The Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong, initiated in September 2014, arose in response to the National People's Congress's proposed electoral reforms that effectively barred pro-democracy candidates. The movement highlighted the political and economic inequalities in Hong Kong, including issues like significant income disparity and the dominance of real estate monopolies. Its significance lies in fostering political consciousness, civil disobedience, and solidarity among students and various social groups amid government suppression.

1. Umbrella Movement of Hong Kong
(Sep 28 – )

2. Background: Political
31st August 2014, Standing Committee of the
National People's Congress (NPCSC) announced
its decision on proposed electoral reform
• 1200 Pro-Beijing election Committee
nominate  then voted by Hong Kong people
• RICH BUSINESSMEN and EXISTING
POLITICIANS
• NO pro-democracy candidate can be
nominated

3. lBackground: Political.
- So-called universal suffrage
-  YES right to vote
-  NO right to be voted
-  NO right to be nominated
-  AGAINST our CONSTITUTION (Basic Law)

4. lBackground: Political.
- Legislative Council (Legco):
- 50% nominated and elected by a small group
of pro-Beijing election committee
-  Pro-democracy group has no say

5. Background: Economy
• Politics dominated by beneficiaries of the
system: Largest income gap in the world
• Some of the highest Real Estate Price in the
World
• Economic development dominated by Real
Estate Monopolies
• Very Low Wages

6. Student Strike

24. A World of Sharing and Love
Creating an Utopia of our Own

45. Where Art Meets Social
Movement
Creating an Utopia on Our Own

56. Our Works in the External World

65. Difficulties

68. Police’s Brutality

70. Government’s Tough Stance
• One Negotiation with Students
• Emphasized that they could not change the
bills passed by China
• The use of Mass Media to portray students as
brutal demonstrators
• Hiring of gangsters to attack protestors and to
destroy the order of the peaceful protests

71. Government’s Tough Stance
• Weakening the movement by dramatizing the
conflicts between the police and the
protestors
• Refusing to negotiate/delaying negotiation so
as to accumulate tension between Occupy-
central and ANTI-occupy central protestors
• Dramatizing social division between different
social classes (the majority VS middle class)

72. Double-standards of Law Enforcement
• 1. Dropped the case against the police VS
arresting peaceful protestors
• 2. Violent Umbrella VS “necessary tear gas”

73. Significance of the Movement
• 1. Awakening of Political Consciousness
• 2. New Age of Civil Disobedience
• 3. Leadership of Students in Movements
• 4. Church Participation
• 5. An Experiment of Socialist Life
• 6. A New Age of Solidarity
• 7. Creation of Social Networks of Future
Movements