GEJC1020 Lecture 7: Gang Land, Cop Land, Disneyland 2023-24 PDF

1 Lecture 7 Disciplining Hong Kong: gang-land, cop-land, Disneyland Today’s Lecture  Part I: The puzzle about law and order in since early HK  Part II: Early Colonial period – post-war II – the birth of a Gangland  Part III: Post-war riots – 1970s: from Gangland to Copland  Part VI. Priv...

1 Lecture 7 Disciplining Hong Kong: gang-land, cop-land, Disneyland Today’s Lecture  Part I: The puzzle about law and order in since early HK  Part II: Early Colonial period – post-war II – the birth of a Gangland  Part III: Post-war riots – 1970s: from Gangland to Copland  Part VI. Privatization of security: Copland to Disneyland?  Part V. Conclusion 2 3 Some portrayal of Hong Kong actors and HK in crime thriller Hollywood: The Corruptor (再戰邊緣 1999 0-5mins) Chow Yun Fat as corrupted NYPD Asian Gang Rush Hour 1998 (Jackie Chan as HK Police Police + relationship (Guanxi) Force Detective Inspector) 4  Arrow (Season 3; 2014; Hong Kong Triad) www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgsnucxTQa0 Enter the Dragon (1973; 10mins; an island of ‘drug trafficking’ and ‘prostitution’. ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JMc1jwY The Dark Knight (2008; HK money laundering) QkI www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFnJGt-uYlw 5  Kung Fu triad / gangster  Kung Fu (Hong Kong) police  HK = A criminal place  Chan (2009) : otherness of ethnic Chinese – recently racialized as the Good vs. the Bad in movies Chan, Kenneth. 2009. “Enter the Triads: American Cinema’s new Racialized Criminal Other.” in Remade in Hollywood: The Global Chinese Presence in Transnational Cinemas. HK: Hong Kong University Press. Jet Li as Triad Boss in Lethal Weapon 4 (1998). He’s also the hero - Wong Fei Hung (1990) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQi4Rk9KT5A 6 Police Woman女警察 1973 ; Jackie Chan as ‘villains’ Big Moe Brother (1hr04mins) Police Story 1985 (1hr36min final lawyer) www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPfzYKA_cog https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzNag2j2ABo 7 Recurrent theme in HK: a corrupted police / ‘mole’ or undercover Infernal Affairs (2002; Triad The Departed (2008; Irish American society) mobster) 8 Questions to ask:  Why are police and triad frequently portrayed as two sides of the same coin?  What were the social and political roles of police and triad societies in the past local Chinese society?  What sociological explanations were provided towards the rise and fall of crime trend in post-war HK?  Who rule the new space in the city?  Disneyland and the privatization of security. 9 Law & order: popular culture  Clearly, an obsession with ‘triad’, ‘police’, ‘undercover’ in (local, crime) movie, why?  Earlier, same actors often starred as triad or police in different movies.  Later, the same actor acted out Jekyll and Hyde dilemma of an undercover in the same movie.  Some argue… deep down, reflects colonial HK serving as ‘middleman’?  Same kind of ‘obsession’ in other popular culture? 10 Law & order: facts  The funniest thing is, Hong Kong ranked 11th safest city in the world in 2015. - The Economist Safe Cities Index 2015  One of the bottom six lowest homicide rates (0.5 per 100,000) in the world in 2011. - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)  Crime rates in 2015/16 lowest in 36 years since 1979 - HK Police (2015/16) 11 https://safecities.economist.com/safe-cities-2021-whitepaper/ 12 The puzzle: Standard definition about law and order in HK  SD1: Hong Kong was a ‘gangland’. Triads were only hardcore criminals – like Jet Li’s role in LW4. The local Chinese society was weak in exercising social control.  SD2: Hong Kong has become a modernized ‘copland’ in response to the crime wave (1970s). Main task of the police in HK is to deter crime – like Jackie Chan.  SD3: Current low crime rate is the outcome of (only) the ‘good job’ of the formal law enforcements that result in low level of criminal activities nowadays. 13 High Definition:  HD1: Triads were more than criminals. One perspective sees Triad as a Chinese subcultural organization that specialized in trading ‘violence’ and informal services – past and present.  HD2: The major ‘task’ of the HK police in the past is more than enforcing the law. Notably, postwar police comes from the very same social class background they ‘police’ – local Chinese working class.  HD3: Hong Kong as the safest city – impact of the privatization of security in Hong Kong and the social order Disneyland implies. 14 The Far East frontier 15 Gangland (early colonial era) Ideology of policing: laissez faire To regulate: the local Chinese State Market Society 16 Global Influence: Modern Police as a British Import http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2212389/Portrait-city-Londons- development-Victorian-times-swinging-sixties-charted-fascinating-pictures.html 17 Global import: Modern Police as a British legacy  First Chief Magistrate – Captain William Caine – 30 April 1841.  Police force = 93 soldiers detached from the local British and Indian regiments (not fit!) + 37 Chinese.  Europeans to be subject to English law while Chinese governed by ‘traditional’ laws and customs except ‘torture’ (but public whipping was still used)  Police Ordinance passed on 1 May 1844.  1845 – Charles May (son of a superintendent of Metropolitan Police)  Captain Superintendent of Police and tried to establish a civil constabulary modeled on the London Metropolitan Police (est. 1829). Abandoned due to ‘rough’ and ‘lawless’ of the settlement  Turn to Irish para-military tradition. 18 Colonial control of indigenous population > concern of crime  1844: “Registry of the Inhabitants of the Island of Hong Kong and its Dependencies”  Later suspended due to opposition by local Chinese elites (ID card and risk of deportation).  Light and Pass laws – curfew on HK’s Chinese inhabitants between 8pm to sunrise. Night pass registration required from police.  I.e. Police as a force of alien, colonial institution. Para-military tradition.  Lack of trust in Chinese police. Recruiting from overseas. http://www.police.gov.hk/ppp_en/01_about_us/ph_02.html Ethnic composition of HK Police Indian Police 1906 HKP, Central Police Station  Ethnic composition of HK Police Different weapons! Chinese police officer in the late 19th European constable in winter uniform century. (pre-1920) http://www.police.gov.hk/ Source: Gaylord, Mark and Harold Traver. 1995. “Colonial Policing and the Demise of British Rule in Hong Kong.” International Journal of the Sociology of Law 23:23-43.  A weak state: limited judicial capacity and ‘blurred’ jurisdiction boundary - laissez faire  no $! - Judicial ‘collaboration’ between Qing and Colonial government British personnel witnessed the execution of Chinese (pirates) in Kowloon 23 A weak state: power relied on the exhibitive / traditional punishment http://gwulo.com/node/17450 24 Regional Influence: the Chinese triad society  Triad society is a secret society in south China region that dated back to the Q’ing Dynasty or even earlier (e.g. River & Lake).  A political group (anti-Qing) that built upon network of anti- state rackets of various kinds: gambling, prostitution, opium dens, smuggling of salt, and predatory crime such as robbery.  In HK, provided early informal policing : extortion / protection of hawkers/peddlers, dock works, but also breaking ‘strikes’ in coolies house.  Context: opium, prostitution were legitimate businesses  Many were from grassroot: coolies / working class.  Via Hong Kong, triad subculture exported to the US and incorporated with Tongs in China Towns. 25 The triad society. Who are they?  Election 2 (2006)  https://www.youtube.com/watc h?v=8f4OI6XT-ow  Election (2005) (Black Society)  https://www.youtube.com/watc h?v=PKHRtqZiRnY  Triad (2012 紮職 or Promotion)  https://www.youtube.com/watc h?v=Nvdfh0VQpQs 26 Traditional structure 27  The triad society and Chinese Revolution – but why? Dr. Sun Yat-sen (孫文 / 孫中山 / 孫逸仙 先生) groups = elites To infiltrate Unions and rallying supports from the grassroots (and also overseas Chinese) DeKorne, J. C. (1934). Sun Yat-Sen and the Secret Societies. Pacific Affairs, 7(4), 425-433. 28 The triad society and Chinese Revolution – impact  The Societies Ordinance (1845) - Suppression of Triads and Other Secret Societies ordinance – was enacted to ban triad societies and related activities on HK Island.  Commissioner of Police becomes Registrar of all societies!  Power to dissolve any local Chinese organizations!  Initially to prevent HK from becoming the revolution centre against the Q’ing government.  The maximum punishment of deportation frequently had the same meaning of ‘death penalty’ – to be executed by the Q’ing government. 29 Local society: self-policing  Weak police + rampant piracy, robberies, etc. Initially, merchants hired watchmen  but this ‘tradition’ clashed with ‘Europeans’ population.  ‘Bamboo Ordinance’ enacted by acting Governor George D’Auilar  banned sounding any device  further increase in crime.  Later, Nam Pak Hong, Tung Wah established District Watch Force (1866-1970) – Chinese version of uniformed local police. 30 Short Summary: Early colonial to pre-WWII  ‘Segregated’ social order - Chinese vs. European.  Triad society maintained a rigid structure, unlike now, almost no ‘adolescence’ gang due to ‘hard labor’ and survival condition of the settlement.  A shallow political penetration to the local Chinese society – weak colonial police  Paramilitary tradition targeted subversive elements.  Indirect rule and policing, local Chinese society engaged in self-policing.  With rising labor protests 1920s, policing target gradually shifted to Chinese working class as a whole.  Hong Kong remained largely a ‘gang-land’. Police corruption = norms. 31 Increased state intervention 32 Copland 50-70s Ideology of policing: from ‘paramilitary’ ‘community’ = state intervened more To regulate: crime or working class youth? Market State Society 33 Regional Influence: Post-war politicized Triads till 1956 Riot  Political: KMT incited new group of triad to infiltrate HK during and after the civil war in China, e.g. 14K.  Most (new) triad members resided in the squatter area which was penetrated politically by the KMT government.  Caused major disturbance to the colonial territory during the 1956 Double-Tenth Riot.  Social: Triads formed a cohesive web within the society by providing informal services – water supply, illegal electricity in the squatter area.  Sanction against members that disrupted ‘businesses’.  Informal sector arose mainly due to the laissez faire attitude of the colonial state towards the refugees. 34 Local influence: Rise of state police; late 1950s-1970s  Localization of police – change in ethnic composition as unintended result of WWII.  After the 1956 Double Tenth Riot, Police gradually gained control over triad societies in most area of Hong Kong with extended power.  Emergency (Detention Orders) Regulations were enacted to depot / lock up rioters.  “Detention” and “Deportation” as possible instrument to discipline the triad seniors / trouble makers like criminals.  Consolidation of syndicated corruption  Police collected money from organized crime groups (claimed to support ‘intelligence fee’).  In return, police protect the illegal businesses. 35 Source: Gaylord, Mark and Harold Traver. 1995. “Colonial Policing and the Demise of British Rule in Hong Kong.” International Journal of the Sociology of Law 23:23-43. ‘Comprador’ policing of the local Chinese community  Most senior police were not locals, Vs. Chinese rank and files.  Chinese Staff Sergeants, with detective background (almost highest rank achievable), rose to prominent position with enormous power.  A symbiotic relation formed with the triad societies.  Especially after 1966, 1967 riots - conferred Royal title.  ICAC (Drugs, Police)  https://www.youtube.com/watc h?v=ZegkXi0zgno 37  How about the triad societies? Rigid  Flexible in organization A flexible triad structure emerged :  Triad societies less able to control their own ‘rank and files’ with weakened ‘grip’. Partly due to the mass deportation of triad society members. (Morgan 1960)  Meanwhile, there was a major restructuring of their society-state relationship. Locals being resettled from squatter area to public housings – to pacify the Chinese for political reason (see Lecture on housing).  Urban juvenile gangs were less loyal or obedience to senior triad ranks  Fey Je (‘flying boy’).  Rise of local born population  social control by deportation obsoleted. Morgan, W. P. (1960). Triad Societies in Hong Kong. Government Press. 38 Why modernization of police?  The existing ‘arrangement’ increasingly hard to control ‘crime rate’ by disciplining the triad societies with flexible triad structure and rise of urban juvenile gangs.  Laissez faire financial logic (until 1971): domination of ‘economic institution’  to get rich is glorious, + lack of social security  property crime rose!  Homicide peaked in 1971 with rising violent crime (robberies) – crime wave became a political CRISIS.  Meanwhile, there was a widespread youth moral panic (post WWII 2nd generation HKers). 39  Modernization of police 1 - breaking the local Chinese ‘power grip’:  Police reform (1969 onward):  From a few staff sergeants expanded to hundreds of station sergeants.  Promotion of powerful staff sergeants to Inspector rank (i.e. becoming powerless).  Increase in police wages and rapid expansion of the police organization.  Rise of Neighborhood Police (1973 - 1977) 第8集 (警察, 鄰居):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNPRJ_YyM0c (26-29mins)  Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) was established in 1974.  Fight Violent Crime Committee (1973), also to rally citizen consensus (like Clean HK Campaign).  Anti-crime and anti-corruption as political projects (Lethbridge 1985) Lethbridge, H. J. (1985). Hard graft in Hong Kong: Scandal, corruption, the ICAC. Oxford University Press. 40 Source: Gaylord, Mark and Harold Traver. 1995. “Colonial Policing and the Demise of British Rule in Hong Kong.” International Journal of the Sociology of Law 23:23-43. Disciplining the working class - Discovery of ‘youth’  Kowloon disturbances 1966: report of Commission of Inquiry.  (一九六六年九龍騷動調查委員會報告書) 42 Disciplining the working class Constructing ‘youth’ (Lui 2002)  No natural or biological distinction of a ‘youth’. A relatively new phenomenon (2-300 year).  ‘Youth’ related to social change in social norms, family structure (function), flow of information (mass media), differentiation of ‘public’ and ‘private’ space (family problem becoming public problem).  The so called ‘rebellion’, ‘emotionally unstable’ generation of youth did not exist in HK before the 60s.  Post 1945: family migration brought in children and youths. Up to 40% of population were below 15 years old in 1961; 60.7% below years 30 in 1961.  Lack of education and societal facilities – most ‘youths’ wandered on the street and visibility raised public attention. (Lui) 呂志偉 。2002。「現代性、社會控制與香港靑少年問題1945-1979」，載於 《香港社會科學學報》，1996年秋季第8期。 43 Disciplining the working class A merging consensus– the state and the public (Lui, 2002)  Reality: most youth problems were minor delinquency. Older adult’s ‘own identity crisis’ arising from the detachment from China were projected to the youth. Youth’s acceptance of ‘western culture’ gave rise to ‘conflict of culture and moral values’ between the older migrated generation and younger one.  A developing consensus due to pragmatic concern : Initially government did not recognize ‘youth problem’ (extra spending?). Consensus reached with general public after 66 and 67 riots. Divert public grudges towards the ‘new’ youth problem. Tackling ‘youth problem’ & ‘juvenile delinquency’ increased legitimacy of the colonial government. 44 Disciplining the working class A merging consensus– the state and the public  Fear of (working class) youth  increased in crime report  increase fear of youth …  Youth problem became a ‘social order’ problem; officially became the target of social control; body subjected to inspection and ‘discipline’. 45 The ‘dangerous youth’! In popular culture Portrayal of youth:  Nothing to do (idle), dislike studying, unemployed, hedonistic (pleasure seeking), no tomorrow, ‘break’ tradition, cannot control ‘destiny’.  The Happening (夜車) 1980 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzYa 1Mw1WJI 46 Disciplining the working class Due to unintended consequences of other (increased) intervention  Education System  1971 6 years compulsory primary education – 1978 nine years. Youth stayed in school for longer hours – bring street ‘problem’ into the school.  Urbanization  Structurally isolated family. Diminishing ‘social bond’ from relatives. Increased anonymity - reduction in informal social control method (neighbors) encouraged the use of formal social control method (i.e. calling the police)  New town, commercialization of public space  Ignored the need of the working class youths. This further marginalized their activity – ‘grease’ boy/girl in shopping mall more apparent than ‘grease’ in public park. 47  Disciplining the working class Increased intervention  more crime!  Criminal justice system netwidening and the disciplinary welfare of the colonial state (Patricia Gray):  Increasing penalty for youth sentencing.  Criminalization of minor juvenile delinquent behavior.  E.g. Police Superintendent Discretion Scheme: From informal discretion to institutionalized discretion – increased crime rate.  Result: Stereotyping and marginalization of youth – a polarized view of youth adult relationship until nowadays!!! Gray, P. (1997). The emergence of the disciplinary welfare sanction in Hong Kong. The Howard Journal of Crime and Justice, 36(2), 187-208. 48 Modernization of police 2 – disciplining the working class youth:  1970s Police Recruitment advertisement.  七十年代警察招聘廣告  www.youtube.com/wat ch?v=aTtSfu6yabs&fe ature=youtu.be  Shaping the body and soul of youth. Two sides of the same coin? Short Summary: Context behind the birth of the Copland  Police – restructured, modernized, expanded and increased reach to the society upon the crisis: riots, crime wave, corruption, youth moral panic, by community (neighborhood) policing.  Political pacification upon the legitimacy crisis.  Past revisionist view of ‘Metropolitan Police Service’, founded in 1829 by Robert Peel  responses to the Peterloo Massacre 1819 (strikes).  Triad – from rigid to flexible structure. 1970s break down of the triad-police symbiotic relationship. Triad further depoliticized and focus on crime and informal services.  A wave of migration to overseas  the global drug network and the China Town gangs. 50 The neo-liberal era! 51 Disneyland 80s-90s : market dominate Ideological policing: privatization of security - to regulate: everyone! Market State Society 52  Political Economy - absorption of ‘triads’ HK triads meet top Chinese minister (SCMP 11 April 1993) HK triads turned ‘patriotic’ after 1997 handover: Michael Chan (ejinsight Dec 10, 2014)  “All the existing triad groups in Hong Kong are patriotic and follow the country’s orders,” … No Hong Kong triad group dares to confront China’s public security ministry, he said, adding: “Whoever tries to do so will not be able to operate anymore.”  Chan said he always tells young people not to join the triads, which have been a sunset industry since the 1997 handover.  The biggest change in Hong Kong’s triad community over the past 17 years is that triad groups now prefer harmony rather than conflict, he said, noting that many triad members have been shifting to legal businesses.  The rich ones are operating gaming clubs in Macau while the rest operate restaurants and cha chaan teng tea houses, he said. http://www.ejinsight.com/20141210-hk-triads-turned-patriotic-after- 1997-handover-says-michael-chan/ 53 ‘Triads’: influenced by ‘market ideology’  Election 2 (2006) (literal title: Black Society: Harmony is a Virtue) 2006  Portrayal: the harmonization of triad societies in Hong Kong.  Key point: ‘rationalized’ 54 1990s Police: Influenced by ‘market ideology’  Influence of managerialism and customer service culture http://www.police.gov.hk/offbeat/924/eng/n01.htm 55 Are police fighting crime all days? Comparing 1979 and 1987 data Annex 2.1 Workload and strength. Selected statistics. RHKPF. 56 Advance capitalism: Privatization of ‘security’  Security Unlimited (1981 摩 登保鑣)  https://www.youtube.com/watch ?v=OpHvVztDoTY  https://www.youtube.com/watch ?v=jY_94BgTo1A  Crime drop – real.  Diffusion of ‘policing’ by privatization.  ‘Security’ as ‘consumable’: private good - Burglary alarms.  Impact of the rise of shopping mall, gated community and the MTR. 57 Advance capitalism: Diffusion of security  Copland traditional policing  diffusion of policing to diverse administrative outlets (MTR, traffic tickets) + private corporations – Disneyland style.  Power conferred to Disneyland securities? (bag checking, exclusionary practice etc.)  To maximize ‘policing’ effect while saving the cost: risk based policing - identifying, isolating, excluding the dangerous class. 58 Advance capitalism: Isolation / Exclusion of the subversive elements  New Public Housing Projects with built-in ‘crime prevention’ measures:  CCTV (diffusion of ‘security’)  Resident registry  Involving the privatization of security / policing – like Disneyland.  But also Ideological policing – e.g. prescribed function of new public space? 59 Why Disneyland? Story from a Professor – a particular kind of ‘market oriented’ social order www.checkerboardhill.com http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/04/internat ional/asia/04disney.html?_r=1& 60 Exclusion of certain kinds (of activity) from ‘new’ space?  Like shopping malls, Disneyland is constructed out of a specific kind of social order – consumption.  Extensive coverage by CCTV in the urban area – revealing private life in public eyes.  Discipline and self-regulated behavior.  Private policing of ‘social disorder’ by way of ‘exclusion’ from ‘space’.  E.g. In Central, cross bridges are managed by private companies.  Where are the excluded? E.g. homeless… 61 Exclusion of certain activity from space? hijackpublicspace.wordpress.com 62 Ideological policing  To nip the bud – preempting politics, social deviance and issues, urban resistance against status quo, system, or pre-existing order. 63 Unintended result: exclusion from security in the ‘safe city’? ‘Privatizing’ security – new kind of inequality:  Private gated community (upper/middle class).  Publicly funded private security (working class).  Little to no ‘private security’ – crime victimization among those who cannot afford private security remains higher (the marginalized). http://photoblog.nbcnews.com The Arch www.vivotek.com 64 After 2000: society ‘policed’ by the two ends: market security and state police Market Society State Very low crime rates in Hong Kong, … the ‘balance’ of ‘policing’? 65 66 A story of social control in Hong Kong The two axis:  State (cop) – market (private security) – society (community & also the triad) relations?  Colonial (UK / Irish police model)?  Regional (South China triad gangs)?  Local (social change and moral panic)?  Global (Disneyland style security) influence? 67 Conclusion  Police and triad societies are linked together in popular culture – not just because of triad crime, but the changing mechanism of formal and informal social control – view depends on one’s social position e.g. social class.  Heightened ‘crime wave’ of the 1970s 1980s could be a result of real crime increase, social construction, or unintended consequences of restructuring of the state- society relations through more administrative penetration of the local Chinese society. 68 Conclusion  Policing in post-colonial, post-industrial, low crime rate Hong Kong  policing what?  From ‘policing’ indigenous and migrant populations, to ‘policing’ the local working class, to ‘policing’ youth, to ‘policing’ ‘high risk’ individuals designated as a dangerous class. ○ E.g. Institutionally ‘absorbing’ the dangerous class in the 1970s  How to ensure the ‘joint production of security by state-market-society’ democratic? 69 70