7.0 Governance in Hong Kong during the colonial period

Before 30 June 1997, Hong Kong was a colony of the United Kingdom that was administered by a governor appointed by the British monarch as his or her sovereign representative in the territory.

During the colonial period, governance largely followed an executive-led model : power and authority were concentrated in the executive office with the governor at the helm, while two bodies, the Executive Council and the Legislative Council, played advisory roles.

The governor selected individuals from the Chinese elite as members of these two councils or to serve in the civil service departments, while others were awarded titles of honour or named justices of the peace.

The inclusion of Chinese of high status in Hong Kong's government structure formed part of the effort to develop a distinctly Hong Kong society from its roots as an immigrant community.

During the 1980s, as the colony entered the transition phase leading up to the 1997 handover to China, the Hong Kong government actively promoted the development of representative government.

Following the introduction of elected members to the District Boards, popular representation was gradually incorporated in the Legislative Council, the highest legislative body in Hong Kong, in a step towards the implementation of democratic elections and party politics in the territory.

Credit : History Museum of HK.