Collective Intelligence and Instrumental Leadership: The New Path of Administration Being Drawn by the Lee Jae-myung Government

Introduction: The Need for New Leadership in a New Era

The flow of global politics in the 21st century can be summarized by the words polarization and extremism. In the United States, far-right populism centered around former President Donald Trump has emerged, and in Europe, radical political forces are gaining influence that transcends traditional conservatism and progressivism. A commonality in this phenomenon is anti-intellectualism. There is an increasing tendency to rely on public sentiment while disregarding existing expertise or rational judgment, reducing politics to simple agitation and mobilization. In such an era, Korean politics has also reached a point where it needs to seek new leadership. The figure that has emerged as an alternative is President Lee Jae-myung. He presents the appearance of traditional populism, but at its core lies a philosophy of intellectualism, particularly regarding collective intelligence. The political philosophy of President Lee Jae-myung, revealed through interviews with Professor Park Gu-yong of Chonnam National University and Kim Eo-jun, presents a new administrative ethics, recognizing himself as a “tool” in executing policies based on trust in collective intelligence rather than mere appeasement of the masses.

Can populism and intellectualism coexist?

Populism has traditionally been associated with anti-intellectualism. The MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement in the United States and the far-right political forces in Europe during the mid to late 20th century have opposed educated elites and have relied on the intuition and emotions of the masses. Professor Park Gu-yong mentions the term "egghead" in this context. This term is used in the United States to mock intellectuals, scientists, and scholars, symbolizing the distrust towards them that is at the core of far-right populism. However, President Lee Jae-myung is different from this traditional populism. He values public opinion but does not accept it blindly instead, he combines it with "intelligence." Furthermore, he trusts the collective intelligence over individual intelligence. His repeated statement, "I am a tool," starts from this point. The president sees himself not as a being who provides direction, but as a functional being who realizes the direction set by the people in the most efficient way. This is quite unusual for a political leader and demonstrates that populism and intellectualism can coexist without contradiction, marking a unique experiment in Korean political history.

The Reality of 'Collective Intelligence': The Case of the Undergrounding of the Bundang-Suseo Expressway

The most symbolic case that reflects President Lee Jae-myung's philosophy of 'collective intelligence' is the underground construction project of the Bundang-Suseo Expressway during his tenure as mayor of Seongnam. At that time, Mayor Lee Jae-myung promised to build the road underground and turn the surface into a park, but after being elected, he publicly apologized to citizens for being unable to keep that promise due to financial and practical difficulties. While most politicians remain silent or make excuses, he clearly stated, "This is a promise that cannot be kept." However, a remarkable turnaround occurred afterward. Citizens proposed the idea of covering the road to create a park, and Mayor Lee Jae-myung reflected this and actually put it into action. The solution was suggested by citizens, which experts or designers had not considered. Professor Park Gu-yong emphasizes this as "the greatness of collective intelligence." This case goes beyond simply being a result of citizen participation it is a rare example of a public official seriously accepting the collective thinking of citizens and applying it to policy decisions. This was not a one-time event, but rather a practice of the political philosophy that President Lee Jae-myung has consistently emphasized.

The essence of collective intelligence is 'deliberation within diversity'.

Professor Park Gu-yong distinguishes the concept of collective intelligence from mere "majority rule" or "equal distribution." He explains this concept through the analogy of the "youngest child who dropped the bread." The judgment to let the youngest child go hungry is immature and punitive ethics. The judgment to redistribute is formal egalitarianism, or left-wing authoritarianism. However, true collective intelligence refers to the process where individuals with their own positions discuss and make decisions independently. The key here is heterogeneity. If a group is homogeneous, there is little meaning in discussion. However, if the members have diverse perspectives, a "rational direction" can emerge through sufficient deliberation and debate. President Lee Jae-myung's theory of collective intelligence is based on this heterogeneity. The reason his cabinet is not composed solely of traditional political allies is also due to this. In a structure where heterogeneous individuals come together to deliberate, the president positions himself as a tool to coordinate that process.

Ethics and Role of Public Officials: 'Perspectivism' and 'Conviction Ethics'

President Lee Jae-myung presents three dimensions of work for public officials: 'must-do tasks', 'prohibited tasks', and 'optional tasks'. Ordinary public officials typically only engage in the first and second categories. However, he emphasizes that true public officials should be able to act creatively in the third domain. This third category is one that is not found in manuals, is not directed by anyone, but relies on self-judgment to seize opportunities and take action. The ethical concept that arises here is 'ethical conviction'. According to Max Weber's distinction between 'ethics of responsibility' and 'ethics of conviction', President Lee Jae-myung states that politicians should adhere to the ethics of responsibility, which entails being accountable for results, while public officials should follow the ethics of conviction based on the right intentions and attitudes during the process. He asserts that he (the politician) will take responsibility for failures, urging public officials to work creatively without fear. This is a strong message aimed at transcending the mechanical obedience found in public service.

A new model of democracy: the direction is collective intelligence, the execution is by experts.

The political philosophy of President Lee Jae-myung redefines the practical model of democracy. The direction is determined by the collective intelligence of citizens, while the execution should be handled by experts. In other words, when citizens decide to 'head northeast,' experts determine that 'motorcycles are the most suitable for that route.' This structure, which separates direction and execution, is essential in an advanced democracy. However, in past politics, there were errors where experts monopolized direction or, conversely, the public defined execution methods. President Lee Jae-myung clearly distinguishes these roles and executes leadership that respects collective intelligence. Within the Democratic Party, there were attempts in the past to ignore the flow of this collective intelligence and unilaterally change direction, but the result was failure. As pointed out by Kim Eo-jun in an interview, 'established politicians' who appeared frequently in the media during the general election were actually excluded, while those who engaged with collective intelligence survived. This serves as a signal that the direction of Korean politics is changing.

Conclusion: The Future Created by Collective Intelligence and Instrumental Leadership

The political philosophy that President Lee Jae-myung demonstrates is not merely a change in leadership style. It is a philosophical experiment aimed at transforming democracy into a system based on 'deliberation and diversity.' He defines politicians by their 'function,' perceiving even the presidency as a tool for 'execution' rather than direction. This represents a philosophical attitude that goes beyond humility, returning the essence of politics to the people. This leadership centered on collective intelligence is a model that can secure both the legitimacy and efficiency of policies. The direction chosen by the group is realized in a responsible manner by experts, while public officials pursue creative practices based on their convictions. When all of these currents are organized under one philosophy, we can call it 'instrumental leadership.' Currently, Korean society stands at a transitional turning point. Beyond the era of authoritarian politics and bureaucratic administration, a new democracy that incorporates diversity, deliberation, conviction, and responsibility is being attempted. If this experiment succeeds, Korea may present another evolution of democracy to the world. President Lee Jae-myung's collective intelligence and instrumental leadership are the first steps in opening the door to that possibility.