Demise of Korean egalitarianism
By Ranjit Kumar Dhawan
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Korea’s rapid economic transformation is often described as a miracle. But actually this transformation was a result of a well thought out policy by the government, and the hard work of the Korean people. However, one unique aspect of Korea’s economic development was egalitarianism and an equitable distribution of resources.
Beginning with the successful implementation of land reforms Korea was able to break down the older feudal structures in the country. These reforms equalized the distribution of farmland, and landless farmers got a means of livelihood and social security. This had a huge impact on the economic development of the country as private ownership of land provided an incentive to increase productivity through hard work.
During the period of rapid economic development there were lesser economic disparities in Korea. There was almost full employment, and economic security such as “jobs for life” was ensured through various policies of the Korean “developmental state.” Although there was a lack of procedural democracy, Korean economic development was better than several socialist and democratic countries.
The authoritarian regime in Korea also dismantled the elitist school education system in the country though an equalization policy. The pressure on students was less and they worried less about examinations. Private education was banned and parents had to spend less money on tuition fees for their children.
The tradition of egalitarianism in Korea was also embedded in its social ethics. In the past Koreans shared labor and understood the values of cooperation. The Saemaul Undong movement led to the rural transformation of Korea. This movement was also egalitarian in nature as it brought empowerment to rural women and social mobility to the lower classes.
However, with changes in the global economy and domestic politics in Korea, economic stability and job security also faded away. Paradoxically, the democratic consolidation and globalization of the economy in Korea led to an increase in socio-economic problems in the country. The suicide rate increased and the middle class started to shrink. There has been a huge concentration of resources in Korea in recent years, but the gap between the rich and poor has been increasing rapidly.
Currently Koreans of all age groups, from school children to the elderly are facing serious problems. Due to the “education fever” in the country students are under immense pressure regarding their performance in school. Similarly, young people are facing the severe problems of unemployment and senior citizens are finding it harder to survive.
Korean social ethics have also undergone a rapid transformation. With changes in socio-economic conditions, people have become more individualistic and selfish. The family system in Korea is collapsing as more people have started living in single households. The rising socio-economic problems are evidence of the demise of egalitarian economic growth.
This is not to deny the coercive aspects of the authoritarian developmental state in Korea. Long working hours and repressive measures were an integral part of Korea’s rapid economic development. Similarly, the Korean traditional system was also hierarchical and coercive to women and people belonging to the lower classes. The rigid Confucian set-up did not allow autonomous development of individuals.
Nevertheless, Koreans need to find solutions for the rising socio-economic problems in the country. But instead of looking for “alien solutions” they should first try to apply some indigenous ones which in the past led to the successful economic transformation of the country and ensured an egalitarian distribution of resources.
The author teaches at the Department of East Asian Studies, University of Delhi, India. His e-mail address is rkdhawan13@hotmail.com