[KS] Re: class continuity

[C.E.Williamson]

Hello Steve:  First you need to define class and when you do you cannot
leave out Marx and Capitalism.  In doing so you'll run into the challenge
that Korea was not a capitalist society. Hence, the problem arises in
defining "class" in Korea.  Be aware that many make assumptions that simply
do not exist.  Current Korean capitalism is Korean style imposed from above.
So, your concept of an elite capitalist class does not fit with evolved
Western Style capitalism. Much rhetoric about Korea is foggy on this point.
A lot of communist inflluence exists in criticisms on Korean Capitalism. The
topic deserves much more genuine, unbiased research.
I think you have selected a challenging topic, but don't be swayed too much
be assumed concepts.  Dig in and good luck.
C.E.Williamson
----- Original Message -----
From: Steven Kyung Choi <choistev at hawaii.edu>
To: <korean-studies at mailbase.ac.uk>
Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 1999 5:40 AM
Subject: class continuity


> Hello all:
>
> My name is Steve Choi, and I'm a Master's student in Korean
> Studies at the University of Hawaii.  I'm interested in the issue of class
> continuity in modern Korea, specifically if the upper class-elite has held
> on to its power from the colonial (or earlier) times to the present and
> how it has done so.  I've seen numerous allusions to this being a matter
> of great debate, but I have yet to see an English-language source that
> deals extensively with this.  Can anybody help me on this?  Thanks.
>
> Steve Choi
>




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