Perceptions of unfairness and a weak universal welfare state in South Korea
- Authors
- Lim, Sijeong
- Issue Date
- 9월-2018
- Publisher
- CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS
- Citation
- JAPANESE JOURNAL OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, v.19, no.3, pp.376 - 396
- Indexed
- SSCI
SCOPUS
- Journal Title
- JAPANESE JOURNAL OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
- Volume
- 19
- Number
- 3
- Start Page
- 376
- End Page
- 396
- URI
- https://scholar.korea.ac.kr/handle/2021.sw.korea/73604
- DOI
- 10.1017/S1468109918000208
- ISSN
- 1468-1099
- Abstract
- Since its democratization, South Korea has widened the population coverage of various social programs, yet the generosity of most programs remains shallow. Existing studies offer state/elite-centered explanations for this move toward a weak universalistic welfare state. I suggest that the move rather accurately reflects citizen attitudes as well: a majority of Koreans across economic classes support welfare state expansion, yet a large segment of the self-proclaimed supporters are unwilling to pay for the expansion. I argue that underlying such mixed attitudes is the perceived unfairness of the tax and transfer systems. More specifically, (1) the perception of unfair contribution vis-a-vis other taxpayers and (2) the perception of unfair fiscal exchange with the government significantly lower one's willingness to contribute to the welfare state. My analysis of a nation-wide survey lends support to my argument. My findings have important policy implications for the emerging economies where, despite a growing citizen demand for social protection, the fiscal support base for welfare state expansion is frail.
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