The Divided State: Factional Structures and the Crisis of Democracy

by Joonhong Park

The Divided State explores the structural dynamics of modern democracy through the concept of factions. Based on a unique theoretical framework that distinguishes between general groupness and socially constituted factions, it analyzes the process by which political and ideological divisions are formed, reinforced, and institutionalized. This book provides an in-depth analysis of the social mechanisms of polarization, resistance, and power structures in democratic societies, focusing on the concepts of faction, factional movements, and the “factional structure” of the state.
Targeted at scholars, students, and readers interested in political theory, sociology, and modern history, this book offers a unique perspective that views division not merely as a political phenomenon but as an inherent social process reinforced through ideology within relationships. It serves as both a theoretical intervention and a timely reflection on the current crisis of democracy.

Genres: Nonfiction

106 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 2, 2025

About the author

Joonhong Park is a political analyst and independent researcher specializing in the social foundations and structural mechanisms of political systems. He majored in political science at Pusan National University in South Korea.
His research explores how human societies function through the interactions between factions, ideologies, and the human instinct for 'Groupness'.
In his theoretical work, The Divided State: Factional Structures and the Crisis of Democracy , Park explored how group attributes derived from survival instincts shape democratic systems, establishing the framework of 'The Faction Theory'. His latest book, Another Civil War: Why Our Instincts Choose Trumpism Over Democracy , applies this lens to the United States. It analyzes the historical and psychological roots of American polarization—from the Founding to the rise of MAGA—revealing the structural tension between human instinct and democratic ideals.
His other works, authored in Korean, include A Study of the Modern History of Korean Politics through Faction Theory and The Essential Instability of Democratic Systems.

Reviews

[Zhou82 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Divided State offers a powerful and original analysis of the root causes behind the growing instability in democratic societies. Instead of focusing only on surface-level political events or short-term crises, the author looks deeper—into human nature itself. He introduces the idea that our instinct for forming groups, or “groupness,” plays a major role in the conflicts and divisions we see in politics today.

What makes this book unique is how it builds a new conceptual framework to understand modern political life. Terms like “factions,” “factional movements,” and “factional structures” are used to explain how people organize themselves, often by creating an “us vs. them” mentality. These concepts help explain why political arguments can become so emotional and why it's so hard to find common ground.

One of the most interesting parts of the book is its argument that democracy, which is built on the idea of individual rights, is in tension with our natural desire to belong to strong groups. This creates a structural instability within democratic systems—something we’re seeing more clearly in the world today.

Overall, The Divided State gave me a fresh perspective on political conflict and helped me understand the deeper forces behind social division. I recommend it to anyone interested in politics, sociology, or the challenges facing democracy in our time.

[Robert Cain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Making sense of modern politics is a difficult task tackled by authors of all stripes. One smaller scale effort has come from Joonhong Park in South Korea. For a debut book, it’s a worthwhile effort with room for expansion.

The Divided State is split into three main sections which are organised well. The first discusses the idea of “groupness”; man’s natural affinity for similar-minded connections and how it translates to modern society. The second part examines the movement and resistance of groups, homing in on how groups interact with each other. The final section describes how factions fit into the state and the clash between democratic structures and polarisation. This blend of sociology, politics and light psychology offers some thought-provoking questions for the reader.

When you look beyond the main ideas, the wider analysis needed more detail. For example, the author mentions how science and technology how played a major role in human development and civilization in the third section, but this isn’t tied into the central ideas. One of the central questions Park asks in the opening is why conservative parties have more of an advantage in current elections, but I felt this needed more expansion across both the chapters and conclusion.

Recommended?

MAYBE: The Divided State has some interesting ideas and theories on why groupness and polarised factions have become so widespread in modern politics. These are backed up with good sourcing and references. With that said, the book could have gone deeper and connect the key points to current events. What’s here will be of interest to those who follow global affairs.

(The author reached out to me to review this book and provided a digital copy at no charge)

[Eugene Kernes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is This An Overview?
Humans formed groups as a method of overcoming the ecosystem and adapting to uncertain situations. But, individuals and groups faced competition from other individuals and groups. Groups are more effective at competing for resources than individuals alone. Individuals within a group create synergy, groupness, in which they become more than the sum of the members. Creating an incentive for individuals to apply effort into social relations, over other tasks. Social relations that enabled factions, a method of organization, to overcome those perceived as opponents. People conform to the group, and the group favors loyalty while discouraging opposition. Members develop cognitive biases that favor the group.

Conflicts between people, between groups are abundant but there are arbitration methods to prevent conflicts from escalating. Division arises when conflict resolution mechanisms fail to function. Social division is unique to democratic systems, for democracies contain a diverse set of people who can split into opposing factions rather than a conflict between leaders and group members. In democracies, social division is based on ideological confrontation. Factions are formed to overcome goals, to overcome social conflicts. Goals that are justified by an ideology.

Factions formed to find a resolution to a situation, with other factions and any resistance become the opposition. Members of the opposing factions become homogenized, as their individual complexity is perceived away. Even with democratic states, factions seek to retain power and control. What prevents democratic states from becoming totalitarian, is the presence of sufficient resistance. The more threats and confusion there are, the more vulnerable social and political systems become.

Caveats?
Various psychology, sociology, and political ideas are represented in the book. But, there are simplifications being made about democratic systems and human history.

[Syed Fathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book seeks to elucidate the underlying forces that drive the formation of social groups, such as political parties, nations, and civilizations. Joonhong articulates this phenomenon through the lens of "groupness," drawing parallels with developments in the natural environment. This explanation resonates with the ideas of Ibn Khaldun, who posited that 'assobiyah' serves as the cohesive force binding individuals together to forge robust nations and civilizations.

One critical factor in shaping human groups and factions is ideology. Joonhong defines ideology as a logical system that seeks to explain social phenomena, predict future developments, and suggest societal direction. I find this definition particularly useful for simplifying our understanding of how ideology operates. He argues that modern individuals have embraced ideologies as the new glue for their factions, replacing older bonds such as region, blood ties, and language.

My favorite chapter in this book addresses the crisis of democratic system. Joonhong contends that democracy is inherently unstable due to the conflicting values produced by capitalist economy and democratic ideology. The most apparent conflict arises from the inequality generated by capitalism, which is perceived as unjust within a democratic framework. I wholeheartedly agree with this argument, as I have explored similar themes in my previous work on the problems facing democracy. Additionally, Joonhong identifies "groupness ideology" as a significant threat to democratic systems—an ideology characterized by an 'us versus them' mentality that often leads to the demonization of marginalized groups, such as refugees and foreign laborers.

Overall, Joonhong Park's book provides an in-depth examination of the motivations behind human group formation throughout history. While some perspectives may be reductive, they still offer valuable tools for analyzing the social dimensions of human groups, factions, and relationships. The book effectively identifies the incoherence inherent in the capitalist system and democratic ideology, a dissonance that has precipitated ongoing crises within democratic frameworks.

[Anatolii Miroshnychenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author offers a theory of groupness, which is very interesting in itself. But for me the most important message in the book was the practical implication of the theory – that democracy “is characterized by inherent internal instability" (P. 136 and others), deriving from the very human nature. As group’s purpose is mostly to react to the threats, grouping promotes radicalism, which a “the greatest threat facing representative democratic systems” (P. 48-49). I fully subscribe to the author’s thesis that democracy (in its current version) can and should be replaced with a better political system.
I am sure that this is not the last work of the author on this topic, and that his theory will be elaborated further and supplied with practical suggestions on how to “manage the exclusivity, selfishness, and hostility of human groupness and factional behavior” (P. 168).