East and West (book)

East and West

Author	Christopher Patten
Language	English
Subject	Politics
Publisher	Crown
Publication date	14 September 1998
Pages	304
ISBN	0-8129-3000-2
OCLC	39108737
Dewey Decimal	951.25/04 21
LC Class	DS796.H757 P39 1998

East and West (subtitled "China, Power, and the Future of Asia") is a 1998 book by the British politician Chris Patten about his experiences as the last Governor of Hong Kong. In this book, he attempts to provide insights into the last years of British colonial rule in Hong Kong, and defends his decision of introducing the controversial representative democracy into the territory. In the second part of the book he argues that some Asian economies had outgrown their political structures and reforms are needed for stability and economic growth. He further asserts that the so-called Asian values are nothing more than a euphemism for legitimising the totalitarian regimes.

Patten's introduction of representative democracy into Hong Kong during his governorship induced scathing criticism from the Chinese authority and he was described by high-ranking Chinese officials as "whore of the East", a "serpent" and a "criminal who would be condemned for a thousand generations". The Chinese government did not welcome its publication and it is said that China's official distaste for Patten led his original publisher, HarperCollins, owned by Rupert Murdoch, who is intent on expanding his business in China, to cancel publication.^[1] The book was finally published by Crown in the US and Macmillan in the UK.