The purpose of this study is criticizing existing electoral analyses which are based on the micro-oriented rational-choice theory and ascertaining the utility of approach on the new institutionalism by clarifying the importance of institutions as macr...
The purpose of this study is criticizing existing electoral analyses which are based on the micro-oriented rational-choice theory and ascertaining the utility of approach on the new institutionalism by clarifying the importance of institutions as macro-perspective.
The rational-choice theory based on the methodological individualism disregards that social relations, social contexts and institutions could have possibilities for constraining choices and behaviors of individual. But the new institutionalism is a school which establishes institutions as a center and it urges institutions are equal or superior independent variable than individuals.
Though branches of the new institutionalism based on different fields of study affirm that institutions are important, they have a lot of different aspects also. Then It is so difficult to synthesize those as a formulated and refined theory.
First of all, this study approaches the theoretical conflicts and convergences between the branches which are the historical institutionalism, the rational-choice institutionalism and the sociological institutionalism.
Then this study tries to organize a frame of analysis both macro-level as institutional aspect and micro-level as an elector. But there are no exclusive or independent logics to divide into macro and micro-level. The important point is that political results are creating in the interaction between them instead.
In the next, this study tried to explain the main electoral behaviors in Korea, using organized frame of analysis. However it is not empirical analysis but critical or complementary analysis on empirical preceding studies based on the rational-choice theory.
Voting is said the only moment that individual could be equal in the political environment, but in fact institutional constraints could prominently effect on our voting choices. Then actual conditions of our voting choice assume that the political real world is unequal. The autonomy of individual is also shaped in the institutional constraints. The influences of institutions are not determinants but an important part of constraints.
There are weak empirical preceding studies based on the new institutionalism on electoral analysis. So quite a little arbitrariness of the researcher effects on the process of this study. It shows there is ambiguity in intensity and scope between the influences of institutions and the autonomy of individual.
To overcome these limitations, many empirical studies based on the new institutionalism should be continued, then try to enhance the appropriate explanation of it.