There is something in common between Korea and Japan. Two nations have authoritarian thought and character. Such authoritarian of them is due chiefly to a long experiences of despotism by absolute monarchs and the influence of patriarchal Confucianism...
There is something in common between Korea and Japan. Two nations have authoritarian thought and character. Such authoritarian of them is due chiefly to a long experiences of despotism by absolute monarchs and the influence of patriarchal Confucianism.
In 1910, Japan annexed Korea, and under the influence of the high-handed Japanese militaristic colonial government, Korean came to have more and more authoritarian character. Therefore, Korea and Japan were directed to an abslute aggressive militarism.
But in 1945, as a turning point, both these two countries had U.S. forces stationed in them and were placed under the influence of liberal and individualistic democracy which is quite contrary to the former authoritarianim.
I am trying to find out through this study of leadership styles. How the democratizing tendency is being carried out among the new generation. That is tosay, what was the leadership style which they had in their school and home (family) education and what is the leadership style they prefer.
This survey bas been made based on the theory of three leadership styles; authoritarian, democratic and laissez-faire, classified by K. Lewin.
(1) To find out democratizing tendencies in primary, secondary school, college and home education in two countries and to verify their degrees.
(2) Through the tendency and pre-estimate of the ideal leadership styles which Korean college students pursue, to foresee the future society of Korea in 1990-2000 when the present college students will have become the backbone or leading class of Korean society.
(3) To make clear the differences and the result of education of the two countries around 1945, and by making a comparative study of these, to present a desirable direction of educational development in Korea.
(4) To grasp the ideal type of leadership which Japanese college students seek for, and foresee the future state of Japanese society to enable us Koreans to take proper posture to meet them.
250 students in Korea and 183 students n Japan participated in this survey in 1983.
The result of the survey is as follows:
(1) Educational climate in primary, middle and high school is authoritarian in Korea (A style), while in Japan, it is an eclective style of democratic and authoritarian (D-A style).
(2) College education both in Korea and Japan is a laissez-faire style (L style).
(3) As for home education, Korean tends to democratic style (D style) and Japanese are a laissez-faire style (L style).
(4) An ideal style of leadership observed by the questionnaire on child rearing view is, democratic in both Korea and Japan.
It is a problem that school education in Korea is authoritarian in primary and secondary schools and L style in colleges, which fact suggests some trouble in Korean education. That is to say, there is no democratic step which usually accompanies self-control and responsibility, between high school and college. It tends to become self-indulgent.
It is a very encournging fact that the ideal leadership which Korean and Japanese college students prefer is democracy, which will make the future of two countries bright. Therefore, in the school education of of various levels, democratic education true to the name should be conducted.