Comparative Analysis of Rural Development Strategies: South Korea’s Saemaul Undong and China’s Dazhai Model in the 1970s

Comparative Analysis of Rural Development Strategies: South Korea’s Saemaul Undong and China’s Dazhai Model in the 1970s Students Name Course Instructor Date Different governments responded by improving their rural areas to ensure economic growth and poverty reduction. South Korea and China developed the New Village Movement and Dazhai Model, respectively. The models were distinct from each other, but they shared a common goal, which was to modernize the rural areas and provide decent lives for the people there. The Saemaul Undong, initiated by South Korean President Park Chung-hee, aimed to develop the country's rural economy and society through local community action and government support. In China, Mao Zedong called for self-reliance in agriculture under the Dazhai Model. The model promoted collective action and ideological motivation to transform the Chinese rural areas. Despite their ideological implementation being different, the Saemaul Undong and Dazhai Model achieved considered and different outcomes in rural development. Their legacies served as models by showing the correlation between government action, community action, and rural development. They offer invaluable insights on strategies to develop rural areas and eradicate poverty. This paper gives ideas on current and future strategies for rural development. Historical Context and Ideological Foundations The models were developed in the 1970s when the two countries were struggling economically and needed rural development. South Korea implemented a model named (New Village Movement) spearheaded by President Park Chung-hee and was led and supervised by leaders known as Saemaul at the grassroots level. In a bid to acknowledge the significant role of the rural sector in/supporting economic growth, Park's administration implemented an agricultural and village infrastructure modernization program, which was led by the government. For example, during the first phase, the government distributed cement and steel bars to approximately 34000 household. The Saemaul Undong was conceived as a grassroots initiative that would actively involve communities in taking charge of their development. The government would provide the necessary resources, training, and guidance. The model focuses on developing local leadership, encouraging grassroots unity, and building fractures to improve the community.[Sang M. Lee and Sangjin Yoo, “The K-Type Management: A Driving Force of Korean Prosperity,” Management International Review 27, no. 4 (1987): 68–77, https://www.jstor.org/stable/40227861.] [Sung-Hee Jwa, “Korea’s Saemaul Undong Revisited as Rural Development Game for Poverty Eradication: A New Development Economics Perspective,” The Pakistan Development Review 63, no. 1 (2024): 19–44, https://www.jstor.org/stable/27293362.] The Dazhai Model emerged in China as a response to Mao Zedong's call for self-reliance and socialist transformation in the agricultural sector; it was meant to turn unproductive land into agricultural land.. Mao's revolutionary vision, which emphasized collective effort, ideological commitment, and the primacy of the peasantry, found its most tangible expression in the Dazhai model, named after a Xiguo village in Shanxi province. Dazhai's remarkable transformation, achieved through its residents' tireless efforts, captured the Chinese leadership's imagination and became a rallying cry for the country's rural development agenda. The model, which centered on the collective ownership of land, the centralization of agricultural decision-making, and the mobilization of the masses, was hailed as a shining example of the power of socialist principles to overcome the challenges of rural poverty and backwardness. The communal life was speared by cooperatives, which owned land and tools, and output was divided as per the amount of labor contributed. Most farmers gain though some loss.The Dazhai Model's success in yielding fruits, improving infrastructure, and gradually improving the lives of the local people was due to the ideological commitment of its residents. These local people remained steadfastly supported the ideals of the Chinese Communist Party, and they were filled with world-winning determination and the desire for self-fulfillment both personally and for the nation.[Jesse Rodenbiker, Ecological States (Cornell University Press, 2023).] [Pao-yu ching, “Revolution and Counterrevolution China’s Continuing Class Struggle since Liberation” (FOREIGN LANGUAGES PRESS, 2021).] [Pao-yu ching, “Revolution and Counterrevolution China’s Continuing Class Struggle since Liberation” (FOREIGN LANGUAGES PRESS, 2021).] Detailed Strategies and Implementations Organizational and Operational Frameworks Two rural development models were based on different operational and organizational patterns. The success of the Saemaul Undong and the Dazhai Model humanized the unique social and political contexts in the Republic of Korea and China, respectively, and relied upon ideology as a foundation. Community engagement in South Korea's Saemaul Undong model was based on the multi-layered approach, which was applied for effective community participation and leadership development. At the grassroots level, the program organized the so-called Saemaul groups that were to achieve the following: identify the existing needs of the local populations, prioritize projects, and unite the community. These committees were supported by a network of government-appointed Saemaul leaders, who were democratically elected and received specialized training in areas such as project management, conflict resolution, and resource mobilization. The Park Chung-hee administration provided the necessary financial, material, and technical resources to facilitate the implementation of community-led initiatives. This included the distribution of cement, tools, and other supplies and organizing educational programs and workshops to enhance the villagers' skills and knowledge. For example, in the second phase of the program, 16000 villagers who were successful in the first phase were given 500 bags of cement. Furthermore, the government played a crucial role in fostering a sense of national cohesion and shared purpose. Through the use of media campaigns, propaganda, and incentive structures, the Saemaul Undong was framed as a patriotic movement that would contribute to the overall economic and social modernization of South Korea. This government-led effort to cultivate a strong national identity and sense of civic duty among the rural population was a key factor in the program's widespread acceptance and participation.[YANG Long, “Self-Reliance,” ed. Christian Sorace, Ivan Franceschini, and Nicholas Loubere, JSTOR (ANU Press, 2019), https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvk3gng9.40.] [Sung-Hee Jwa, “Korea’s Saemaul Undong Revisited as Rural Development Game for Poverty Eradication: A New Development Economics Perspective,” The Pakistan Development Review 63, no. 1 (2024): 19–44, https://www.jstor.org/stable/27293362.] Dazhai Model in China relied on a more centralized, ideologically-driven approach to rural development. The model's organizational structure was deeply rooted in the principles of the Chinese Communist Party, with the integration of political and agricultural leadership being a defining characteristic. At the heart of the Dazhai Model was the concept of mass mobilization, using mass theory/policy whereby the entire village population was encouraged to participate in the transformation of their community. This was achieved through a comprehensive system of ideological education and indoctrination, which aimed to instill a strong sense of revolutionary spirit and collective responsibility among the villagers. The Dazhai Model's leadership structure was closely aligned with the hierarchical structure of the Chinese political system. The village's Party secretary, who often held the position of production team leader, was responsible for coordinating the implementation of the model's initiatives and ensuring the adherence of the residents to the prescribed ideological guidelines. This fusion of political and agricultural leadership was further reinforced by the participation of higher-level Party officials, who regularly visit Dazhai to provide guidance, evaluate progress, and showcase the model's achievements as a shining example of socialist transformation. The centralization of decision-making and the top-down mobilization approach to implementation were defining features of the Dazhai Model, which were the principles of the CPP party.[YANG Long, “Self-Reliance,” ed. Christian Sorace, Ivan Franceschini, and Nicholas Loubere, JSTOR (ANU Press, 2019), https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctvk3gng9.40.] [Mitch Meisner, “Dazhai: The Mass Line in Practice,” Modern China 4, no. 1 (1978): 27–62, https://www.jstor.org/stable/188965.] [“Dazhai,” Chineseposters.net, n.d., https://chineseposters.net/themes/dazhai.] [Christopher Marquis and Kunyuan Qiao, Mao, and Markets (Yale University Press, 2022).] Financial and Material Support The Saemaul Undong model benefited from substantial government funding and material assistance in South Korea. The Park Chung-hee administration allocated significant financial resources to the program, providing villages with subsidies, low-interest loans, and targeted investments in infrastructure projects. This government-led approach allowed for the rapid mobilization of resources and the implementation of a wide range of initiatives, from constructing roads and bridges to establishing community facilities and income-generating enterprises. The government's financial support was complemented by the distribution of essential materials and supplies, such as cement, tools, and equipment. These material inputs enabled rural communities to undertake physical infrastructure improvements and enhance their economic activities. Additionally, the government introduced various incentive schemes, including awards and praise programs; though workers did not receive any direct material award, the praise was meant to encourage active participation and the successful completion of Saemaul Undong projects. This extensive reliance on government funding and material support was a key feature of the Saemaul Undong, reflecting South Korea's capitalist-oriented economic system and the state's active role in rural development.[Pao-yu ching, “Revolution and Counterrevolution China’s Continuing Class Struggle since Liberation” (FOREIGN LANGUAGES PRESS, 2021).] [Asian Development Bank, “The Saemaul Undong Movement in the Republic of Korea Sharing Knowledge on Community-Driven Development,” 2012, https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/29881/saemaul-undong-movement-korea.pdf.] [Pao-...