Participation, culture and regionalism: Korea's process of democratic consolidation

Participation beyond the voting booth remains crucial to the consolidation of democracy because participation above and beyond voting articulates the interests of the ruled through non-governmental groupings and constrains the excesses of the rulers. Moreover, some theorists argue that participation creates a certain kind of trust, social capital, that encourages societal cooperation, thereby enhancing democracy through the lowering of transaction costs. Yet, participation in Korea (South) remains low except in the realm of voting since it became a democracy in 1987. Why?;Using the SAIS public opinion survey of Seoul residents (N = 300), this dissertation examines who votes, who participates in political and social activities, and why. Employing various statistical tools, this dissertation has found that (a) very few socio-economic indicators significantly affect the political behavior of Seoul residents, (b) regionalism as defined as sentiments and attachments arising from one's origin of birth is the single most powerful factor in explaining political behavior in Korea, and (c) civil society in Korea is thin and weak because participation is largely a function of recruitment based on social relations that are vertical, hierarchical, regional, and/or joined by university or secondary school ties.;What are the implications? First, active participation in a democracy may not be a function of economic development. Therefore, Korean democracy will most likely be qualitatively different from Western-liberal democracies. Second, while regionalism increases voter turnout, thereby contributing positively to democracy, it obstructs the consolidation of democracy by promoting factionalism. Third, social relations based on personal ties do not foster social trust that can lower transaction costs. The persistence of vertical social relations prevents social capital from spreading even under conditions of rapid economic development. Finally, while education plays a positive role in general, it is university education that makes the most significant impact when it comes to participation. Furthermore, university education is also the one factor that can weaken the enduring social relations that are inimical to the consolidation of democracy in Korea.