Decentralization and Defeat: The Structural Limits of a Pro-Democracy Movement

This thesis is a case study of the 2019 Hong Kong pro-democracy movement. After being a British colony since 1842, Hong Kong was returned from Britain to China in 1997. Under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region of China, retaining a high degree of autonomy under the “One Country, Two Systems” framework for 50 years until 2047. Although Hong Kong was not fully democratic, it operated under a semi-democratic framework with gradual democratic development that distinguished it from mainland China. The 2019 Hong Kong pro-democracy movement began in early 2019 when the Hong Kong government introduced the Hong Kong Extradition Bill. With the participation of two million Hong Kong citizens, there was considerable optimism that democracy could become a reality in Hong Kong. However, the movement failed in 2020. Today, Hong Kong’s political landscape is tightly controlled by Beijing with minimal space for dissent or democratic expression. One Country, Two Systems exists in now just a name. This prompts a question: The 2019 Hong Kong pro-democracy movement represents an unprecedented massive public demonstration in the history of this city. Despite starting with a strongly united front with democratic aspirations, it ultimately ended in failure. Why? As the movement emerged as a response to the broader trend of decentralized social movements, this thesis focuses on the movement’s structural perspective to partially explain its failure. Findings reveal that the pros of decentralization have unintentionally became its cons. The use of social media, tactical diversity, leaderlessness, horizontal decision-making, and emphasis on protester anonymity in the 2019 Hong Kong pro-democracy movement undeniably brought creativity, convenience, and identity protection. Yet, these features have also resulted in collective action problems and opponent infiltration that are more common in decentralization. By highlighting the drawbacks of decentralization, this research contributes to the fields of social movements, Hong Kong politics, and Chinese politics. It underscores the importance of understanding that decentralization does not guarantee success despite its growing popularity, and highlights the importance of constant reflection and refinement of approach in social movements.