[Citizen College Season 7] #5 Characteristics and Causes Analysis of Democracy in retreat

On May 25, 2023, the Seongbuk Adult Education School, PDI, and the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Korea University held the fifth lecture of the Citizen College Season 7  “Politics in Everyday Life” in Asiatic Research Institute, Korea University.  In this lecture Professor Kim, Nam Kyu from the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Korea University presented on the topic of “Characteristics and Causes Analysis of Democracy in retreat”.

The lecture, titled “Characteristics and Causes Analysis of Democracy in retreat”, deals with the gradual decline of democracy and its causes. The collapse or regression of democracy in the past was caused by military coups, autogolpes, and apparently rigged elections. Today, however, a gradual erosion and regression of democracy without regime change is becoming prevalent. There is a gradual retreat due to the retreat of liberal democracy, the deepening of dictatorship in democracies, and the absence of a single moment of change. Support for undemocratic leaders is growing in democracies, the winning ruling party refuses to compromise and cooperate with the opposition, neutralizes power checks through unilateral legislation, constitutional amendments, and institutional changes, as well as threatens opposition suppression and rule of law. The causes of this phenomenon include increased political polarization, populism, economic inequality, and reduced satisfaction with democracy. In this lecture, we also discussed countermeasures and Korea’s cases. Political systems for horizontal accountability, compliance with soft guardrails for democracy, mutual tolerance, moderation in the use of power, and civic resistance through participation in social movements are suggested as countermeasures to the gradual decline of democracy. In the case of Korea, there is a winner-take-all political system and political and emotional polarization has been increasing recently, but the culture of holding politicians accountable in elections is considered relatively well established.