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Constructing Colonial Capitalism: The Public Relations Campaigns of Hong Kong Business Groups, 1959–1966

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Abstract

In the early to mid-1960s, two images of markets in Hong Kong circulated globally. The first was created by producer interests in the West seeking protection from what they perceived as unfair competition from exploitative and unethical entrepreneurs based in this British colony: they represented capitalism in Hong Kong as crass and corrupt. The second originated from business groups in Hong Kong seeking to retain their preferential trading rights in world markets: they portrayed a benevolent form of colonialism, a symbiosis between Chinese industrial and British mercantile capital, an exemplar of free markets. This chapter shows how this propaganda war was wasteful and socially divisive.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Mark Hampton, Hong Kong and British culture, 1945–1997 (Manchester, 2016), pp. 42–72.

  2. 2.

    James Fellows, ‘The rhetoric of trade and decolonization in Hong Kong, 1945–1984’ (D.Phil. thesis, Lingnan, 2016).

  3. 3.

    Roland Marchand, Creating the corporate soul: the rise of public relations and corporate imagery in American Big Business (Berkeley, CA, 1998).

  4. 4.

    On Britain note Jacquie L’Etang, Public relations in Britain: a history of professional practice in the 20th century (London, 2004).

  5. 5.

    Norman Miners, ‘Industrial development in the colonial empire and the imperial economic conference at Ottawa 1932’, Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History, 30 (2002), pp. 53–76.

  6. 6.

    J.L. Epsy, ‘The strategy of Chinese industrial enterprises’ (DBA dissertation, Harvard, 1974), pp. 59–70.

  7. 7.

    Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong Statistics, 1947–1969 (Hong Kong, 1969), pp. 101–104.

  8. 8.

    David Clayton, ‘Inter-Asian competition for the British market in cotton textiles: the political economy of Anglo-Asian cartels, c. 1932–1960’, in A.J.H. Latham and H. Kawakatsu eds., Intra-Asian trade and the world market (London, 2006), pp. 186–209.

  9. 9.

    David Clayton, ‘A withdrawal from empire: Hong Kong-UK relations during the European Economic Community enlargement negotiations, 1960–1963’, in Antony Best ed., Britain’s Retreat from East Asia: essays in honour of Peter Lowe (Abingdon, 2017), pp. 152–170.

  10. 10.

    Yokoi Noriko, Japan’s postwar economic recovery and Anglo-American relations, 1948–1962 (London, 2003).

  11. 11.

    D. Clayton, ‘British foreign economic policy towards China, 1949–1960’, Electronic Journal of International History (2000).

  12. 12.

    Catherine R. Schenk, Hong Kong as an international financial centre: emergence and development 1945–1965 (London, 2001).

  13. 13.

    Lawrence Mills, Protecting free trade: the Hong Kong paradox 1947–1997. A personal reminiscence (Hong Kong, 2012).

  14. 14.

    Minutes, 31 Jan. 1962, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), China Association records (CHAS)/C/11-13.

  15. 15.

    Minute, 1–12 Oct. 1962, SOAS, CHAS/C/11-13.

  16. 16.

    Summary of 1958 policy paper [1963], Public Record Office (PRO), Hong Kong, Hong Kong Record Series (HKRS) 270/5/46.

  17. 17.

    House of Commons Parliamentary Papers, http://parlipapers.chadwyck.co.uk, 10 Mar 1960, col. 614, fifth series, vol. 619.

  18. 18.

    Parliamentary Debates, Commons, Fifth Series, 1958–1959, vol. 604, 1234–1244, 12 Feb 1959.

  19. 19.

    Parliamentary Debates, Commons, Fifth Series, 1959–1960, vol. 614–627.

  20. 20.

    ‘Asian Textile Tour’, The Guardian, 18 Jan 1958, p. 10.

  21. 21.

    ‘MP suggests import board for textiles’, The Guardian, 17 Jan 1964, p. 20.

  22. 22.

    ‘Hong Kong deal “will not end cotton troubles”’, The Guardian, 29 Oct 1958, p. 3.

  23. 23.

    General secretary, Trade Union Congress [TUC] to J. E. Newton, national union of tailors and garment workers, 10 Oct. 1958 and notes on conservation with Miss [Shelia] Ogilvie, 27 Aug 1958, Modern Records Centre (MRC), Warwick, TUC, MSS292/951/5/2.

  24. 24.

    Adelaide Anderson, Humanity and labour in China: an industrial visit and its sequel, 1923–1926 (London, 1928).

  25. 25.

    David Clayton, ‘Buy British: the collective marketing of cotton textiles, 1956–1962’, Textile History, 41 (2010), pp. 217–235.

  26. 26.

    Note by Hong Kong general chamber of commerce [chamber], [1962], PRO, HK, HKRS270/63/1.

  27. 27.

    Minute, 17 July 1964, and director of information services department [ISD] to colonial secretary, 24 Sep 1962, PRO, HK, HKRS270/5/63.

  28. 28.

    Chairman, chamber, to director, department of commerce and industry [DCI], 3 Mar 1959, PRO, HK, HKRS41/1/9819.

  29. 29.

    Chamber, Federation of Hong Kong Industries [federation] and Hong Kong tourist association [HKTA] to the financial secretary, 27 Feb 1961, PRO, HK, HKRS270/63/1.

  30. 30.

    Chairman, chamber, to director, DCI, 3 Mar 1959, PRO, HK, HKRS41/1/9819.

  31. 31.

    Minute by J. Murray, director ISD, 8 Oct 1962, PRO, HK, HKRS270/5/63.

  32. 32.

    L’Etang, Public Relations, p. 30.

  33. 33.

    Note by TDD, 31 Oct. 1962, PRO, HK, HKRS270/5/63.

  34. 34.

    Memorandum, 28 Aug. 1962, PRO, HK, HKRS270/5/63.

  35. 35.

    Note by TDD, 31 Oct. 1962, PRO, HK, HKRS270/5/63.

  36. 36.

    Draft report [undated], PRO, HK, HKRS270/1/58.

  37. 37.

    Minute, financial secretary, 29 Jan 1962, PRO, HK, HKRS270/63/1.

  38. 38.

    Agenda for a meeting, 28 Nov 1962, SOAS, CHAS/C/11-13.

  39. 39.

    Vinod Aggarwal, Liberal protectionism: the international politics of organized textile trade (Berkeley, CA, 1985), pp. 77–95.

  40. 40.

    Memorandum, 21 Nov 1961, PRO, HK, HKRS270/5/45.

  41. 41.

    Chamber and the federation and the HKTA to financial secretary, 18 Jun 1962, PRO, HK, HKRS270/5/45.

  42. 42.

    Kite to colonial secretary, 1 May 1961, PRO, HK, HKRS270/5/45.

  43. 43.

    Financial secretary to colonial secretary, 2 Jan 1962, PRO, HK, HKRS61/1/2701.

  44. 44.

    Agenda for meeting, 22 Jan 1963, SOAS, CHAS/C/11-13.

  45. 45.

    Ibid.

  46. 46.

    The joint public relations committee, balance sheet, 14 May 1964, PRO, HK, HKRS270/5/63.

  47. 47.

    Minute, financial secretary, 29 Jan 1962, PRO, HK, HKRS270/63/1.

  48. 48.

    Note to colonial secretary, 3 Aug 1962, memorandum for executive council, 21 Nov 1961, note by colonial secretary, 28 Sep 1962, and note from Murray to colonial secretary, 24 Sep 1962, PRO, HK, HKRS270/5/63.

  49. 49.

    Murray to O. H. Morris (colonial office), 31 Aug 1961, PRO, HK, HKRS270/63/1.

  50. 50.

    Note, deputy economic secretary, to DCI, 4 Dec 1961, and extract from minute, trade and industry advisory board [TIAB], 18 Sep 1961, PRO, HK, HKRS270/63/1.

  51. 51.

    Commercial public relations: a historical note [1964/65] PRO, HK, HKRS270/63/1.

  52. 52.

    Extract, minutes, commercial public relations co-ordinating committee, 10 Oct 1963, PRO, HK, HKRS270/5/63.

  53. 53.

    Minute [1962], PRO, HK, HKRS270/1/63/1.

  54. 54.

    Holmes, DCI, to financial secretary, 28 Jan 1962, and note of discussions with Barton, 23 Jun 1964, PRO, HK, HKRS270/5/63.

  55. 55.

    Notes, director DCI, to financial secretary, 27 Nov 1964, PRO, HK, HKRS270/63/1.

  56. 56.

    Note of discussions with Barton, 23 Jun 1964, PRO, HK, HKRS270/5/63; and ‘some personalities of interest to the Permanent Secretary, [undated but 1958]’, and ‘some leading members of Hong Kong’s Cantonese community’, Sep 1958, The National Archives (TNA), UK, BT258/374 and 378.

  57. 57.

    Extract, minutes, TIAB, 18 Sep 1961, PRO, HK, HKRS270/5/45.

  58. 58.

    Minutes, 28 Sep 1962, SOAS, CHAS/C/11-13.

  59. 59.

    Some personalities, TNA, UK, BT258/374.

  60. 60.

    Rola Luzzatto and Rennie Remidios, Hong Kong who’s who: an almanac of personalities and their history 1958–1960 (Hong Kong, 1960), p. 51.

  61. 61.

    Some leading members, TNA, UK, BT258/378.

  62. 62.

    ‘Economic Miracle’, The Guardian, 25 Feb 1965, p. 13.

  63. 63.

    Memorandum, 27 Aug 1962, SOAS, CHAS/C/11-13.

  64. 64.

    Draft report, in T.D. Sorby [Labour Department] to P.Y. Tang, 8 Oct 1963, pp. 5, 16, 17, PRO, HK, HKRS1017/2/8.

  65. 65.

    Lacey, Director, Inter-Church Aid and Refugee Service, British Council of Churches, 17 Feb 1958, MRC, TUC, MSS292/951/5/2.

  66. 66.

    Some leading members, TNA, UK, BT258/378.

  67. 67.

    Some personalities, TNA, UK, BT258/374.

  68. 68.

    Minute, Governor, 30 Jan 1963, PRO, HK, HKRS270/1/63/1.

  69. 69.

    Agenda, 20 Dec 1962, SOAS, CHAS/C/11-13.

  70. 70.

    Kite to Collar, 18 Sep 1963, SOAS, CHAS/C/11-13.

  71. 71.

    Kite to Collar, 23 Feb 1963, SOAS, CHAS/C/11-13.

  72. 72.

    Kite to Collar, 24 Jan 1964, SOAS, CHAS/C/11-13.

  73. 73.

    Ibid.

  74. 74.

    Collar to Chau, 7 Nov 1966, SOAS, CHAS/C/11-13.

  75. 75.

    Note on Paris visit, 1–2 Oct 1962, SOAS, CHAS/C/11-13.

  76. 76.

    Fellows, ‘Rhetoric’, 78.

  77. 77.

    Minute, colonial secretary, 26 Jan 1965, PRO, HK, HKRS270/1/63/1.

  78. 78.

    A. M. Rodriques to Collar, 28 May 1964, SOAS, CHAS/C/11-13.

  79. 79.

    Memorandum and M.F.F. Page to Collar, 31 Jan 1966, SOAS, CHAS/C/11-13.

  80. 80.

    Fellow, ‘Rhetoric’, 79–88.

  81. 81.

    Minute, colonial secretary, 26 Jan 1965, PRO, HK, HKRS270/1/63/1.

  82. 82.

    Minutes, 24 Oct 1962, SOAS, CHAS/C/11-13.

  83. 83.

    Collar to Page, 17 Nov 1966, SOAS, CHAS/C/11-13.

  84. 84.

    Parliamentary Debates, Commons, 1965–1966, vol. 720, 1316–1318, 18 Nov 1965.

  85. 85.

    Neil Rollings, British business in the formative years of European integration, 1945–1973 (Cambridge, 2007).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of York, York, UK

    David Clayton

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of History, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom

    David Thackeray

  2. Department of History, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom

    Andrew Thompson

  3. Department of History, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom

    Richard Toye

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Clayton, D. (2018). Constructing Colonial Capitalism: The Public Relations Campaigns of Hong Kong Business Groups, 1959–1966. In: Thackeray, D., Thompson, A., Toye, R. (eds) Imagining Britain’s Economic Future, c.1800–1975. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71297-0_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71297-0_11

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