Book description
As Asian countries emerge as global economic powers, many undergo
fundamental political transformations. In Korean Democracy in
Transition: A Rational Blueprint for Developing Societies, HeeMin Kim
evaluates the past thirty years of political change in South Korea,
including the decision of the authoritarian government to open up the
political process in 1987 and the presidential impeachment of 2004.
Kim uses rational choice theory -- which holds that individuals
choose to act in ways that they think will give them the most benefit
for the least cost -- to explain events central to South Korea's
democratization process. Kim's theoretical and quantitative analysis
provides a context for South Korea's remarkable transformation and
offers predictions of what the future may hold for developing nations
undergoing similar transitions.
Although there are studies in the field of Korean politics that
provide an overview of this important period, there are none that
offer the theoretical and analytical rigor of this study. Combining
theoretical perspectives with policy-relevant discussion, Korean
Democracy in Transition sheds new light on the Korean model of
democratization and makes a significant contribution to the field of
comparative politics.
""A unique and careful application of rational choice
theory to the complex politics of South Korea. The book is an
excellent addition to the literature on South Korean politics and
democratic transitions elsewhere."--Terence Roehrig, U. S. Naval
War College" --
HeeMin Kim, professor of political science at Florida State
University and professor of social studies education at Seoul National
University in Korea, has served as president of the Association for
Korean Political Studies and received the Korean Presidential
Decoration for outstanding contributions to Korean communities in the
United States. He lives in Tallahassee, Florida.
