On the Generation of Power of the Powerless: Taking a Social Movement in Hong Kong as a Case.

By definition, power is relational, so studies of power should concern with the object of power, i. e., the powerless people. In practice, power is characterized as a process, meaning that it is a process in which power structure is keeping changing. So, these two properties make legitimacy an inherent demand of power. According to known research, we think that power is generative, i.e., to obtain power is a dynamic process in which power can be generative and accumulative. From the perspective of the powerless, the powerless can take effective actions to generate "power of the powerless". Because of the appropriation of their buildings by the government, residents in Leetung Street have launched a social movement that has sustained the longest duration of protest, elicited the largest reaction, and demonstrated the strongest influence among social movement in recent Hong Kong history. As an organization of the powerless, H15 Concern Group has gathered and mobilized diverse action takers and networks to engage in civil, constructive protest. It has become a highly influential social organization, demonstrating that ordinary people can be a powerful force of production in city planning and renewing. In response, the government has also made some efforts and improvements in the administration and governance ideas. This movement has demonstrated that ordinary people are able to produce "power of the powerless". The process of power's generation and growth can, to some extent, change the original structure of power relationship in certain contexts and result in social changes. The analysis of the key elements of power generation and the demonstration of this process in Hong Kong re-explain the concept of power, and are helpful for us to understand and improve the public politics in the cities of mainland China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]