High capacity, low resilience: The 'developmental' state and military–bureaucratic authoritarianism in South Korea. Issue 1 (January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hellmann, Olli
• Other Names: Hellmann Olli guest-editor.; Croissant Aurel guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: International political science review. Volume 39:Issue 1(2018:Jan.)
• Page Start: 67
• Page End: 82
• Publication Date: 2018-01
• Subjects: Authoritarianism -- state capacity -- elections -- military regime -- South Korea; Political science -- Periodicals; 320.05
• DOI: 10.1177/0192512117692643
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0192-5121

Abstract

This article argues that high levels of state capacity are not a sufficient condition for consolidating autocratic rule. Rather, whether non-democratic rulers can harness the infrastructural power of the state to implement strategies of regime stabilization depends on three crucial factors: the state's social embedding; the international context; and the extent of elite cohesion. The paper develops this argument through a case study of the military–bureaucratic regime in South Korea (1961–1987), which – despite a high-capacity 'developmental' state at its disposal – failed to maintain high levels of resilience.