Liberals, where are you?

be Frank Hoffer, associate fellow, Global Labour University

Thousands of people are fighting for freedom and democracy. They stand up against the rise of authoritarian power with determination, creativity and courage. While Europe seems to be shell shocked by Johnson, Orban, Salivini and the lot, while Democrats in the US are tearing each other apart over minor political issues instead of uniting against the assaulter in chief, these young people are fighting for our future.

The people of Hong Kong offer an incredible inspiration. They are rising up, against the odds. They can’t win is the wisdom of realpolitik. They can’t win in the same way as the Polish workers at the Lenin shipyard couldn’t win in 1981. At that time reasonable progressive liberals told them that they have a good cause, but unfortunately they happen to live on the wrong side of the iron curtain. Today the silent assumption of the liberal west seems to be that we should stay calm not to provoke mainland China. Access to Chinese markets or to Chinese oversea investment seems to be the highest western value.

Here are people who fight for what is dearest to us: freedom, justice and democracy. They are not remote-controlled by the Americans, they just want to determine their own destiny. They want a government of the people, by the people, for the people. They have shown incredible discipline and variety of tactics to maintain the momentum through calculated escalation.

Should we help them and can we help them? The answer is yes in both cases!

But would Western support not provoke a crack-down from mainland China? No one knows. What we know is that western silence did not stop the massive Chinese crackdown on even the most modest forms of civil society and labour rights movement in mainland China. China is understanding western silence not as deliberate restrain in order to keep the door open for dialogue and moderate civil rights improvements, but understands what it really means, appeasement for the sake of business.

But can we do anything? Of course we can.

First we should listen to the people of Hong Kong and give them a voice in our societies. Can universities, political parties, parliaments organise regular skype conversations with people in Hong Kong and learn directly from them what is going on in their city and give them a chance to speak to the world. They are smart, they are courageous. They are pragmatic radicals who dare the impossible, because it is their only realistic chance to defend even the limited freedom of the status quo. They have something important to say for everybody everywhere who cares about freedom and democracy. When Putin supports a right wing Anti-European international, Trump encourages a hard Brexit to foster European disintegration and the Chinese Silk road project successfully exploits Eastern European frustration within the EU the most determined defenders of European values are sitting in Hong Kong airport. Their success will be a boost for genuine democracy world-wide and vice versa. This is not a local affair.

Second western democrats have to call on business to stop business as usual. The strong message to the authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing has to be that not the demonstrators, but any crackdown on them puts Hong Kong’s vibrant economy at risk. Business leaders must say clear and loudly that disinvestment in Hong Kong will be the consequence, if the authorities in Hong Kong or Beijing chose repression.

Western business needs to know that being silent also comes at a price. Those caring about democracy in society and government have to call on western financial institutions and western multinationals that they need to speak up now. Western business has to know that they will face a public backlash, if they blatantly put money before people.

Third European governments need to be clear in their conversations with the Chinese government that diplomatic and economic consequences will be inevitable, if China is no willingness to hear and respect the voice of the people of Hong Kong.

Fourth people in European cities should come to the streets in solidarity with the people in Hong Kong to send a powerful signal that we share their values.

Fifth Europe needs to offer a safe haven to the courageous demonstrators for our common values, if the worst comes to the worst.