Originally published in the Journal of Asian Public Policy
Consultation is widely viewed as a means of buttressing political systems – from democracies to autocracies – characterized by deficiencies in information flows between nongovernmental sources and officials with decision making authority. Does, however, consultation in practice facilitate transparency, participation, and responsiveness in policymaking? The authors collect, code, and analyze information about hundreds of consultations conducted by the Hong Kong government over a 25-year period. The analysis demonstrates that – in contrast to jurisdictions throughout the world – opportunities for and the occurrence of participation, but not transparency and responsiveness, have been consistent elements of consultative policymaking. The analysis also finds that consultation has not eroded over time, despite the imposition of constraints on institutional decision making in the Hong Kong government. These results demonstrate the durability of consultation in a complex political environment, as well as its success in facilitating participation in Hong Kong policymaking.