It's the Economy: Explaining Hong Kong's Identity Change after 1997

Scholars and practitioners have provided two main explanations for the rising exclusionary localist identity in Hong Kong: the rising economic pressures on grassroots citizens and the political discontent caused by the delayed political reforms. However, little research has systematically investigated the identity shift in Hong Kong after 1997. Using the Public Opinion Survey data and time-series analysis methods, the authors find that housing prices positively contribute to the salience of localist identity in Hong Kong and this effect is particularly strong among the younger generation. In contrast to the claims of pro-democracy activists, Beijing's political intervention has a negligible impact on Hong Kong people's identity transition.