Does rightist irrationality represent the spirit of democracy whereas progressive indignation over power abuse represents Korean absent-mindedness?
This question must be directed at The Korea Times' chief editorial writer Oh Young-jin who had celebrated the current tide of nationalism and anti-intellectualism, most prominent in Brexit and Trumpism, with the motto "taking power back." The whole world had seemed bad enough for any populist nonsense to be good enough as a "trigger for change".
I was surprised when the same writer, under the headline "Democracy - Korean style," criticized the ongoing candlelit protests as too moralistic, emotional, disorderly and premature. Some netizens praised the article as a courageous voice against mob rule.
I appreciate this paper's culture of "reader power" and ask: Who is the mob? Peaceful citizens from the middle of society demanding power back from an incompetent and ignorant president? Or maybe ill-informed voters handing power over to an unpredictable authoritarian leader? Who has the principle of democracy more on their side? History does not repeat itself identically. But mobs are no less frightening when they follow one strongman.
Seriously, the process of taking power back is as vital in a representative democracy as the process of delegating it. The Greek inventors of democracy refrained from handing power over to any politicians, fearing that the people's favorites would turn into tyrants after an election day. Direct democracy, where all decisions would be made by the "People's Assembly" at Gwanghwamun, is of course not practicable in a modern nation-state.
More realistic is a parliamentary democracy. This is a system where the head of the executive government is elected and can be dismissed by the National Assembly at any time, reasonably with the election of a new leader by over 50% of the representatives. No criminal offense has to be proven in the constitutional court, with all the legal and political risks of such a procedure ― it is "enough" that a leader has lost the trust of both the population and parliament. In some advanced countries, such a parliamentary system has not led to instability.
The "candlelit movement" is taking place at a time when the whole world is trembling at what an American president-elect will do with the enormous power given into his hands, with hardly any chance to get it back over the next four years. If a constructive constitutional debate is too big a wish ― may Koreans consider more wisely this time what character it needs to responsibly handle quasi-monarchical presidential power! May the shock prevent the coronation of a greedy soul!
The citizens of Korea are standing up to defend liberal democracy which seems in decline in the West. Their protest is opposed to both mob rule and authoritarianism, and especially their most dangerous combination. In this sense, I want to thank the Korean people for giving hope to the world.
Michael Bergmann
Teacher in Seoul
bergmann2473@yahoo.de.
This question must be directed at The Korea Times' chief editorial writer Oh Young-jin who had celebrated the current tide of nationalism and anti-intellectualism, most prominent in Brexit and Trumpism, with the motto "taking power back." The whole world had seemed bad enough for any populist nonsense to be good enough as a "trigger for change".
I was surprised when the same writer, under the headline "Democracy - Korean style," criticized the ongoing candlelit protests as too moralistic, emotional, disorderly and premature. Some netizens praised the article as a courageous voice against mob rule.
I appreciate this paper's culture of "reader power" and ask: Who is the mob? Peaceful citizens from the middle of society demanding power back from an incompetent and ignorant president? Or maybe ill-informed voters handing power over to an unpredictable authoritarian leader? Who has the principle of democracy more on their side? History does not repeat itself identically. But mobs are no less frightening when they follow one strongman.
Seriously, the process of taking power back is as vital in a representative democracy as the process of delegating it. The Greek inventors of democracy refrained from handing power over to any politicians, fearing that the people's favorites would turn into tyrants after an election day. Direct democracy, where all decisions would be made by the "People's Assembly" at Gwanghwamun, is of course not practicable in a modern nation-state.
More realistic is a parliamentary democracy. This is a system where the head of the executive government is elected and can be dismissed by the National Assembly at any time, reasonably with the election of a new leader by over 50% of the representatives. No criminal offense has to be proven in the constitutional court, with all the legal and political risks of such a procedure ― it is "enough" that a leader has lost the trust of both the population and parliament. In some advanced countries, such a parliamentary system has not led to instability.
The "candlelit movement" is taking place at a time when the whole world is trembling at what an American president-elect will do with the enormous power given into his hands, with hardly any chance to get it back over the next four years. If a constructive constitutional debate is too big a wish ― may Koreans consider more wisely this time what character it needs to responsibly handle quasi-monarchical presidential power! May the shock prevent the coronation of a greedy soul!
The citizens of Korea are standing up to defend liberal democracy which seems in decline in the West. Their protest is opposed to both mob rule and authoritarianism, and especially their most dangerous combination. In this sense, I want to thank the Korean people for giving hope to the world.
Michael Bergmann
Teacher in Seoul
bergmann2473@yahoo.de.
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