Coping with Economic Justice in CRISIS: A. Sen’s Capability Approach to Republic of KOREA

Abstract

This study answers the question of “How can we better cope with the crisis in economic justice?” by applying Amartya Sen’s capability approach. The main theme in Sen’s work is the importance of developing human capa-bility. He focused his attention more on people and less on goods. What was important is what people were able to do rather than what people could buy with their income. Economics should be about developing the “capabili-ties” of people by increasing the options available to them. In Sen’s theoretical world, functioning is an achievement, whereas a capability is the ability to achieve. So func-tionings are more directly related to living conditions, since they are different aspects of living conditions. Capabil-ities, in contrast, are notions of freedom, in the positive sense: what real opportunities you have regarding the life you may lead. This capability perspective enhances the understanding of the nature and causes of poverty and deprivation by shifting our attention from means to ends that people have reason to pursue, and to the freedoms to be able to satisfy these ends. This leads us to a new definition of development: provision of more positive freedoms to people. Capability refers to the alternative combinations of functionings from which a person can choose, and thus the notion of capability is essentially one of freedom – the range of options a person has in deciding what kind of a life to lead. In other words, capabilities are notions of freedom: what real opportunities you have regarding the life you may lead. If provided with sufficient social opportunities, individuals can effectively shape their own life and help each other. People need not and should not be seen as mere passive recipients of the benefits of development pro-grams. In capability approach, there is a strong rationale for recognizing the positive role of free and sustainable agency. So from the capability approach, the goal of education is much broader than just developing the skills that can help to enhance economic growth. Education matters in terms of the processes of critical reflection and also with respect to the connection with others that are intrinsically ethical. And most of all, capability approach maintains that education is important not because of the utility it produces now, but because of the different kind of person that one becomes when one is educated.