Why Beijing is courting trouble in Hong Kong - CNN.com: In the end, Beijing opted for the certainty of knowing that it could control Hong Kong's leadership by controlling the nomination process for the chief executive election.
It will likely achieve that goal, but the price will be continuing instability from a frustrated public.
True universal suffrage would not have solved all of the governance problems of what is becoming a more unequal and polarized society.
But without genuine elections to legitimize Hong Kong's leaders, solving those problems will be impossible.