Can Non-Policy Issue Become a Cleavage Between Opposition Elites in EA Regime?

• In Event: Legislatures & Parliamentary Politics Under Autocracy

Abstract

Previous studies of electoral authoritarian (EA) regimes have identified that opposition camp is filled with cleavages. Yet, most scholars rely on Lipset–Rokkan’s sociological approach and understand cleavages are associated with economic and cultural policy issues. This paper expands this field by suggesting that non-policy related issues can become elites’ conflict line in EA regimes, where party institutionalization is weak and candidates’ autonomy is high. To substantiate this claim, we leverage the case of Hong Kong, where the opposition factions always contend how to best pursue democratization. After the democratic tsunami in late 2019, we conducted a survey with District Councilors, directly asked their attitudes on different sociocultural, economic and political issues. We find that different opposition factions disagree on Hongkong-Chinese identification and mainland immigrant issues, but not on economic issues. Most importantly, independence, violence toleration and perceived level of democracy are their division point. This paper contributes to the study of opposition in EA regime, as it indicates non-policy issues can be mobilized and become cleavage at the elite level.

Authors

• Nok Hin Au, University of Tokyo

• Ka Ming Chan, Geschwister Scholl Institute of Political Science, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

• Ka Lun Ng, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology