Hong Kong underwent many changes in the 1970s that shaped its future; new development projects were started under the government of Murray MacLehose. Hong Kong emerged as a commercial and tourism center in Asia. Government subsidized education from six years to nine years, which improved literacy per-capita. Higher-income also led to the introduction of the first high-rise, private housing estates with Taikoo Shing.
Corruption was one of the significant problems in the 1970s. The government established an independent commission, ICAC, in 1974 to combat corruption in many departments of the Hong Kong Government. New legislation was passed, which made equal pay for equal work by men and women, including the right for married women to be permanent employees. High-tech industries such as electronics were developed, and the property and financial markets prospered.
Here below are some stunning historical photos that show what Hong Kong looked like in the 1970s.