In the above list, the 2 highlighted only happened because of one man -- Gorbachev -- and his perestroika and glasnost, 2 words most people have forgotten but essentially amount to a liberalising and reformist agenda. Equally, the end of apartheid in South Africa was due to one man. No, not Mandela, as most would like to believe, but FW de Klerk, the last president of a white minority government who took the conscious decision to give up power and end aprtheid. Similarly, in 1997, the British could have hung onto Hong Kong island because it had be ceded in perpetuity to it by the Qing Dynasty. Only the New Territories and Kowloon were on 99 year leases. But the British gave up Hong Kong island to China voluntarily.
My point is this: if the person at the top, or the sovereign power, does not choose to loosen his/its grip then no change will occur.
Consequently, I believe many hardcore opposition supporters are living in a fantasy world. Change will continue to occur, but glacially, not swiftly or completely as they desire.
