What's Fair? Generational Class Consciousness in South Korea

This talk looks at “generational class consciousness” in South Korea as a novel explanation for its small welfare state. Drawing from her current study, Professor Hur will show that the experience of living through state-led development produced distinct economic generations that hold fundamentally different beliefs about the state’s responsibility in development vs. welfare. Thus, the older generation—despite most needing welfare—does not expect it from democracy, while the younger generation—which sees welfare as a key responsibility of democracy—increasingly loses faith in democracy.