[KS] Egypt and Gwangju 1980

[Frank Hoffmann]

Dear all -- please let me try to clarify and put all into a clearer 
perspective (towards the end of this posting).

>(...) Kwangju as an uprising was essentially confined and isolated 
>-- and does not fit into any of these models or continuums so 
>readily.

But South Korea as such does fit into various models. The task, of 
course, as we will likely all agree, is not to proof the validity of 
any models, the task is always to explain reality and to detect if 
there are any structural patterns -- given we mostly think in patters 
to be able to deal with our trillions of daily perceptions. The kind 
of action history PLUS the constructed connectivity that was 
presented on this list seems not helpful to get to terms then, to get 
any clues of what's happening (other than what is happening in each 
single case--BUT not even that, I would argue, as it is essential to 
understand structural changes to then understand each single case). 
That was the point I was trying to make.


>Incidentally, I don't recall describing the crowds that surged 
>through Kwangju as "mobs." That's not to say that I didn't -- just 
>that I don't recall. If you could remind me of the reference, I'd 
>appreciate it.

Well, I only mentioned this because it did irritate me. The term 
"mob" has a specifically negative and outdated taste to it ... being 
a term for mafia as well as being mafia slang itself on the one hand, 
and in its older British usage, I think, reflects a rather elitist 
view, but was then also picked up by late 19th and early 20th century 
communists to refer to masses in a negative way, masses that are 
being manipulated, dehumanized -- non-legitimized masses so to say. 
That is at least my understanding. You used it in that same way, as I 
read it, and it was irritating to see that in your report dealing 
with Korean protests against U.S. imports etc.
--> http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/MB12Dg01.html
Quote: "The questions are relevant in South Korea, where mobs every 
few years storm through central Seoul driven to a frenzy against the 
authorities, against the American alliance (...)."
Right here is where I would argue that one might better want to 
provide explanations that go BEYOND the case-by-case reports and 
analysis of such reoccurring and ongoing protests, exactly because 
these protests are reoccurring and ongoing. We can all see your point 
here, whatever vocabulary is used, that in your evaluation of the 
situation you see such demonstrations as being overblown and 
inappropriate etc. Many will share this view. You react to that by 
using a derogative term like "mob" in describing the people 
protesting -- but isn't that done to cover up the lack of an 
analytical explanation for why all these housewives, businessmen, 
students, and all kind of other people go to the streets? EXACTLY 
here is where I would wish to see some sort of more analytical model 
helping me to understand and put into place what is happening. One 
can just downplay this as some sort of emotional outbreaks and 
illogical nationalist reactions. Yet, if we see this happening in 
many cities in many former so-called third world countries, then such 
reporting does not help us to understand, I think. Also, for making 
*connections* (may it be within the same country's history or to 
Arabian states in 2011), it would be great to see some structural, 
possibly sociological and/or socioeconomic explanations -- not just 
some bold boom-boom history (my own derogative term here).


Frank


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Frank Hoffmann
http://koreaweb.ws