Answer

South Korea’s political crisis, marked by a controversial martial law declaration, highlighted challenges to democracy under populist pressures. Public protests, judicial independence, and civil society advocacy reversed the unconstitutional move, showcasing the resilience of its democracy and the critical role of accountability mechanisms in safeguarding democratic institutions from authoritarian threats

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Concept of Resilient Democracy in Light of South Korea’s Recent Political Crisis

• Adaptability to Crises: Resilient democracies can adapt to political challenges while preserving core democratic principles.
  For example: South Korea’s democracy weathered the political turmoil during the martial law declaration by leveraging institutional and public strength​.
• Citizen Mobilization: Public participation in protests and demonstrations strengthens democracy by actively resisting undemocratic measures.
  For example: South Koreans protested against martial law, showing democratic resilience through collective action​.
• Institutional Robustness: Strong democratic institutions act as safeguards against authoritarian tendencies during crises.
  For example: The South Korean judiciary effectively checked executive power during the political crisis, upholding constitutional values​.
• Role of Civil Society: Active civil society organizations advocate for democratic norms and provide a counterbalance to government overreach.
• Public Commitment to Democratic Norms: A resilient democracy thrives on the public’s unwavering commitment to democratic ideals, even in challenging times.
  For example: South Koreans demonstrated their commitment to democracy by opposing unconstitutional decisions and demanding accountability​.

Threats Posed by Populist Leadership

• Concentration of Power: Populist leaders often bypass institutional checks, undermining democratic structures.
  For example: In Hungary, populist policies have weakened judicial independence and legislative oversight.
• Erosion of Pluralism: Populism promotes anti-pluralist agendas, marginalizing minorities and dissenting voices.
• Anti-Elite Rhetoric: Framing elites as corrupt fosters division and mistrust in democratic institutions.
• Illiberal Policies: Populists often sideline civil liberties in favor of authoritarian control.
  For example: Turkey’s government expanded surveillance and curtailed freedoms post-2016 coup attempt​.
• Economic Exploitation: Populists manipulate economic grievances to solidify their base, often ignoring democratic reforms.
  For example: Venezuela’s populist policies led to economic collapse and institutional decay​.

Accountability Mechanisms Can Safeguard Democratic Institutions in Light of South Korea’s Recent Political Crisis

• Horizontal Accountability: Institutional checks and balances prevent power concentration and ensure leaders operate within constitutional limits.
  For example: In South Korea, opposition parties and the judiciary challenged the declaration of martial law, reinforcing democratic norms​.
• Vertical Accountability: Public participation ensures that leaders remain answerable to citizens, fostering resistance against anti-democratic measures.
  For example: Massive protests in South Korea mobilized public opinion against unconstitutional decisions, reversing authoritarian actions​.
• Diagonal Accountability: Civil society organizations monitor and critique government actions, amplifying public dissent and advocating reforms.
  For example: South Korean NGOs played a key role in mobilizing public support to oppose martial law and restore democratic order​.
• Judicial Accountability: An independent judiciary safeguards constitutional principles by reviewing and nullifying executive overreach.
  For example: South Korea’s judiciary invalidated actions perceived as violations of democratic values during the crisis​.
• Media and Advocacy Groups: Independent media and advocacy campaigns create transparency, enabling citizens to make informed decisions and hold leaders accountable.
  For example: South Korean media coverage of the political crisis heightened public awareness, fueling protests against undemocratic governance​.

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A resilient democracy requires robust accountability mechanisms, strong institutions, and active citizen participation. South Korea’s crisis underscores the importance of checks and balances, judicial independence, and civic awareness to counter populist threats. As B R Ambedkar said, “Democracy is not merely a form of Government. It is primarily a mode of associated living, of conjoint communicated experience. It is essentially an attitude of respect and reverence towards our fellow men”.

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