Organizational Adaptation of the Hong Kong Democratic Party: Centralization and Decentralization

Issues and Studies

Volumn 33, Issue 1, 1997, Pages 87-115

  Yu, Wing Yat ^a  

^a NONE

Author keywords

Centralization and decentralization; Environmental factors; Organizational adaptation; Party organization; Political party

Indexed keywords

EID: 0344448253     PISSN: 10132511     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Article

References (85)

1. In Western counterparts, there is no satisfactory unified definition describing political parties. In this paper I define Hong Kong's political parties as institutionalized organizations, having local branches, nominating members and seeking to win elections for various representative assemblies in order to gain political power and influence in the government. See Kay Lawson, The Comparative Studies of Political Parties (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1976), 2-3. Moreover, Herbert R. Winter and Thomas J. Bellows indicate twenty features which define political parties. See Herbert R. Winter and Thomas J. Bellows, People and Politics: An Introduction to Political Science, 3rd edition (New York: Macmillan, 1984), 181-82.
2. In Western counterparts, there is no satisfactory unified definition describing political parties. In this paper I define Hong Kong's political parties as institutionalized organizations, having local branches, nominating members and seeking to win elections for various representative assemblies in order to gain political power and influence in the government. See Kay Lawson, The Comparative Studies of Political Parties (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1976), 2-3. Moreover, Herbert R. Winter and Thomas J. Bellows indicate twenty features which define political parties. See Herbert R. Winter and Thomas J. Bellows, People and Politics: An Introduction to Political Science, 3rd edition (New York: Macmillan, 1984), 181-82.
3. The term "three-tier councils" is used to describe the three different types of representative assemblies, including the Legislative Council (the top council), the Urban Council and the Regional Council (the middle-tier councils), and the District Board (the lowest-tier council).
4. Louie Kin-sheun, "Consolidation and Marginalization: Development of Political Parties in Hong Kong" (Paper presented at the International Conference on Political Development in Taiwan and Hong Kong, University of Hong Kong, February 8-9, 1996). Also see Joseph Y. S. Cheng, "Hong Kong Legislative Council Elections: A Review of the 1991 Elections and Preparations for the 1995 Elections," in Xianggang zhengzhi yu xuanju (Hong Kong politics and elections), by Joseph Y. S. Cheng and Louie Kin-sheun (Hong Kong: Oxford University Press, 1995), 53.
5. Louie Kin-sheun, "Consolidation and Marginalization: Development of Political Parties in Hong Kong" (Paper presented at the International Conference on Political Development in Taiwan and Hong Kong, University of Hong Kong, February 8-9, 1996). Also see Joseph Y. S. Cheng, "Hong Kong Legislative Council Elections: A Review of the 1991 Elections and Preparations for the 1995 Elections," in Xianggang zhengzhi yu xuanju (Hong Kong politics and elections), by Joseph Y. S. Cheng and Louie Kin-sheun (Hong Kong: Oxford University Press, 1995), 53.
6. See Joan Leung Yin-hung, "Political Parties and Voting Choice: The 1995 Legislative Council Elections in Hong Kong"; and Rowena Kwok Yee-fun and Elaine Chan Yee- man, "Political Identity and Participation in the 1995 Legislative Council Elections" (Papers presented at the International Conference on Political Development in Taiwan and Hong Kong, University of Hong Kong, February 8-9, 1996).
7. See Joan Leung Yin-hung, "Political Parties and Voting Choice: The 1995 Legislative Council Elections in Hong Kong"; and Rowena Kwok Yee-fun and Elaine Chan Yee-man, "Political Identity and Participation in the 1995 Legislative Council Elections" (Papers presented at the International Conference on Political Development in Taiwan and Hong Kong, University of Hong Kong, February 8-9, 1996).
8. See Louie, "Consolidation and Marginalization," 15.
9. Paul R. Lawrence and Jay W. Lorsch, Organization and Environment: Managing Differentiation and Integration (Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1986), 6-7.
10. Richard H. Hall, Organizations: Structures, Processes, and Outcomes (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1991), 84.
11. Richard S. Katz and Peter Mair, How Parties Organize: Change and Adaptation in Party Organizations in Western Democracies (London: Sage, 1994).
12. See Teh-fu Huang "Electoral Competition and the Evolution of the Kuomintang," Issue & Studies 31, no. 5 (May 1995): 91-120; and Peter R. Moody Jr., Political Change on Taiwan: A Study of Ruling Party Adaptability (New York: Praeger, 1992), 13-34.
13. See Teh-fu Huang "Electoral Competition and the Evolution of the Kuomintang," Issue & Studies 31, no. 5 (May 1995): 91-120; and Peter R. Moody Jr., Political Change on Taiwan: A Study of Ruling Party Adaptability (New York: Praeger, 1992), 13-34.
14. Lawrence has studied the organizational adaptation of the World Food Company in the United States since 1958. Due to the increase of competition in the market, World Food's Board of Directors gradually decentralized the organization in order to make the company more competitive. See Paul R. Lawrence, The Changing of Organizational Behavior Patterns (New Brunswick, N.J.: Transaction, 1991).
15. Howard Aldrich, "Centralization Versus Decentralization in the Design of Human Service Delivery Systems: A Response to Gouldner's Lament," in The Sociology of Organizations: Basic Studies, ed. Oscar Grusky and George A. Miller, 2nd edition (New York: Free Press, 1981), 371-72.
16. Andrew H. Van De Ven and Diane L. Ferry, Measuring and Assessing Organizations (New York: John Wiley, 1980), 399, cited in Hall, Organizations, 74.
17. Andrew H. Van De Ven and Diane L. Ferry, Measuring and Assessing Organizations (New York: John Wiley, 1980), 399, cited in Hall, Organizations, 74.
18. Here, we should consider that decisions made by the party center are a coordinating process to a certain extent. Suggestions or proposals made by localities have to be passed by the center in order to be ratified as party policy. During the decisionmaking process, there may be a negotiation between the center and localities on particular suggestions. After compromising between central and local bodies, the center confirms the proposal, which is accepted by both the center and localities. Thus ratification is a procedure in which the decisionmaking process is not dominated by the center but is a compromise between the center and localities, who have a bargaining relationship.
19. See note 11 above.
20. Local decentralization includes the selection of local leaders and localities' fundamental decisionmaking power. Ideological decentralization is the tolerance for the appearance of different "wings" or "tendencies" in party rule. Social decentralization includes the division of labor among different social classes inside the party, with no intervention by other classes. Federal decentralization includes a division of labor between the party center, which is responsible for national government affairs, and localities, which are responsible for federal government affairs under a federal political system. See Maurice Duverger, Political Parties: Their Organization and Activity in the Modern State, 3rd edition, trans. Barbara and Robert North (London: Methuen, 1963; original in 1951), 52-56.
21. Alan Ware, Political Parties and Party Systems (New York: Oxford University Press, 1996), 102-3.
22. See Sun Tung-wen and Wong Ka-ying, Platform and Election: A Regressional Analysis of the 1994 District Board Election in Hong Kong (Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995).
23. In Britain's case, as the limit on electoral expenses is relatively low, the campaign activities are mainly engaged in door-to-door campaigns and leaflet distribution. See Ware, Political Parties and Party Systems, 313-14.
24. Joseph Y. S. Cheng, "The Modernization of Hong Kong Politics," in Cheung and Louie, Xianggang zhengzhi yu xuanju, 77.
25. In early 1987, the democrats began discussions on founding a political party. However, they were divided on their aims for democracy. Some of them were anticommunist and tended to oppose intervention by the PRC authorities in Hong Kong affairs. The rest were softer toward the Chinese government and aimed to have a democratic system rather than attacking the Chinese communist regime. Hence, after two years of negotiation, the democrats failed to unite and form a single political party. In a personal interview conducted by the author, Lau Sai-leung remarked that "the incentive was not strong enough to unite all democrats together and form a political party at that time." Also see Joseph Y. S. Cheng, "The Democracy Movement in Hong Kong," International Affairs 65, no. 3 (1989): 449.
26. See note 19 above.
27. A former MP members made such speculation. See South China Morning Post (SCMP), April 19, 1994, 6.
28. Ibid.
29. Ibid.
30. Ibid.
31. Yung Sam, DP's vice chairman and the Central Election Committee chairman, indicated that the success of DAB in the District Board election was due to its strong mobilizational power and financial resources. See SCMP, April 20, 1994, 5.
32. The Central Election Committee is under the Central Executive Committee within the DP's organizational structure. The members are assigned by the Central Committee. Its only function is to investigate potential candidates' qualifications and make suggestions to the Central Committee for the selection of candidates during election periods. Moreover, it determines the party's campaign strategies.
33. Some District Board members withdrew from the party due to loyalty problems. For example, in the Tuen Mun District Board chairperson election, DP members Chui Jo-yan and Lo Chi-hung did not follow the local caucus' decision to vote for DP candidate, Cheung Yu-lan. The DP had an absolute majority on the board at the beginning, but due to Chui and Lo's decision, Cheung failed to become the board chairperson. This caused concerns in the party center over potential candidates' loyalty to the party in the selection process. See Kuai Bao (Express News) (Hong Kong), November 14, 1994, A4 and December 10, 1994, A3.
34. Personal interview, November 15, 1995.
35. Choi Chi-keung, "Analysis of Party Performance in the Two Municipal Council Elections," in Xuanju yu yihui zhengzhi: Zhengdangjueqi hou de Xianggang zhanxin zhengzhi mianmao (Election and legislative politics: The polity of Hong Kong After the genesis of political parties), by Choi Chi-keung, Lau Sai-leung, and Chow Pakwan (Hong Kong: Humanity, 1995), 70.
36. The author participated in a District Board election's forum as an observer. A DP candidate performed poorly because he did not prepare his presentation well and could not answer some of his electorates' questions.
37. Fung's rejection was due to the split between the former UDHK and MP branch members. Each of the former parties' members split into two elite groups inside the branch to oppose each other. Fung was a former member of the UDHK, and as the MP elite group was the majority in the branch opposite the UDHK group, it rejected Fung's nomination. There was also a case in which the MP elite group rejected a former UDHK member for nomination in the 1994 District Board election. The member, Au Wai-san, subsequently withdrew from the DP to run in the election independently. He was elected into the District Board. See Kuai Bao, April 19, 1995, A4.
38. In the DP's nomination process, if there is any candidate endorsed by local branches but rejected by the party center, the party center can nominate a candidate with ten local members' endorsements. Although Fung was nominated for the election, he was finally defeated. His defeat was due to the split of the North New Territory local branch members. He indicated to the media that owing to the fragmentation of the branch, any members who ran in elections would also be defeated. On the other hand, Fung indicated that his opponent had a strong local network and the confidence of the voters. Also see Kuai Bao, April 19, 1995, A4.
39. See note 30 above.
40. The DP nominated thirty-three candidates and twenty-five of them were elected in the 1995 Urban Council and Regional Council elections, for a success rate of 76 percent. See SCMP, March 7, 1995, 6.
41. Apart from the poor performance of some candidates, we cannot ignore that the different levels of elections also affect the DP's centralization and decentralization in the candidates' selection process. As the upper-tier councils have greater political power in influencing the government, other parties will nominate elite members in order to capture more seats. Hence, the DP adopted a centralized selection process in order to nominate elite party members and enhance party strength in the 1995 Urban Council and Regional Council elections. Regardless of the poor performances of party candidates and the level of elections, the DP's centralized candidate nomination process has been the result of interparty competition.
42. See Kuai Bao, January 20, 1995, A4.
43. See Choi, "Analysis of Party Performance," 71.
44. Choi Chi-keung, "District Board Elections Alarm the Democratic Party's Grass-roots Work," in Choi, Lau, and Chow, Xuanju yu yihui zhengzhi, 50.
45. Ibid.
46. In the 1994 District Board election, the DP gained eight seats out of fourteen in the Central and Western District Board on Hong Kong Island and became an absolute majority on the District Board. In the 1995 Urban Council election, the DP won both the available seats in this district.
47. Personal interview with Lee Kam-hang, August 7, 1995. Lee indicated that in the 1994 District Board elections, the branch conducted surveys in different buildings to discover whether these buildings were mismanaged by the property management companies and contacted residents to assist them in setting up their own ownership management commissions to manage their buildings. Through this assistance, the DP's candidates built up networks with the residents and this proved helpful in their subsequent door-to-door campaigns. Also see note 39 above.
48. The author notes that the DP District Board candidate Lee Kam-hang and his assistants studied the poor living environment because of air pollution from a restaurant's chimney and hot air from large air conditioners, etc.
49. The LP nominated eighty-nine candidates in 1994 District Board election and only eighteen of them were elected, for a success rate of 20.2 percent. See SCMP, September 20, 1994, 6.
50. See chap. 7, part II, sec. 7 in the Guidelines on Election-Related Activities in Respect of Geographical Constituency Elections, issued by the Boundary and Election Commission, January 15, 1996.
51. Personal interview, August 7, 1995.
52. Ware, Political Parties and Party Systems, 289-316.
53. The Guidelines on Election-Related Activities in Respect of Geographical Constituency Elections is a set of regulations that determine all the activities, expenses, and administration of candidates in elections.
54. Choi, "District Board Elections," 54.
55. Kuai Bao, January 10, 1995, A5.
56. Personal interview with Yuen Bun-keung, an electoral commissioner of the Central and Western District in Urban Council elections, October 27, 1995. Yuen stated that as candidates could not manage whole campaigns during elections, local electoral committees shared candidates' work loads. The committees determined all activities, and the candidates were only requested to act in those activities.
57. "Consolidate the Democratic Party's Unity; Strengthen the Party's Organization," Minzhudang tongxun (Democratic Party Newsletter), 1995, no. 6:4.
58. Duverger, Political Parties, 57.
59. Personal interview with Lau Sai-leung, the DP's senior executive officer, November 6, 1995.
60. Ibid.
61. Ibid. Lau introduced the DP's organization and reviewed the functions of each body in the interview conducted by the author. He also provided this example by mentioning the request for assistance from localities by the party center.
62. See note 42 above.
63. In the elections of ten legislative councilors from the electoral college, each candidate who can gain twenty-six votes will be elected. The DP has fifty-two District Board members, so at least two DP candidates must be elected provided that all DP District Board members vote for the party's candidates.
64. Personal interview with Yuen Bun-keung, October 27, 1995. Yuen indicated that the name list of the electoral college is derived from a compromise among the DP's District Board members.
65. Kuai Bao, August 6, 1995, A5.
66. Personal interview with Lee Kam-hang, August 7, 1995. Lee indicated that the Central Committee is mainly concerned with government policies and it pays less attention to localities' affairs.
67. Telephone interview with Fung Chi-wood, November 8, 1995. Fung indicated that localities have great autonomy on local affairs.
68. Personal interview with Yuen Bun-keung, October 27, 1995.
69. Choi, "District Board Elections," 56.
70. Personal interview with Chan Wing-hung, November 15, 1995.
71. Ibid. Chan indicated that in the District Board, some local branch members can be invited into the local caucus.
72. Personal interview with Yuen Bun-keung, October 27, 1995. Yuen said that the caucus leader is elected by the caucus members.
73. Telephone interview with Fung Chi-wood, November 8, 1995. Fung indicated that legislative councilors are the nucleus of local branches, as they gain more resources from the government and are more popular than other members because they can more easily attract the attention of residents.
74. Telephone interview with Fung Chi-wood, November 8, 1995. Fung summarized these three financial sources of the DP.
75. Louie, "Consolidation and Marginalization," 7.
76. Personal interview with Lee Kam-hang, August 7, 1995.
77. Personal interview with Lau Sai-leung, November 6, 1995.
78. Personal interview with Lee Kam-hang, August 7, 1995.
79. There is a regulation inside the DP that every member elected into the three-tier councils must set up a district office. Hence, local branch expenses will increase in more developed branches.
80. Personal interview with Lee Kam-hang, August 7, 1995. Lee indicated that it is unfair for local branches having large numbers of councilors in the three-tier councils to subsidize other local branches.
81. Xianggang lianhe bao (Hong Kong United Daily News), July 13, 1995, 2.
82. Personal interview with Lee Kam-hang, August 7, 1995.
83. Ibid.
84. See Lo Shiu-hing and Yu Wing-yat, "The Electoral System of Hong Kong's Legislative Council: The Dynamics and Prospects of Macaunizing the Direct Elections" (Paper presented at the conference on "The 1995 Legislative Council Election" held by the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, May 17-18, 1996).
85. Ming Pao Daily News (Hong Kong), July 14, 1996, A4.