Citizen Participation and Political Efficacy at the Grassroots Level: The Case of Residents’ Self-Governance Associations in Seoul, South Korea

Residents’ self-governance associations (RSAs) in Seoul, South Korea, have been established to enhance local democracy at the grassroots level. Do participants in RSAs feel political efficacy? What factors influence the political efficacy of community benefits and consensus building through RSAs? This study aims to theorize and test the relationships between citizens’ political efficacy, as measured by participation satisfaction, community benefits, and consensus building, and various socioeconomic, cultural, procedural, and institutional factors. Multilevel ordered logit models of surveys from 1,319 RSA participants suggest that the citizen-led decision-making process, participation frequency, trust in neighbors, and budget and staff support are positively associated with political efficacy. To promote grassroots democracy and enhance the political efficacy of participating citizens, local RSAs should be operated in a voluntary, cooperative, and democratic manner. Supporting local self-governance organizations and their activities with adequate funding and effective administration is crucial for success.