Korean Workers and Neoliberal GlobalizationOne of the most remarkable aspects of South Korea’s transition from impoverished post-colonial nation to fully-fledged industrialized democracy has been the growth of its independent and dynamic labour movement. Korean Workers and Neoliberal Globalisation examines current trends and transformations within the Korean labour movement since the 1990s. It has been a common assumption that the ‘third wave’ of democratisation, the end of the Cold War, and the spread of neoliberal globalisation in the latter part of the 20th century have helped to create an environment in which organised labour is better placed to overcome bureaucratic national unionism and transform itself into a potential counter-globalisation movement. However, Kevin Gray argues that despite the apparent continued phenomena of labour militancy and the rhetoric of anti-neoliberalism, the mainstream independent labour movement in Korea has become increasingly institutionalised and bureaucratised into the new capitalist democracy. This process is demonstrated by the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions’ experience of participation in various forms of policy making forums. Gray suggests that as a result, the KCTU has failed to mount an effective challenge against processes of neoliberal restructuring and concomitant social polarisation. The Korean experience provides an excellent case study for understanding the relationship between organised labour and globalisation. Korean Workers and Neoliberal Globalisation will appeal to students and scholars of Korean studies and International Political Economy, as well as Asian politics and economics. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 51
... role in organizing and leading the massive general strike that took place in December 1996 and January 1997 in protest at the government's legislation of a set of neoliberal labour laws. This remarkable mobilization of workers has been ...
... role of academic analysis is to investigate historical trends, and illuminate problems, as part of a broader collective endeavour to devise more effective alternatives. Main arguments of the book The first chapter will cover in more ...
... role in the economy. In chapter three, I argue that the militancy of the Korean labour movement should be understood ... roles of the student movement was to actively facilitate the emergence of a working class consciousness. In the ...
... role and legitimacy conferred on NGOs, as a newly essential part of the private sector, is a feature of neoliberal globalization. International organizations actively promote the role of NGOs in order to restrain the role of the state ...
... role in making the world safe for US capitalism (Herod 1997, Scipes 2005). One route of enquiry into the more progressive relationship between labour and globalization has been to examine attempts made by states, NGOs and labour ...
Contents
1 | |
12 | |
2 Globalization crisis and the entrenchment of neoliberalism in Korea | 31 |
3 The rise and fall of militant labour unionism in Korea | 52 |
4 Social movement unionism and the Korean labour movement | 71 |
5 Latedemocratization and low intensity social corporatism | 92 |
6 Korean labour and the struggle against neoliberalism | 110 |
7 The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions social reform struggle | 130 |
Conclusion | 150 |
Notes | 162 |
Bibliography | 170 |
Index | 189 |