Two Dimensions of the Rule of Law: A Reminder from Hong Kong

Abstract

In this article, two dimensions of the rule of law, namely the ‘rule of’ dimension and the ‘law’ dimension, are discussed with reference to the ongoing protests in Hong Kong. The meaning and the linguistic boundaries of ‘rule of’ and ‘law’ are explored, and relevant theories of the rule of law are also considered. By analysing the dimensions of ‘rule of’ and ‘law’, we understand that the usage of the term may reveal the ambit of rule of law. The question of whether some ideas count as conceptions of the rule of law can be answered to some extent. More importantly, on the view of the rule of law that I defend, governments are not free to blame the governed for undermining the rule of law, and they are bound to do what the rule of law requires when making their official representations and statements.