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What we must guard against

Published: 19 Mar. 2025, 00:01

Yeom Jae-ho

The author is the president of Taejae University and vice chair of the Presidential Committee on AI.

The world we face today bears striking similarities to the late 1920s. The emergence of new industries, the introduction of groundbreaking technologies leading to mass production and widespread unemployment, economic anxiety about the future, rising protectionism, global economic stagnation and depression, the rise of emotionally charged politics, and ultimately, the emergence of fascism — history seems to be repeating itself.

In 1911, Frederick Taylor’s scientific management theory revolutionized industrial efficiency, enabling mass production at an unprecedented scale. The automobile and steel industries, in particular, experienced explosive growth. As a result, the number of cars in the United States surged from one million in 1920 to 29 million by 1929. While mass production optimized efficiency, it also eliminated the need for repetitive manual labor, displacing many workers in the process. This led to a widening gap between the capitalists, who accumulated wealth through efficiency, and the working class, who faced mass unemployment.

Faced with such socioeconomic challenges, politicians resorted to emotional politics, one of the most common tactics being the creation of an external enemy. In 1930, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, proposed by the Republican Party, imposed tariffs of nearly sixty percent on 20,000 imported goods from Europe and Canada. In retaliation, European nations imposed counter-tariffs, plunging the world deeper into protectionism and worsening the Great Depression. Today, a similar pattern is unfolding: U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed imposing a sixty percent tariff on Chinese imports and has already signed an executive order slapping a twenty-five percent tariff on Mexican and Canadian imports — a stark déjà vu of 1930.

Leader of the far right Liberty Unification Party Pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon, addresses his supporter at Gwanghwamun, central Seoul on Dec. 7, 2024. [JOONGANG ILBO]

With the digital revolution reshaping human civilization, traditional social and political systems are being shaken to their core. Even the separation of powers, a cornerstone of democracy established by the United States 250 years ago, is now at risk — even within the United States itself. In Europe, far-right figures such as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and France’s Marine Le Pen are gaining traction. Last month’s German federal elections saw the Left Party double its 2021 vote share to 8.8 percent, while the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) also doubled its support to 20.8 percent, making it the second-largest party in parliament.

The roots of political extremism

Why is politics becoming so polarized? The first reason is job insecurity and rising income inequality. AI-driven automation is fundamentally transforming the job market and industrial structures — not only in manufacturing but also in white-collar and professional sectors. The World Economic Forum predicts that by 2030, 85 percent of jobs will be in fields that did not exist in the 20th century. This transformation will further exacerbate unemployment and the wealth gap, fueling public discontent.

This photograph shows the logo of the Chinese app DeepSeek, left, and U.S. app ChatGPT displayed on a mobile phone, in Paris, on Jan. 28. [AFP/YONHAP]

The second reason is the changing landscape of information dissemination. Traditional media — governments, news agencies, and established press outlets — no longer dominate the production and distribution of information. Instead, social media platforms and YouTube have enabled individuals to spread content at an unprecedented speed. As a result, sensational, unverified information is now wielded as a form of micro-power, shaping public discourse in unpredictable ways. Even politicians rely on daily social media posts to communicate with voters, and mainstream media outlets increasingly source their reports from these platforms. When even the highest levels of government, including presidents and world leaders, rely on YouTube as an information source, it becomes evident how unchecked micro-power has grown. The algorithm-driven amplification of misinformation fuels confirmation bias, deepening societal divisions.

The rise of emotional politics

New media platforms have made it easier than ever to mobilize the public through emotional politics. A similar transformation occurred in the 1930s with the advent of radio as a mass communication tool. In Nazi Germany, Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels weaponized radio broadcasts to spread Nazi ideology, while Adolf Hitler delivered live speeches through the Volksempfänger (People’s Radio), intensifying nationalist fervor and consolidating totalitarian rule.

Kim Se-ui of YouTube channel Hoverlab wears a headband reading "Against impeachment" at a press conference on March 17 in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in central Seoul, held by late actor Kim Sae-ron's family's attorney Bu Ji-seok, before filing a report against YouTuber Lee Jin-ho of defamation. [YONHAP]

Meanwhile, in the United States, President Franklin D. Roosevelt leveraged radio’s reach to deliver his “fireside chats,” using personal, reassuring rhetoric to calm public anxieties during the Great Depression. This direct communication strategy bolstered his political charisma, enabling him to serve four consecutive terms over 12 years, an unprecedented feat in American history.

Yale political philosopher Jason Stanley, in his book “How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them,” (2018) warns that when society becomes entrenched in tribal politics, truth itself ceases to matter. He argues that once people succumb to fascist rhetoric, they abandon rational discourse and fact-based news in favor of charismatic leaders delivering emotionally charged, ghost-like messages.

Today, Korean society is increasingly immersed in social media and YouTube-driven narratives. Studies indicate that over half of Koreans spend more than two hours a day on YouTube. This unchecked proliferation of sensational, unverified content strengthens emotional politics, while the tribalism that fueled the impeachment crisis continues to spill onto the streets, escalating to dangerous extremes.

Now, more than ever, we must be wary of politicians who seek to exploit this phenomenon. If voters falter, democracy itself will crumble. Just as core muscles are essential to sustaining the human body, a strong centrist voter base is crucial to maintaining democratic stability. If the moderate majority allows itself to be swept away by the emotional politics of radical factions, it will only embolden politicians to embrace populism and fascist rhetoric.

At this critical juncture, the role of intellectuals and senior figures in society has never been more crucial. Their guidance is essential in ensuring that the moderate center remains steadfast, resisting the pull of political extremism.

Translated using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.