Stephen Macedo has just published a really nice essay on how we might understand the nature of the Hong Kong protestors’ proposal for electing the Chief Executive in 2017. I think the term “Republic as constitutional democracy” is a good and accurate term here, especially if we take into account the fact that the recent discussion in mainland China by people who are of similar mind with HK protestors has usually been conducted under “憲政” (constitutionalism) or “共和” (republic, republicanism). I do not know how much that discussion has had on the HK protectors. It has been widely reported in Hong Kong media, including the controversy regarding 《南方周末》 2013 editorial “中國夢，憲政夢” (China Dream, Constitutionalist Dream).
Here is the whole essay:
