Voices unheard during the Anti-extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement in 2019-2020: Examining political intention and participation among youth in Hong Kong

Abstract

Since 2019, relentless discontent about the Extradition Bill escalated into a mass political crisis with the longest, largest, and most widespread social resistance in Hong Kong. While the root causes of the societal-wide youth participation have been directed to entrenched problems of socio-political or historic conditions, young people’s attitudes, values and their relationship with regards to political actions are less discussed. The study is a cross-sectional online survey study examining the relationship between political intention and participation and values among 712 youngsters aged 15 to 25 in Hong Kong. Results showed that youth respondents’ political involvement was “responsive”, and respondents participated at least once in political activities. Their political intentions were moderately active and radical. Approximately 36% were supportive of both legal non-violent and illegal violent political activities and 40% were less supportive of both legal non-violent and illegal violent political activities. The most important universal value rated is “freedom of opinion”; while the least important collective value is “my country”. Perceived greater importance of universal values and self-transcendence predicted more frequent political involvement; while perceived greater importance of conservation predicted less frequent political involvement. Findings of the connection between values and political attitudes suggested a vital need to recognize young people’s values for socio-political development and policy making. The society could adopt an open-minded attitude to listen and accept suggestions expressed by the youth, as well as provide young people and young people-led organizations with adequate opportunities to build mutual trust, so as to help them realize their values.