundaries New nationalism …boundaries seeking nations Colonial legacy in defining boundaries

Other tasks in nation building Finding a name National flag / anthem Socialisation through education and media (culture, history, values) Defend our homeland / patriotism Use of war / enemy to unify nation Participate in regional / international organisations / form alliance Seeking status in the world