Hong Kong – Toxic Levels of Polarization

Hong Kong is one of the world’s most polarized nations. This week’s graph shows how polarization escalated with the umbrella movement and its fight for universal suffrage in 2014. When citizens joined another wave of massive rallies in 2019 against the National Security Law, political polarization reached toxic levels, and respect for counterarguments hit rock-bottom. Pro-Beijing media targeted opposition, local media, pro-democracy scholars, and strictly restricted their slogans, comments and academic work. Hate speech is increasingly used with pro-Beijing supporters and government officials referring to protesters as “cockroaches.” Toxic levels of polarization empower the autocratic agendas, and Hong Kong’s recent polarization has been accompanied by substantial autocratization.

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