Hong Kong: A Country Reeling From the Effects of Gripping Income Inequality
Hong Kong has been at the center of international relations and geopolitics for the past two years, with the protests in 2019 particularly publicized. Given this turmoil, several youngsters in Hong Kong – including myself – continue to be stranded in a sea of confusing, unnecessary, and never-ending controversy. This overarching struggle is particularly disappointing because underneath these well-publicized troubles, Hong Kong is a city enshrined in culture, history, and class. Nonetheless, the special administrative region continues to suffer from a potent identity crisis, fuelled by an undocumented human struggle: striking income inequality.
Hong Kong’s inequality woes are most evident through its Gini coefficient of 0.54, one of the highest in the world. Reflective of a mammoth wealth gap, Hong Kong’s socio-economic concerns are masked by the city’s tall skyscrapers, healthy financial sector and efficient global image. John Rawls’ famous ‘maximin’ theory of justice suggests that inequality is justified if it is to necessitate an overall better standard of living. Yet I believe inequality in Hong Kong is not some unfortunate by-product, but rather a phenomenon justified and ingrained in our culture – at the core of our social fabric.
On the bustling streets of Central and Tsim Sha Tsui are workers soldiering through the summer heat to make it to work. Towering over them are skyscrapers packed with modern offices and sidewalks lined with luxury brands, reminding Hong Kong’s masses of the opulence available to its elite. Unashamedly capitalist, Hong Kong is a financial hub built on colonial-era policies of tax-free ports. The pride of Hong Kong’s success thus far coupled with the industriousness of Asian culture sowed the deep-seated roots of the belief that unfettered capitalism was the winning formula. Capitalism permeates every layer of society, education being a key example.
Top universities – both locally and globally – have a majority of Hong Kongers who hail from only a handful of the city’s most highly regarded schools. These institutes often have the most resources, enviable alumni networks and more autonomy over student intake. Moreover, under a government system known as ‘direct subsidy,’ these institutes are even allowed to charge higher school fees while still receiving monetary support from the government. Given the prestige and benefits of such institutes, these schools will often require applicants to have stellar resumes at a very young age, alongside well-connected parents – both of which are factors simply inaccessible to underprivileged students.
This trend of inequality is furthered in the context of schools. At Hong Kong’s best schools, students are conditioned from a young age to achieve high academic results as this is often seen as the key to high-paying, stable professions in the future. The academic nature of Hong Kong’s school system is seen clearly by the fact that top-scoring students in the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) routinely get offers to study rigorous subjects like Medicine, Law and Business at the city’s best universities and even at top institutions around the globe. This system is widely accepted under the guise of meritocracy, similar to old-time arguments utilized in the Western debate regarding affirmative action. Unfortunately, due to the preferential treatment afforded to students at Hong Kong’s elite schools, a toxic culture of suppressing passion and individualism has arisen. The unfairness of Hong Kong’s education system is a direct result of the city’s unwavering wealth gap – a damning social issue that contrasts the modernized infrastructure crowding out the neon lights of a more poetic past.
Hong Kong’s rendition of ‘Ossan’s Love’ is the first time a homosexual relationship has been portrayed as the central storyline in local media. Despite widespread acclaim, homosexuality was still very much portrayed in a melodramatic and condescending light, with a legislator even condemning the series for ‘betraying traditional Chinese values.’ This is perhaps unsurprising for a region still fighting the effects of crippling income inequality and reeling from the effects of an uncertain future. But for Hong Kong to truly claim to be the developed metropolis it aspires to be, our society must progress and match the skyscrapers currently papering over its cracks.