本文從制度規範和運作的比較，進行香港區議會與社區發展之研究，並輔以訪談資料釐清區議會在香港基層政治運作的定位。本文企圖論證，對於區議會之存在，不應僅由法律層面進行理解，區議員雖不具實權，但政治實務面的各個面向，交織成區議會在香港基層民主運作當中的意涵。另外，在社區權力和公權力的競合關係中，香港的社區發展常是由許多細微層面出發，區議會的存在，伴隨民眾情感走向，以及香港人民對政府之態度，使得基層人民如何參與、為何參與，不但成為社區發展的核心課題，也是香港未來民主發展的重要關鍵。

This paper studies the District Councils and community development in Hong Kong by comparing institutional regulations and practical operations. Interview data is included to contextualize what role the District Councils play in grassroots politics. This paper intends to prove that though District Council members do not have real power, the importance of District Councils manifest itself in other realms of political practice, which makes the District Councils a feature of grassroots democracy in Hong Kong. Also, concerning the co-opetition relation between communities and the government, District Councils play an important role in community development since they represent not only the population's feelings and attitudes toward the government, but also affect how and why local residents participate in political activities in Hong Kong. In short, the District Councils are key to understanding the future development of Hong Kong's democracy.