“How should education respond to the crisis of democracy?”

The December 3, 2025 martial law and impeachment of the president showed how easily Korean democracy can be shaken.
Democracy cannot be protected by institutions and constitutions alone.
A living, breathing democracy is only possible when there are individuals with self-respect, citizens who can empathize with others, and a republican attitude that takes responsibility for the community.

『Education's Response in the Age of Democracy's Crisis』 is a book written by Professor Lee Hyuk-gyu (Cheongju National University of Education) based on decades of research and field experience in education, and added an international perspective in collaboration with Danish educator Anders Schultz.
The book examines the causes of the democratic crisis within the cultural and educational context of Korean society, and suggests how education can foster self-esteem, empathy, and republicanism.

This book is not simply a theoretical book for teachers and educators.
It includes activities, discussion topics, and roundtable suggestions that you can use with your students in the classroom, making it a ready-to-use teaching resource.
At the same time, it helps teachers reflect on their own democratic leadership.
We also interpret the democratic crisis our society is currently facing from an educational perspective and ask teachers and parents to provide practical responses.
If you're looking for a book that connects education and democracy, this is the answer.

Although written in response to the shock of the declaration of martial law on December 3, this book is surprisingly logical and theoretically persuasive.
His passion for Korean democracy was so strong that he ran to the National Assembly building at 2 a.m. the day after martial law was declared and led a pro-impeachment rally in Cheongju. However, in this book, written in response to that incident, he maintains the desirable detached-within attitude that a social scientist should have until the very end.
Even though he is my disciple, I respect him.
From Professor Son Bong-ho's recommendation
--- p.7

My interest is not limited to interpreting and explaining the world, but also to changing it.
If public opinion is ultimately the driving force in a democratic society, I believe that if books can be used as a tool to enable many people to share their thoughts and aspirations for a better society and education, then that can be a force that truly changes society.
--- p.19

It is often said that democratic citizen education must be strengthened to prevent a recurrence of an incident like the 12.3 martial law.
I completely agree with that assertion.
But when can explicit democratic citizenship education be implemented? For reference, elementary school social studies covers local autonomy in the fourth grade, and only introduces the Constitution, state institutions, and fundamental rights in the sixth grade.
In fact, even Article 1, Paragraph 1 of the Constitution, which states that “sovereignty resides in the people,” is not easy for children to understand accurately.
So, what is the first education that children in a democratic country should receive when they are born in this land?
--- p.10

With this problem in mind, I began to consider a broader stage of lifelong education that encompasses democratic citizenship education.
And I tried to organize it into three steps.
In other words, the first education that human beings must receive is 'self-esteem education', 'empathy education' necessary for coexistence with others as a member of society, and lastly, 'republican and democratic citizenship education' necessary for living as a member of a larger community such as a nation or the global village.
It seemed to me that President Yoon Seok-yeol had failed in all three stages of education.
--- p.10

Looking at some indicators that demonstrate the excellence of Danish society, Denmark consistently ranks high in the World Happiness Report, and is characterized by high social trust and a low income gap.
Additionally, the welfare system and quality of education are excellent, and life satisfaction is at the highest level.
These indicators clearly demonstrate that Denmark's self-esteem education has a positive impact not only on the individual level but also on society as a whole.
So, which of these two countries is closer to Korea's parenting style?
--- p.29

Third, people with low self-esteem but high self-confidence.
This type has a negative perception of their own existence, but is confident in certain abilities or achievements.
For example, you might think, “I am confident in a certain area, but that doesn’t prove my worth.”
They constantly compare themselves to others and tend to try to prove their worth, making it difficult for them to feel inner satisfaction.
Therefore, it is important to help people overcome their performance-oriented self-image and find inner happiness and satisfaction.
--- p.48

I think the most representative recent example is President Yoon Seok-yeol.
He followed an elite path to become president.
However, low self-esteem is deeply ingrained in his overall behavior.
He can't control his anger and doesn't know how to apologize.
They have difficulty understanding what others say and are very aggressive towards others.
Unable to tolerate criticism of themselves, they respond violently.
This is a typical characteristic often seen in people with low self-esteem.
--- p.56

The first principle of self-esteem education is to recognize children as separate beings from themselves.
This is in line with the saying, “Children are a gift from heaven.”
Parents should respect their children not as their own creations, but as independent beings born into this world through the borrowing of their parents' bodies.
Respecting children as independent beings is the starting point for helping children become the masters of their own lives.
--- p.63

Teachers have a decisive influence on the development of students' self-esteem and, furthermore, self-confidence.
A teacher's words, attitude, and evaluation method can greatly affect a student's self-esteem and confidence.
You should treat students with respect and provide feedback that emphasizes their strengths and efforts.
In particular, Korean schools still fall short in providing personalized feedback to individual students.
--- p.69

From an anthropological perspective, modern society, with its incredibly complex social networks, is in constant dissonance with our instinctive way of empathizing.
This bias in empathy leads to discrimination and conflict, and in extreme cases, has historically led to violence against others and even genocide.
Human society has distinguished between ‘us’ and ‘others’ and has inflicted cruel violence on others.
--- p.106

The starting point of republicanism is the view that humans are 'political beings'.
This is fundamentally different from the liberal view of humanity.
Liberalism assumes that individuals exist before the community and are autonomous beings with free and selfish tendencies.
On the other hand, republicanism believes that humans are inherently beings who live within a community, and that they can realize freedom and identity only in relationships with others.

--- p.208

In today's world, where communities are divided in the name of freedom and civic engagement often leads to increased conflict and hostility, republican democracy offers an important ideological clue to complement and renew the shortcomings of liberal democracy.
At the same time, we must be wary of the risk of republican democracy drifting toward totalitarian communitarianism if it fails to sufficiently guarantee citizens' freedom and autonomy.

--- p.213

In a broad sense, democratic citizenship education is a collective concept that encompasses all processes that politically influence all people who are members of the social and political order through various social groups, organizations, systems, and media.
This broad sense of democratic citizenship education can be considered almost identical to the concept of political socialization.
This is because, compared to the narrow concept of democratic citizenship education, it is relatively weak in direction, intentionality, or planning, and precisely because of this, it can be understood as a functional process.

--- p.218

Second, it is not easy to implement case studies or experience-based classes.
As previously mentioned, these classes involve out-of-classroom activities such as field trips, experiential learning, and field trips.
However, when safety issues arise during these activities, teachers are placed in a situation where they have to bear excessive responsibility.
Our society needs to recognize that the "safety-first" education that holds teachers accountable for problems that occur despite adequate preparation and safety training can have a negative impact on students' growth, and a new approach is needed.

--- p.221

In contrast, republican legal education understands law not simply as rules to be followed, but as a public promise created by citizens together, and helps students participate in the process of forming law and grow into citizens who pursue the common good.
This republican approach can complement existing legal education in a more active and participatory direction by recognizing law as a voluntary agreement of the community rather than an external imposition.

--- p.225

Although Denmark is today seen as a symbol of democratic civic education, it was not such a country from the beginning.
The first national education law, enacted in 1814, was rather aimed at legitimizing hierarchy and privilege and supporting the absolute monarchy.
The peasant class, which made up the majority of the population at the time, was only educated in how to obey their superiors and in the minimum skills necessary to perform their assigned roles.
Expressing one's opinions in a public space was unimaginable.

--- p.233

Even before Danish children understand the concept of "democracy," they begin learning the values ​​that make up democratic culture through various daily experiences and activities starting in kindergarten.
The Danish Ministry of Children and Education identifies six core competencies that should be nurtured in all early childhood education institutions and kindergartens:

--- p.238

Denmark's Primary Education Act (Folkeskole) states that "students must be prepared to grow into responsible citizens who can exercise their rights and duties, participate in them, and live in a society based on freedom and democracy."
What's interesting is that, despite this clear legal basis and cultural commitment, Danish schools have traditionally not imparted these values ​​through 'lectures'.
Rather, the core of the educational philosophy is to integrate democratic practices into the daily life of the school and allow students to experience them firsthand.
In other words, “don’t teach with words, show with examples.”

--- p.240

What sets this book apart from my previous works is that it is intended for a wider audience.
While previous books on the topics of "class critique," "educational ecosystem," and "teachers and becoming teachers" targeted teachers as their primary readers, this book was written with the hope that parents and citizens who are concerned about the reality of Korean education, which has neglected character and citizenship education and is immersed solely in competitive education, will also read it.
Because this book deals with the issue of education that spans the entire lifespan.
And above all, it is a book written during a time when the entire country was suffering amidst the chaos brought about by the martial law declaration of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration.

--- p.265