Poverty and the Unequal Society in Hong Kong

by Gary Lai

Overview

Hong Kong is a dynamic city. But the contrast between the well-off and the poor is stark. In the 1980s and 1990s, and to a lesser extent in this century, Luxury brand bag-toting women can often be seen walking past beggars on the sidewalks of busy streets. Poverty has always existed in the city. Where else can we find it there and is it getting worse? Does it matter? Inequality has been steadily increasing from 1976. Poverty makes people more vulnerable and corruptible, whether to choosing bad leaders or undertaking terrorist activities. The motivation of this book is to ascertain the extent of poverty in Hong Kong in the context of the experiences in other parts of the world. The meditations in this book are not meant to be encyclopaedic. They are a sample of the unique challenges that exist in different parts of the world. This book does not take a stand on the current political protests against the diminishing freedom and autonomy imposed by Beijing in Hong Kong, although it proffers underlying causes for the demonstrations. Inequality is a recurring theme, so are the social chasms that the wealth, education, and digital gaps created.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789814914048
Publisher:	Penguin Random House SEA
Publication date:	07/20/2021
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.75(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Gary Lai is an economist whose writing has appeared in the South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), the Daily Caller (USA), the Toronto Star, and the Daily Monitor (Uganda), among other publications, on topics ranging from Aboriginal employment in British Columbia to girls' education in Hong Kong. Gary's interest in poverty issues led him to found the anti-poverty campaign TKO Poverty at Columbia University in 2005. Gary received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Southern California and a Master of Economics from the University of Hong Kong.

Table of Contents

Introduction ix

1 The Culpability of Hjaimar Sehacht 3

2 To Fight Terrorism, France Needs to Focus on International Cooperation and Marginalized Groups 17

3 As Catalonia Prospers, Its Crime Rate Increases 21

4 More to Global Poverty than Jeffrey Sachs 29

5 The Virulent 'New World Syndrome' 33

6 An Inclusive HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment Policy Should Benefit the Poor in Africa 39

7 Malaria Eradication Must Consider Pregnant Women, Children, and the Effects of Climate Change 43

8 Can Africa Keep Its Doctors? 47

9 Africa Is Not Yet Ready to Stand on Its Own 51

10 Oil and the Resource Curse in Africa 56

11 More Accountability Needed to Overcome Resource Curse in African Oil-Producing States 61

12 Alleviating Energy Poverty in Africa Requires a Multilateral Approach 70

13 To Help Africa's Poor, Fair Trade Movement Must Resist Corporate Interests 74

14 Microfinance Should Be a Bridge, Not a Permanent Solution, for the Poor in Africa 78

15 Education Offers the Best Way to Support Africa's Entrepreneurs 82

16 Continued Public-Private Partnerships in Technology Crucial to Development in Africa 87

17 The Economic Challenges of Climate Change in Africa 97

18 Drier and Headed to War? 101

19 Activism Is the First Step to Improving the Health of Poor Canadians 109

20 Will Poor Albertans Benefit from Economic Diversification? 120

21 Resolving Aboriginal Unemployment Would Benefit British Columbia 124

22 Increasing Aboriginal Employment in British Columbia Starts with Education and Career Support 129

23 Why the US Needs to Take Care of Its Illegal Immigrants? 133

24 Veterans Live in Safer Neighbourhoods in Los Angeles 141

25 Neighbourhood Gentrification and Education May Deter Violent Criminals in Los Angeles 146

26 Connecting the Poor and the Elderly to the Internet in New York City Can Create Jobs for Many 150

27 Businesses Need to Protect Themselves against Failing Partners, Clients in Economic Downturn 155

28 Why the Shale Revolution Is Beneficial for the World's Poor? 159

29 When Conditional Cash Transfer Programs Work 164

30 Australia's Dutch Disease 171

31 It's India's Moment to Bloom in the US-China Trade War 175

32 Abenomics Will Be Slow, But Methodical 179

33 Can Hong Kong Prevent a Japanese-Style 'Lost Decades?' 185

34 What Will Become of the Japanese Firm? 191

35 Should China Buy American Shale Oil and Gas to Support the Belt and Road Initiative? 201

36 Can Former Soviet Union Oil Replace Saudi Arabia? 205

37 Hong Kong's Education System Has Room to Improve on Gender Equality 221

38 The Road Out of Poverty and to Gender Equality in Hong Kong Starts at School 225

39 How to Increase Socio-Economic Mobility in Hong Kong? 229

40 Free Transport a Crucial Step in Alleviating Elderly Poverty 233

41 Hong Kong's Poor Need to Be Logged on to the Internet 237

42 A 'Smart' Hong Kong Must First Figure Out How to Bridge Its Digital Divide 242

43 Hong Kong Must Tend to the Unique Challenges of the Poor under COVID-19 246

44 How Stakeholders Can Raise the Standard for Helping Poor Hong Kongers? 251

45 Hong Kong's Poorer Workers Can Profit from the Greater Bay Area, with the Right Skills 254

46 Businesses and Stakeholders are Committing to the Greater Bay Area to Drive towards Innovation and Growth 260

47 As Industries Shift, Retraining Hong Kong's Workers Is Key to Staying Competitive 265

48 How Can China and Hong Kong Combat Inequality through Education? 270

49 How to Reform Public Vocational Schools to Benefit Poor People? 276

50 Should University Be Free? 281

51 Stakeholders Can Help Realize the Potential of Entrepreneurs in Hong Kong 286

52 How Insuring the Poor in Hong Kong Is Becoming Big Business? 291

53 The Economics of Hong Kong's Parkland 295

54 What the Poor Should Be Thankful for? 301

55 It's Not Just About Money; Effective Philanthropy in Hong Kong Needs More Effort from Everyone 306

Conclusion 311

Glossary 315

Bibliography 319