Autoritäre Herrschaft und wirtschaftliche Entwicklung in Südkorea: Rückblick und Ausblick

Abstract Industrial development in South Korea since 1961 can be explained in terms of interaction among state, social structure and the world economic system. On the one hand there was a strong state which could plan and lead the industrialization process. On the other hand there were social classes which were not differentiated or strong enough to resist government policy, but highly motivated to achieve material welfare. Conditions in the world market have changed. The continuous increase in the need for cheaper consumer goods after the second world war formed the basis for the successful industrialization throughout the last thirty years. However, since the mid-eighties at the latest, these conditions have changed - above all the social class structure. By authoritarian rule alone the state is no longer able to resolve the social conflicts which pose difficulties for further economic development. Thus, it is now imperative that a new political concept be developed in South Korea which would lead to fair social conditions in conjunction with economic development.