Application Essay 4
Read: Chapter Three: Max Weber by Michele Dillon (our textbook) and the following article:
https://www.vox.com/2021/6/5/22520233/china-democracy-power-hong-kong-activist- tiananmen-square-vigil
Although the American media tends to focus primarily on issues that take place in this country, Hong Kong is currently encountering its own series of protests, the latest in an ongoing struggle over legal and political control of the city. The short story is that Hong Kong was leased to the U.K. by China in 1898 for a period of 99 years. During that time, Hong Kong became a modern capitalist powerhouse with global reach. Although mainland China continues to operate under communism, Hong Kong is effectively a capitalist state. In 1997, Hong Kong reverted back to Chinese control. Although Hong Kong has maintained the separate governing and economic systems that characterized the region throughout the 20th century, mainland China has increasingly maneuvered to incorporate Hong Kong into the rest of the nation. This has been met with resistance from Hong Kong, which wishes to maintain its independence and the more democratic way of life that developed there during the 20th century. You can read more about this history online.
Drawing upon Webers theories and concepts, how may the ideologies of capitalism have shaped the culture of Hong Kong? What are the different values that are driving the two sides of the current struggles in Hong Kong? Weber theorized a four-part classification of social action. Describe each of these four types and provide an example of each found in the situation in Hong Kong. Where do these types overlap or coexist? Weber proposed several types of power and authority. What are they and how are they reflected in the circumstances taking place in Hong Kong? How do these various types of power shape each side of the situation? What symbols of power and authority are seen in the newspaper article? What special powers do various entities possess and how does that shape their responses in Hong Kong? Finally, what role does social stratification play in these circumstances?
It is fine to quote from the book, but be sure to cite material that you are using, whether its a direct quote or a paraphrase. This means using quotation marks around any words that are not your own, and including the authors last name, year the book was published, and the page number of the quotation.
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