Hong Kong became the first of the Four Asian Tiger economies to industrialize during the 1950s. With a rapidly increasing population, the colonial government began reforms to improve infrastructure and public services. The public-housing estate program, Independent Commission Against Corruption, and Mass Transit Railway were all established during the post-war decades to provide safer housing, integrity in the civil service, and more-reliable transportation. Although the territory’s competitiveness in manufacturing gradually declined because of rising labour and property costs, it transitioned to a service-based economy.
1960s in Hong Kong continued with the development and expansion of manufacturing that began in the previous decade. The economic progress made in the period would categorize Hong Kong as one of Four Asian Tigers along with Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan.
A set of amazing then and now photos from Stuart James shows street scenes of Hong Kong taken in 1955 and 1968 to compare with 2017.
Hong Kong. Junction of Nathan Rd and Mody Rd, Kowloon, 1955 and 2017
Hong Kong. 1955 and 2017. Supreme Court Building, Chater Road. It’s one of very few colonial era buildings still standing in central Hong Kong
Hong Kong. Nathan Road, Kowloon, 1955 and 2017
Hong Kong. Peak Tram, 1955 and 2017. View from the mid level. The old Bank of China building can be seen in both pictures top centre. Built in 1952, it was Hong Kong’s first skyscraper
Hong Kong. Supreme Court Building, Chater Garden, 1955 and 2017. The cricket pitch has long gone and is now an open square called Chater Garden
Leave a Reply