Recent Political Change in Korea

L aswell's well-known definition of politics-Who gets what, when, and how-usefully emphasizes what really happens in the affairs of nations, as contrasted with morals or political theory.1 What really happens is determined by the political culture of a people and their leaders-the shared set of beliefs, attitudes, and values about what is important, what can be tolerated, and how people go about getting what they want. It is rare, even in the most literate societies, to find very much of the actual system written down; it exists chiefly in the minds of the people involved. What does get written down tends to be ideal and aspiration, not reality, and reality is condemned by the ideal. Socalled political change is often superficial and transitory, like ripples on the surface of a pond. A leader may seize power and change all the leading political personalities; but even if he does so to the accompaniment of fiery revolutionary rhetoric, the basic political system is likely to go on pretty much as it has been. A new constitution may be proclaimed, but it has little effect in and of itself. The beliefs, attitudes, and values of a people change very slowly, and political behavior is therefore similarly slow to change. Everyone knows from personal experience how painful it is to change long-established ways of thinking and doing-how profoundly disturbing to see cherished values and understandings disputed and discredited. Even in revolutionary times, there is likely to be more

Political change · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Korean Peninsula Historical and Political Studies · Law