External power takeoff from South Korea

Author: Dong Xiangrong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-11-01
Features: Rostow's classic modernization theory had a significant and direct impact on South Korea's development process. Rostow himself was quite proud of this, often referring to the South Koreans as "take-off boys" when giving speeches in South Korea or meeting South Korean business leaders in the United States. After Park Chung-hee came to power, South Korea further implemented the classic modernization theory. Around this time, dependency theory rose to prominence, sparking a trend in academia to criticize the classic modernization theory—a trend that cannot be called anything but a pity. How did South Korea take off after World War II? What changes occurred in its social structure, political system, and economic institutions? What did the United States do at key points in South Korea's development? What conflicts and contradictions exist between South Korea and the United States? And how has South Korea pursued its national interests in its with the United States?