DOCSLIB.ORG

Should Functional Constituency Elections in the Legislative Council Be

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Should Functional Constituency Elections in the Legislative Council Be Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Liberal Studies Independent Enquiry Study Report Standard Covering Page (for written reports and short written texts of non-written reports starting from 2017) Enquiry Question: Should Functional Constituency elections in the Legislative Council be abolished? Year of Examination: Name of Student: Class/ Group: Class Number: Number of words in the report: 3162 Notes: 1. Written reports should not exceed 4500 words. The reading time for non-written reports should not exceed 20 minutes and the short written texts accompanying non-written reports should not exceed 1000 words. The word count for written reports and the short written texts does not include the covering page, the table of contents, titles, graphs, tables, captions and headings of photos, punctuation marks, footnotes, endnotes, references, bibliography and appendices. 2. Candidates are responsible for counting the number of words in their reports and the short written texts and indicating it accurately on this covering page. 3. If the Independent Enquiry Study Report of a student is selected for review by the School-Based Assessment System, the school should ensure that the student’s name, class/ group and class number have been deleted from the report before submitting it to the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority. Schools should also ensure that the identities of both the schools and students are not disclosed in the reports. For non-written reports, the identities of the students and schools, including the appearance of the students, should be deleted. Sample 1 Table of Contents A. Problem Definition P.3 B. Relevant Concepts and Knowledge/ Facts/ Data P.5 C. In-depth Explanation of the Issue P.9 D. Judgment and Justification P.13 References P.18 2 A. Problem Definition The Functional Constituencies (FCs) have long been criticized without high representativeness and violate the principle of democracy. Many people in the society ask for the abolition of it. According to the recent political reform package, if the 2017 Chief Executive election in Hong Kong conducted by universal suffrage, the Legislative Council elections in 2020 could also be conducted by universal suffrage.1 It is arguable whether the FCs are incompatible or compatible with universal suffrage. Therefore, whether to retain or abolish the Functional Constituency elections in the Legislative Council is a controversial issue and there are divided views in the community. The FC first developed in the release of "Green Paper: A Pattern of District Administration in Hong Kong" in July 1984.2 The introduction of FCs was part of an overall plan to develop representative government in Hong Kong, and in Legislative Council (LegCo) particularly, during the final years of British sovereignty. 3 In the White Paper on the Further Development of Representative Government in Hong Kong 19844, there are some objectives: first, the system of representative government rooted in the community and be accountable to Hong Kong people; second, to ensure broadly based selection method for the LegCo., third, to provide a foundation for further development in composition and selection method in the LegCo. It was a transitional arrangement before handover and acted as a buffer between direct and indirect elections.5 Hong Kong society now is ready for a directly elected legislature as people are more aware of their political rights and freedoms in recent years. The community as a whole is better informed. Direct elections have been practiced for almost three decades and all the past elections held were smooth and peaceful. The importance of FCs in Hong Kong has been greatly declined and the demands for direct elections in the LegCo have been increasing among Hong Kong people. Therefore, it is a debate on the abolition of the FC elections in the LegCo. In 2012, the new arrangement in the Legislative Council election seems broaden the electoral base of the Functional Constituencies election. However, the existing traditional Functional Constituencies in the Legislation Council election are still undemocratic and hinder the democratic development. The aim of this report is to evaluate whether the FCs should be abolished in the Legislation Council election by analyzing the relationship between the principles of universal suffrage and 1 Methods for selecting the Chief Executive in 2014 and for Forming the Legislative Council in 2016 Public consultation, http://www.2017.gov.hk/en/home/index.html 2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_constituency_(Hong_Kong) 3 A Critical Introduction to Hong Kong's Functional Constituencies Functional Constituency Research Project 2004 http://hub.hku.hk/handle/10722/118843 4 White Paper: The Further Development of Representative Government in Hong Kong, cited in A Critical Introduction to Hong Kong's Functional Constituencies Functional Constituency Research Project 2004 http://hub.hku.hk/handle/10722/118843 5 A Critical Introduction to Hong Kong's Functional Constituencies Functional Constituency Research Project 2004 http://hub.hku.hk/handle/10722/118843 3 functional constituencies, the arrangement and electoral base of the FCs, the performance and the popularity of FCs lawmakers, etc. 4 B. Relevant Concepts and Knowledge/ Facts/ Data Legislative Council arrangement Currently, according to the 2012 LegCo election arrangement, there are 30 elected by 28 traditional FCs, whereas 40 out of the 70 Legislative Council seats are directly elected by the general public (35 through Geographical Constituencies (GCs) and 5 through District Council (Second) functional constituency). The details see the table below 6 Composition (70 seats) - 35 members to be returned from Geographical Constituencies (GCs) - 35 members to be returned from Functional Constituencies (FCs) Geographical Constituencies (“GCs”) (35 seats) (1) Hong Kong Island 7 seats (2) Kowloon West 5 seats (3) Kowloon East 5 seats (4) New Territories West 9 seats (5) New Territories East 9 seats Voting system: List system of proportional representation Functional Constituencies (“FCs”) (35 seats) (1) Heung Yee Kuk* 1 seat (2) Agriculture and Fisheries* 1 seat (3) Insurance* 1 seat (4) Transport* 1 seat (5) Education 1 seat (6) Legal 1 seat (7) Accountancy 1 seat (8) Medical 1 seat (9) Health Services 1 seat (10) Engineering 1 seat (11) Architectural, Surveying and Planning 1 seat (12) Labour 3 seats (13) Social Welfare 1 seat (14) Real Estate and Construction 1 seat (15) Tourism 1 seat (16) Commercial (first) 1 seat 6 http://www.elections.gov.hk/legco2012/eng/facts.html#Composition 5 (17) Commercial (second) 1 seat (18) Industrial (first) 1 seat (19) Industrial (second) 1 seat (20) Finance 1 seat (21) Financial Services 1 seat (22) Sports, Performing Arts, Culture and 1 seat Publication (23) Import and Export 1 seat (24) Textiles and Garment 1 seat (25) Wholesale and Retail 1 seat (26) Information Technology 1 seat (27) Catering 1 seat (28) District Council (first) 1 seat (29) District Council (second) 5 seats Voting systems: Different voting systems apply to different FCs, namely (a) for the 4 special FCs (marked with * ), the preferential elimination system of voting; (b) for the District Council (second) functional constituency (“DC (second) FC”), the list system of proportional representation; and (c) for the remaining 24 ordinary FCs, the first-past-the-post voting system. Number of electors Geographical Constituencies: 3,466,201 Functional Constituencies: 240,735* * Excluding 3,219,755 electors of the District Council (second) functional constituency Election arrangement of LegCo in the Basic Law Regarding the method for forming the Legislative Council, Article 68 of the Basic Law stipulates that “... shall be specified in the light of the actual situation in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and in accordance with the principle of gradual and orderly progress. The ultimate aim is the election of all the members of the Legislative Council by universal suffrage.” Therefore, implementing universal suffrage ultimately is a requirement under the Basic Law. In additional, it is required that the constitutional development in HKSAR should adhere to the following 4 main principles under the Basic Law7: first, meeting the interests of different sectors of society; second, facilitating the development of the capitalist economy; third, gradual and orderly progress and forth, appropriate to the actual situation in the HKSAR. It shows the arrangement of 7 Methods for selecting the Chief Executive in 2014 and for Forming the Legislative Council in 2016 Public consultation http://www.2017.gov.hk/en/home/index.html 6 the political arrangement in the LegCo need to follow the requirement in the Basic Law and it shows the progress to democracy and universal suffrage ultimately. The principle of balanced participation8 The principles of balanced participation ensure wide acceptance and support to the political system, and hence maintain political stability as well as sustainable and orderly democratization. Different countries have different perceptions of and planning for balanced participation and according to their own conditions. While respecting the dignity and freedom of choice of individuals, the design of the political structure and electoral systems of a place are determined by other factors such as its own national conditions, history, tradition and culture, state of economy, ethnic characteristics and established values. Therefore, it requires an open discussion to decide the meaning
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Reviewing and Evaluating the Direct Elections to the Legislative Council and the Transformation of Political Parties in Hong Kong, 1991-2016
    Journal of US-China Public Administration, August 2016, Vol. 13, No. 8, 499-517 doi: 10.17265/1548-6591/2016.08.001 D DAVID PUBLISHING Reviewing and Evaluating the Direct Elections to the Legislative Council and the Transformation of Political Parties in Hong Kong, 1991-2016 Chung Fun Steven Hung The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong After direct elections were instituted in Hong Kong, politicization inevitably followed democratization. This paper intends to evaluate how political parties’ politics happened in Hong Kong’s recent history. The research was conducted through historical comparative analysis, with the context of Hong Kong during the sovereignty transition and the interim period of democratization being crucial. For the implementation of “one country, two systems”, political democratization was hindered and distinct political scenarios of Hong Kong’s transformation were made. The democratic forces had no alternative but to seek more radicalized politics, which caused a decisive fragmentation of the local political parties where the establishment camp was inevitable and the democratic blocs were split into many more small groups individually. It is harmful. It is not conducive to unity and for the common interests of the publics. This paper explores and evaluates the political history of Hong Kong and the ways in which the limited democratization hinders the progress of Hong Kong’s transformation. Keywords: election politics, historical comparative, ruling, democratization The democratizing element of the Hong Kong political system was bounded within the Legislative Council under the principle of the separation of powers of the three governing branches, Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. Popular elections for the Hong Kong legislature were introduced and implemented for 25 years (1991-2016) and there were eight terms of general elections for the Legislative Council.
    [Show full text]
  • Official Record of Proceedings
    LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 3 November 2010 1399 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 3 November 2010 The Council met at Eleven o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE JASPER TSANG YOK-SING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT HO CHUN-YAN IR DR THE HONOURABLE RAYMOND HO CHUNG-TAI, S.B.S., S.B.ST.J., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEE CHEUK-YAN DR THE HONOURABLE DAVID LI KWOK-PO, G.B.M., G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE FRED LI WAH-MING, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE MARGARET NG THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG MAN-KWONG THE HONOURABLE CHAN KAM-LAM, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS SOPHIE LEUNG LAU YAU-FUN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG DR THE HONOURABLE PHILIP WONG YU-HONG, G.B.S. 1400 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 3 November 2010 THE HONOURABLE WONG YUNG-KAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU KONG-WAH, J.P. THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, G.B.M., G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MIRIAM LAU KIN-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE EMILY LAU WAI-HING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE ANDREW CHENG KAR-FOO THE HONOURABLE TIMOTHY FOK TSUN-TING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LI FUNG-YING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE, S.B.S., J.P.
    [Show full text]
  • Minutes of the 27Th Meeting Held in Conference Room 1 of the Legislative Council Complex at 2:30 Pm on Friday, 25 June 2021
    立法會 Legislative Council LC Paper No. CB(2)1238/20-21 Ref : CB2/H/5/20 House Committee of the Legislative Council Minutes of the 27th meeting held in Conference Room 1 of the Legislative Council Complex at 2:30 pm on Friday, 25 June 2021 Members present : Hon Starry LEE Wai-king, SBS, JP (Chairman) Hon MA Fung-kwok, GBS, JP (Deputy Chairman) Hon Abraham SHEK Lai-him, GBS, JP Hon Tommy CHEUNG Yu-yan, GBS, JP Hon WONG Ting-kwong, GBS, JP Hon CHAN Hak-kan, BBS, JP Hon CHAN Kin-por, GBS, JP Hon WONG Kwok-kin, SBS, JP Hon Mrs Regina IP LAU Suk-yee, GBS, JP Hon Paul TSE Wai-chun, JP Hon Michael TIEN Puk-sun, BBS, JP Hon Steven HO Chun-yin, BBS Hon Frankie YICK Chi-ming, SBS, JP Hon YIU Si-wing, BBS Hon CHAN Han-pan, BBS, JP Hon LEUNG Che-cheung, SBS, MH, JP Hon Alice MAK Mei-kuen, BBS, JP Hon KWOK Wai-keung, JP Hon Christopher CHEUNG Wah-fung, SBS, JP Hon Elizabeth QUAT, BBS, JP Hon Martin LIAO Cheung-kong, GBS, JP Hon POON Siu-ping, BBS, MH Dr Hon CHIANG Lai-wan, SBS, JP Ir Dr Hon LO Wai-kwok, SBS, MH, JP Hon CHUNG Kwok-pan Hon Jimmy NG Wing-ka, BBS, JP Dr Hon Junius HO Kwan-yiu, JP Hon Holden CHOW Ho-ding Hon SHIU Ka-fai, JP Hon Wilson OR Chong-shing, MH Hon YUNG Hoi-yan, JP -2 - Dr Hon Pierre CHAN Hon CHAN Chun-ying, JP Hon CHEUNG Kwok-kwan, JP Hon LUK Chung-hung, JP Hon LAU Kwok-fan, MH Hon Kenneth LAU Ip-keung, BBS, MH, JP Dr Hon CHENG Chung-tai Hon Vincent CHENG Wing-shun, MH, JP Hon Tony TSE Wai-chuen, BBS, JP Members absent : Hon Jeffrey LAM Kin-fung, GBS, JP Dr Hon Priscilla LEUNG Mei-fun, SBS, JP Clerk in attendance : Miss Flora TAI
    [Show full text]
  • Minutes Have Been Seen by the Administration)
    立法會 Legislative Council Ref : CB2/PL/HA LC Paper No. CB(2)1229/17-18 (These minutes have been seen by the Administration) Panel on Home Affairs Minutes of meeting held on Monday, 22 January 2018, at 8:30 am in Conference Room 3 of the Legislative Council Complex Members : Hon MA Fung-kwok, SBS, JP (Chairman) present Hon YUNG Hoi-yan (Deputy Chairman) Hon CHAN Hak-kan, BBS, JP Hon Claudia MO Hon Steven HO Chun-yin, BBS Hon YIU Si-wing, BBS Hon CHAN Chi-chuen Hon LEUNG Che-cheung, SBS, MH, JP Hon Christopher CHEUNG Wah-fung, SBS, JP Hon IP Kin-yuen Hon Andrew WAN Siu-kin Hon CHU Hoi-dick Hon Jimmy NG Wing-ka, JP Dr Hon Junius HO Kwan-yiu, JP Hon Holden CHOW Ho-ding Hon SHIU Ka-fai Hon SHIU Ka-chun Hon Tanya CHAN Hon HUI Chi-fung Hon LUK Chung-hung Hon KWONG Chun-yu Members : Hon Michael TIEN Puk-sun, BBS, JP attending Hon Frankie YICK Chi-ming, SBS, JP Members : Dr Hon Fernando CHEUNG Chiu-hung absent Hon LAU Kwok-fan, MH Hon Kenneth LAU Ip-keung, BBS, MH, JP - 2 - Public Officers : Item III attending Dr LAW Chi-kwong, GBS, JP Chairperson of the Community Care Fund Task Force under the Commission on Poverty Secretary for Labour and Welfare Mr Patrick LI, JP Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs (1) Mr Nick AU YEUNG Principal Assistant Secretary for Home Affairs (Community Care Fund) Ms May CHAN, JP Deputy Secretary for Education (6) Mr FUNG Man-chung Assistant Director (Family and Child Welfare) Social Welfare Department Ms Ivis CHUNG Chief Manager (Allied Health) Hospital Authority Item IV Mr LAU Kong-wah, JP Secretary for Home Affairs Mr
    [Show full text]
  • OFFICIAL RECORD of PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 12
    LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 December 2012 3497 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Wednesday, 12 December 2012 The Council met at Eleven o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE JASPER TSANG YOK-SING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT HO CHUN-YAN THE HONOURABLE LEE CHEUK-YAN THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE CHAN KAM-LAM, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG DR THE HONOURABLE LAU WONG-FAT, G.B.M., G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE EMILY LAU WAI-HING, J.P. THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE VINCENT FANG KANG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-HING, M.H. DR THE HONOURABLE JOSEPH LEE KOK-LONG, S.B.S., J.P. 3498 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 12 December 2012 THE HONOURABLE JEFFREY LAM KIN-FUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ANDREW LEUNG KWAN-YUEN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG TING-KWONG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE RONNY TONG KA-WAH, S.C. THE HONOURABLE CYD HO SAU-LAN THE HONOURABLE STARRY LEE WAI-KING, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LAM TAI-FAI, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN HAK-KAN, J.P. THE HONOURABLE CHAN KIN-POR, B.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE PRISCILLA LEUNG MEI-FUN, J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE LEUNG KA-LAU THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG KWOK-CHE THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-KIN, B.B.S.
    [Show full text]
  • OFFICIAL RECORD of PROCEEDINGS Thursday, 18
    LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 18 November 2010 2357 OFFICIAL RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Thursday, 18 November 2010 The Council continued to meet at Nine o'clock MEMBERS PRESENT: THE PRESIDENT THE HONOURABLE JASPER TSANG YOK-SING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ALBERT HO CHUN-YAN IR DR THE HONOURABLE RAYMOND HO CHUNG-TAI, S.B.S., S.B.ST.J., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEE CHEUK-YAN THE HONOURABLE FRED LI WAH-MING, S.B.S., J.P. DR THE HONOURABLE MARGARET NG THE HONOURABLE JAMES TO KUN-SUN THE HONOURABLE CHEUNG MAN-KWONG THE HONOURABLE CHAN KAM-LAM, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE MRS SOPHIE LEUNG LAU YAU-FUN, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LEUNG YIU-CHUNG DR THE HONOURABLE PHILIP WONG YU-HONG, G.B.S. THE HONOURABLE LAU KONG-WAH, J.P. THE HONOURABLE MIRIAM LAU KIN-YEE, G.B.S., J.P. 2358 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ─ 18 November 2010 THE HONOURABLE ANDREW CHENG KAR-FOO THE HONOURABLE TIMOTHY FOK TSUN-TING, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TAM YIU-CHUNG, G.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE ABRAHAM SHEK LAI-HIM, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE LI FUNG-YING, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE TOMMY CHEUNG YU-YAN, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE FREDERICK FUNG KIN-KEE, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE AUDREY EU YUET-MEE, S.C., J.P. THE HONOURABLE VINCENT FANG KANG, S.B.S., J.P. THE HONOURABLE WONG KWOK-HING, M.H. THE HONOURABLE LEE WING-TAT DR THE HONOURABLE JOSEPH LEE KOK-LONG, S.B.S., J.P.
    [Show full text]
  • The Brookings Institution Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies
    THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION CENTER FOR NORTHEAST ASIAN POLICY STUDIES The 2004 Legislative Council Elections and Implications for U.S. Policy toward Hong Kong Wednesday, September 15, 2004 Introduction: RICHARD BUSH Director, Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies The Brookings Institution Presenter: SONNY LO SHIU-HING Associate Professor of Political Science University of Waterloo Discussant: ELLEN BORK Deputy Director Project for the New American Century [TRANSCRIPT PREPARED FROM A TAPE RECORDING.] THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION CENTER FOR NORTHEAST ASIAN POLICY STUDIES 1775 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE, NW WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036 202-797-6307 P R O C E E D I N G S MR. BUSH: [In progress] I've long thought that politically Hong Kong plays a very important role in the Chinese political system because it can be, I think, a test bed, or a place to experiment on different political forums on how to run large Chinese cities in an open, competitive, and accountable way. So how Hong Kong's political development proceeds is very important for some larger and very significant issues for the Chinese political system as a whole, and therefore the debate over democratization in Hong Kong is one that has significance that reaches much beyond the rights and political participation of the people there. The election that occurred last Sunday is a kind of punctuation mark in that larger debate over democratization, and we're very pleased to have two very qualified people to talk to us today. The first is Professor Sonny Lo Shiu-hing, who has just joined the faculty of the University of Waterloo in Canada.
    [Show full text]
  • Composition of the Legislative Council Members
    Legislative Council Secretariat FS25/09-10 FACT SHEET Composition of the Legislative Council Members 1. Introduction 1.1 The Subcommittee on Package of Proposals for the Methods for Selecting the Chief Executive and for Forming the Legislative Council in 2012 requested the Research and Library Services Division at its meeting on 18 May 2010 to provide information on the composition of the Legislative Council (LegCo) Members. The table below shows the composition of LegCo Members from 1984 to 2008. Table – Composition of the Legislative Council Members from 1984 to 2008 1984 1985 1988 1991 1995 1998 2000 2004 2008 Official Members(1) 16 10 10 3 Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Appointed Members 30 22 20 18 Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Members elected by Nil 12(2) 14(3) 21 30 30 30 30(4) 30 functional constituencies Members elected by Nil 12(5) 12 Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil electoral college Members elected by Nil Nil Nil Nil 10(6) 10(7) 6(8) Nil Nil election committee Members elected by direct Nil Nil Nil 18 20 20 24 30 30 elections(9) Total 46 56 56 60 60 60 60 60 60 Research and Library Services Division page 1 Legislative Council Secretariat FS25/09-10 Notes: (1) Not including the Governor who was the President of LegCo before 1993. The Official Members included three ex-officio Members, namely the Chief Secretary, the Financial Secretary and the Attorney General. (2) The nine functional constituencies were: commercial (2), industrial (2), labour (2), financial (1), social services (1), medical (1), education (1), legal (1), and engineers and associated professions (1).
    [Show full text]
  • WHY COMPETITION in the POLITICS INDUSTRY IS FAILING AMERICA a Strategy for Reinvigorating Our Democracy
    SEPTEMBER 2017 WHY COMPETITION IN THE POLITICS INDUSTRY IS FAILING AMERICA A strategy for reinvigorating our democracy Katherine M. Gehl and Michael E. Porter ABOUT THE AUTHORS Katherine M. Gehl, a business leader and former CEO with experience in government, began, in the last decade, to participate actively in politics—first in traditional partisan politics. As she deepened her understanding of how politics actually worked—and didn’t work—for the public interest, she realized that even the best candidates and elected officials were severely limited by a dysfunctional system, and that the political system was the single greatest challenge facing our country. She turned her focus to political system reform and innovation and has made this her mission. Michael E. Porter, an expert on competition and strategy in industries and nations, encountered politics in trying to advise governments and advocate sensible and proven reforms. As co-chair of the multiyear, non-partisan U.S. Competitiveness Project at Harvard Business School over the past five years, it became clear to him that the political system was actually the major constraint in America’s inability to restore economic prosperity and address many of the other problems our nation faces. Working with Katherine to understand the root causes of the failure of political competition, and what to do about it, has become an obsession. DISCLOSURE This work was funded by Harvard Business School, including the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness and the Division of Research and Faculty Development. No external funding was received. Katherine and Michael are both involved in supporting the work they advocate in this report.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 6 Commercial and Industrial Units Contents
    Chapter 6 Commercial and Industrial Units Contents Methods Used to Complete the Property Record Card .................................................... 5 Sketching a Structure ............................................ 5 Measuring and Calculating Areas ......................... 6 Using the General Commercial Models ................. 7 Using the Schedules ............................................. 8 Understanding Schedule A—Base Rates ...... 9 Understanding Schedule B—Base Price Adjustment .............................................. 10 Understanding Schedule C—GC Base Price Components and Adjustments........ 10 Understanding Schedule D—Plumbing ....... 10 Understanding Schedule E—Special Features .................................................. 11 Understanding Schedule F—Quality Grade and Design Factor ........................ 11 Understanding Base Rates for Floor Levels ........ 11 Determining a Structure’s Finish Type ................ 12 Determining a Structure’s Use Type ................... 13 Determining a Structure’s Wall Type ................... 13 Using a Structure’s Wall Height .......................... 13 Understanding Vertical and Horizontal Costs ...... 14 Understanding the Perimeter-to-Area Ratio for a Structure ...................................................... 14 Determining a Structure’s Construction Type ...... 16 Determining How Many Property Cards to Use for a Parcel...................................................... 17 Completing the Property Record Card ............ 18 Task 1—Recording the Construction
    [Show full text]
  • Minutes Have Been Seen by the Administration)
    立法會 Legislative Council Ref : CB2/PL/CA LC Paper No. CB(2)133/12-13 (These minutes have been seen by the Administration) Panel on Constitutional Affairs Minutes of special meeting held on Saturday, 19 May 2012, at 9:00 am in Conference Room 1 of the Legislative Council Complex Members : Hon TAM Yiu-chung, GBS, JP (Chairman) present Hon Mrs Sophie LEUNG LAU Yau-fun, GBS, JP (Deputy Chairman) Hon Albert HO Chun-yan Ir Dr Hon Raymond HO Chung-tai, SBS, S.B.St.J., JP Dr Hon Margaret NG Hon CHEUNG Man-kwong Dr Hon Philip WONG Yu-hong, GBS Hon WONG Yung-kan, SBS, JP Hon LAU Kong-wah, JP Hon LAU Wong-fat, GBM, GBS, JP Hon Miriam LAU Kin-yee, GBS, JP Hon Emily LAU Wai-hing, JP Hon Abraham SHEK Lai-him, SBS, JP Hon Audrey EU Yuet-mee, SC, JP Hon LEE Wing-tat Hon Jeffrey LAM Kin-fung, GBS, JP Hon CHEUNG Hok-ming, GBS, JP Hon WONG Ting-kwong, BBS, JP Dr Hon LAM Tai-fai, BBS, JP Hon CHAN Kin-por, JP Hon IP Kwok-him, GBS, JP Hon Mrs Regina IP LAU Suk-yee, GBS, JP Hon Paul TSE Wai-chun, JP Dr Hon Samson TAM Wai-ho, JP Hon Alan LEONG Kah-kit, SC Hon LEUNG Kwok-hung Members : Hon WONG Kwok-hing, MH absent Hon Timothy FOK Tsun-ting, GBS, JP Hon Ronny TONG Ka-wah, SC - 2 - Hon CHIM Pui-chung Hon Cyd HO Sau-lan Dr Hon Priscilla LEUNG Mei-fun, JP Hon WONG Kwok-kin, BBS Hon WONG Yuk-man Public Officers : Sessions One to Three attending Office of the Chief Executive-elect Mrs Fanny LAW FAN Chiu-fun Head of the Chief Executive-elect's Office Ms Alice LAU Yim Secretary-General of the Chief Executive-elect's Office Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau Mr
    [Show full text]
  • Making Labour Laws in Semi-Authoritarian Hong Kong
    Making Labour Laws in Semi-Authoritarian Hong Kong : Policy Venues and Informal Rules KWOK, Chun Chai Johnny A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Philosophy in Government and Public Administration The Chinese University of Hong Kong August 2018 i Abstract of thesis entitled: Making Labour Laws in Semi-Authoritarian Hong Kong : Policy Venues and Informal Rules Submitted by KWOK, Chun Chai Johnny for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Government and Public Administration at The Chinese University of Hong Kong in August 2018 In post-handover Hong Kong, civil liberties are combined with malformed democratic institutions to form what scholars call semi-authoritarianism. While business elites are guaranteed to enjoy strong influence in the legislature and thereby succeeded in rejecting several labour laws, some labour laws were occasionally passed with near-unanimous support from the business elites. Facing similar situations of policy punctuation and change in democratic societies, scholars of policy studies have used the concept of policy venue to identify the institutional sites for portraying problems and solutions, and hence reveal the influences of different actors on a certain policy. Although some scholars have argued that the concept of policy venue could be applied to study policy punctuation and change in semi-authoritarian Hong Kong, concrete examples that could back up this claim are rather rare. Also, while scholars that focus on regime types and democratization have agreed that informal institutions or rules could greatly affect formal rules and procedures and must therefore be given extra focus when studying about semi-authoritarian regimes, it is far from clear about what these rules are, and how can they be enforced in different policy venues of Hong Kong.
    [Show full text]