戰後殖民時期香港的居住政策及其影響

Abstract

香港在戰後至回歸前的殖民統治時期中，居住政策的發展及其對城市空間、社會結構與文化認同的深層影響。1949年中國內戰全面升級，中國內地難民湧入香港，急劇的人口增長對住房、衛生及基礎設施構沉重壓力。1953年石硤尾大火標誌著香港公共房屋政策的重要轉折點，港英政府由原本的放任態度轉向積極干預，推動徙置區與公共屋邨建設，逐步建立起具有殖民治理特徵的居住體系。此政策體系不僅是應對社會危機的措施，更是殖民政權透過空間規劃實施社會分類與控制的治理工具。居住政策的影響不限於物質層面，更深遠地介入了階級再製、族群區隔與集體認同的建構。徙置區的空間配置、租住限制及生活安排，分化了階級與秩序意識，亦逐步形塑出以「家」為核心的生活文化，促成特有的集體記憶與情感連結。1970年代，政府推出「十年建屋計劃」，回應六七暴動後的社會動盪，進一步擴展公營房屋供應，並發展新市鎮，重塑香港的城市地景與社會結構。而1972年實施的「丁屋政策」，則揭示新界土地使用與原居民權益之間的張力。該政策以族群身份為制度依據，反映出殖民統治下空間治理與身分政治之間的交織與矛盾。「家」作為戰後香港最具代表性的生活空間，這些空間不僅承載著經濟起飛的歷史記憶，更成為眾多移民「落地生根」的象徵。在此歷史條件下，香港逐步由一個「過客城市」轉化為具備文化認同與社區意識的城市共同體。本文從歷史、空間與認同三個層面出發，透過居住政策的演變，揭示香港社會由流動走向定居。在身份建構的過程，並進一步反思居住空間如何形塑城市文化、社會秩序與集體認同能性。本研究強調，居住政策不僅是一種社會管理工具，更是殖民政府治理的核心手段，影響香港的城市文化、社會結構與歷史記憶。透過分析公共房屋政策與城市發展的關聯，本文希望提供對香港社會變遷的更深入理解，並對未來居住政策與文化保育提出反思與建議。Hong Kong’s post-war colonial rule before its return to China, the development of housing policy had far-reaching effects on the city’s urban space, social structure, and cultural identity. The outbreak of the Chinese Civil War in 1949 led to an influx of refugees from mainland China, creating immense pressure on housing, sanitation, and infrastructure. The Shek Kip Mei fire in 1953 became a turning point in public housing policy, prompting the colonial government to shift from a laissez-faire approach to active intervention, promoting resettlement areas and public housing estates. This housing system, characterized by colonial governance, was not merely a response to social crises but also a tool for social classification and control through spatial planning.The impact of housing policies extended beyond the material realm, deeply influencing class reproduction, ethnic segregation, and collective identity formation. The spatial configuration, rental restrictions, and living arrangements in resettlement areas ingrained notions of class and order, gradually shaping a home-centered living culture and fostering unique collective memories and emotional bonds. In the 1970s, the government launched the Ten-Year Housing Programme as a response to the social unrest following the 1967 riots. This led to an expansion in public housing and the development of new towns, fundamentally transforming the urban landscape and social fabric of Hong Kong. Meanwhile, the 1972 Small House Policy highlighted tensions between land development and indigenous rights in the New Territories. This policy, based on ethnic identity, reflected the intersection and contradictions between spatial governance and identity politics under colonial rule.As one of the most representative living spaces in post-war Hong Kong, public housing not only carries the historical memory of economic development, but also symbolizes the process of immigrants putting down roots. Under these historical conditions, Hong Kong gradually transformed from a"transit city" into a community with cultural identity and social cohesion. This study examines the evolution of housing policies from historical, spatial, and identity perspectives, revealing how Hong Kong society transitioned from mobility to settlement. It further reflects on how residential spaces shape urban culture, social order, and the possibilities of collective identity formation. This study emphasizes that housing policy was not only a tool of social management but also a central instrument of colonial governance, influencing Hong Kong’s urban culture, social structure, and historical memory. By analyzing the relationship between public housing policies and urban development, this research seeks to provide a deeper understanding of Hong Kong’s social transformation and offer reflections and recommendations for future housing policies and cultural preservation.