Unmasking the 'naturalness' of 'community eclipse': The case of Hong Kong

Abstract

This article argues that 'community eclipse' theorized by Chicago ecological sociologists is not caused 'naturally', but by the constellation of economic, socio-cultural and political factors. Hong Kong, a former British colony, has undergone urbanization-cum-industrialization and experienced a demise of community spirit. Industrialization set the stage for urbanization, while the property-led economy spurred unscrupulous urban renewal. Government public housing and new town policies spurred urban sprawl, disrupted pre-existent communities and uprooted the residents. The local people attended to 'capitalistic consciousness' and pragmatic concerns rather than communitarian precepts. Social capital should be nurtured in revitalizing the eclipsed communities.