Routledge Contemporary China Series, no. 174

The book thus finishes on a relatively hopeful note, arguing that the simple existence of financially independent civil society pressure groups, with organic intellectuals to promote their causes, has created a pluralistic society that can have a positive influence on Mainland China's modernization process over the decades ahead. In a welcome addition to the volume, two further chapters explore the role of labour movement organizations as a distinctive form of pressure group activity that could easily be overlooked in a society with low levels of union density by East Asian standards. While its cautious tone could be seen as overly conservative in the context of the polarization Hong Kong society has experienced, its focus on pressure group activity associated with the pan-democratic camp serves as a reminder that this position retains a significant institutional foundation and social base, despite the rise of radical localist currents.