Seeds of Mobilization: The Authoritarian Roots of South Korea's Democracy

South Korea's modernization theory is often seen as a success story, but its path to democracy was not linear. Economic development initially bolstered authoritarian regimes, but later facilitated anti-regime protests by social movement groups, leading to democracy. Joan E. Cho's book Seeds of Mobilization examines the long-term factors that contributed to democratization, including socioeconomic development and authoritarian development.

Format: Hardback
Length: 276 pages
Publication date: 13 February 2024
Publisher: The University of Michigan Press

South Korea is often seen as a shining example of modernization theory, a testament to how economic development can lead to democracy. However, a closer look at the country's history reveals that its path to democracy was not linear. While the national economy grew significantly under the regimes of Park Chung Hee (1961-1979) and Chun Doo Hwan (1980-1988), the political system became increasingly authoritarian. This was due to the fact that modernization was built on industrial complexes and tertiary education, which initially helped bolster the authoritarian regimes. However, in the long run, these structures later facilitated the anti-regime protests by various social movement groups, most notably workers and students, that ultimately brought democracy to the country.

Joan E. Cho takes a long view of democratization in her book Seeds of Mobilization, incorporating the decades before and after South Korea's democratic transition. She demonstrates that democratization resulted from a combination of factors from below and from above, and that authoritarian development itself was a hidden root cause of democratic development in South Korea. Cho uses original subnational protest event datasets, government publications, oral interviews, and publications from labor and student movement organizations to show how socioeconomic development did not create a steady pressure toward democracy but acted as a "double-edged sword" that initially stabilized autocratic regimes before destabilizing them over time.

The book highlights the importance of understanding the complex interplay between socioeconomic development and political change in South Korea's democratization process. It challenges the notion that economic growth alone can lead to democracy and shows that authoritarian development can be a significant obstacle to democratic transition. By examining the historical context and the role of social movement groups, Cho provides valuable insights into the factors that contributed to South Korea's successful democratization and the lessons that can be learned for other countries seeking to achieve similar goals.

Weight: 272g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780472076604