The political economy of loose regulation: Modernity meets tradition in Hong Kong

Abstract

Hong Kong is a fascinating social laboratory where one can observe the interplay between powerful forces of modernization and deeply-entrenched pre-industrial consumption patterns. For decades, the former had not encroached on the autonomy of grassroots-style forms of health care, but the enactment of the Chinese Medicine Ordinance in 1999 has brought the latter under the grip of the state, albeit in the weak sense of the term. This particular episode may offer insights into the dynamics of the two-way adjustment that takes place when the divergent paths of the mainstream and traditional sectors inevitably cross, prompting regulatory and developmental responses.