누가, 왜 참여하는가? 한국 당원의 당내 활동 참여 연구

초록

In recent Korean politics, growing concern has emerged that the excessive involvement of so-called “hardcore party members” may distort intra-party decision-making and fuel political polarization. Yet, little empirical research has systematically examined who participates in party activities and for what reasons. This study categorizes party participation motives into three types—personal ambition, social solidarity, and political purpose—and analyzes how these motives influence two forms of party engagement: traditional activities and online communication. The results show that, among Democratic Party members, personal ambition drives traditional participation, whereas social solidarity and political purpose are the main factors behind online participation. In contrast, People Power Party members are motivated primarily by social solidarity and personal ambition across both forms of participation, while political purpose tends to reduce participation or shows no significant relationship. Furthermore, male members were more active than female members within the Democratic Party, whereas religious commitment encourages higher engagement among People Power Party members. In both parties, dues-paying members are more active than ordinary members, indicating that they serve as a core resource for party mobilization. This study broadens the scope of party activism research by examining the Korean case and deepens the micro-level understanding of participation dynamics within party organizations.

키워드