Hong Kong has never been democratic. It was an island out of time, founded by British pirates and drug smugglers, keeping the early nineteenth century British political system of local rule by the local gentry, and the late eighteenth century early nineteenth century British form of capitalism, derived from Manchesterism and little changed from Manchesterism. (British impact and Hong Kong’s colorful history started well before the first Opium war, but the story for some reason seems to have been erased, as if the white man never set foot there before the first Opium war.)

The one nation, two systems deal, was that Hong Kong would keep its ancient and customary political and economic system, with China handling its external affairs and defense. The protester’s demand for universal suffrage is a violation of of the two systems deal, that would create a subversive and hostile Cathedral and US Government State Department outpost on China’s doorstep.

The protesters destroyed the legislative assembly, and shut down Hong Kong International airport, an airport I frequently use, inconveniencing and endangering large numbers of people much resembling myself.

If the local elite lacks the will to govern, and the will to crush those grasping for power, then China has little choice but to itself violate the two systems agreement by directly intervening in Hong Kong, itself directly repressing those who would overthrow the ancient and customary system in favor of the system of the modern west, an intervention that would unavoidably destroy the Hong Kong system almost as badly as universal suffrage would.

The Hong Kong government should recover their testicles, and, if necessary, read the riot act and disperse the crowds with napalm and machine gun fire.

The old system served Hong Kong well, and the only reason for changing it is that the protesters hope for backing from the US Government State Department, so think that power is up for grabs. I hope that Trump’s call for calm will be interpreted as implying that no such backing will be forthcoming. China alleges that the US Government State Department has been up to no good, and I see ample reason to believe the accusation.