Suchergebnisse

Social problems are to be explained only by examining race or color as part of the dialectical processes of interaction between the economic, political, & cultural forces which comprise the social structure. 3 crucial influences are noticed: the immigrant-indigenous situation, the colonial-metropolitan configuration, & the variable of color as an ascriptive criterion. It is assumed that if racist consequences accrue to institutional laws, customs, or practices, the institution is racist whether or not the individuals maintaining those practices have racist intentions. Measures were taken in 1962, 1965, & 1968 limiting & restricting the entry of people from the Commonwealth nations. The regulations are both racist & class discriminatory. Of particular note is the contradiction between the economic need for nonindigenous labor & the political necessity to appear to keep out black immigrants. Commonwealth immigration restrictions have meant that the black population in Britain is now less an integral part of the society than in the years of greatest immigration. The new provisions are a mark of failure to confront racism & will make that task more difficult. L. DeForge.

This article examines party institutionalization in Hong Kong in order to understand the development of political parties in a political system undergoing democratization. Party institutionalization is defined as the extent to which political parties develop a systematic set of mechanisms and structures that enable them to compete effectively for political power. By examining partisanship, autonomy, and the stability of political parties in Hong Kong, the author concludes that party institutionalization is still weak, although there are signs of progress. Constitutional constraints, structural factors, lack of public support, and the problem of adaptation pose serious obstacles in the party institutionalization process. Political parties, as one of the essential conditions for democratic consolidation, have brought a new page of democratic politics to Hong Kong. However, in terms of institutionalization, political parties in Hong Kong are far from mature, thereby limiting their impact on the democratization process. (Asian Perspect/GIGA)