Competing Political Visions in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong

This study analyzes the degree to which the issues of democracy and the relationship between Hong Kong and Mainland China have polarized Hong Kong’s elite politics. By analyzing roll call voting behavior in the Legislative Council (LegCo, 1998–2012), I present empirical findings that these competing political visions have been the single most important cleavage in the legislature. At the same time, however, there are substantial differences among the LegCo members on the salience of this Beijing/democracy issue dimension. The political elites who are directly elected are less aligned to the main issue dimension. Roll call voting behaviors of the independents and the minor party members are also less explained by the major political issue cleavage. These findings provide an additional lens for a better understanding of the political landscape in Hong Kong.