Why is it difficult to solve social problems with ‘values’ alone?

Social problems that appear around the world share a common characteristic.

It is difficult to attribute their causes to a single factor, and they are often entangled with various elements, making them hard to resolve. In addition, issues that people recognize as social problems tend to recur over time. (Of course, some problems have been solved, but most continue over long periods.^^)

I, too, am experiencing a problem that can be classified as a social issue.

The issue I am currently facing is related to housing (real estate).

In Korea, housing prices vary by region, and in the Seoul metropolitan area where I live, housing prices are extremely high. For younger generations who have not yet built a solid asset base, it is very difficult to own a home in this area.

However, if you live in a rented home instead of owning one, you may have to move when the contract period ends (in Korea, contracts are typically for two years). This creates instability and leads to growing concerns about home ownership.

When I decided to have a child, this issue became even more significant. I felt that it would be difficult to maintain consistent childcare in a home that is not my own. My in-laws live nearby and said they would help take care of the child. However, if I had to move, it would be difficult to maintain that support system.

Additionally, if I move, my child might have to change daycare centers or kindergartens. In the past, when someone in the family became ill or faced an emergency, we could rely on each other for support. But with uncertainty about where we might live next, this sense of stability disappears.

In other words, through a single issue—housing—I am connected to multiple issues such as housing, childcare, elderly care (care for my in-laws), and policy.

Of course, this is not something only I experience.

Among people around me, there are cases where a child had just adapted to daycare, but the landlord suddenly asked them to move out because they needed to sell the house. There are also cases where people moved to regions that are a two-hour one-way commute from Seoul because housing prices in the Seoul metropolitan area are too high.

This is just one example, but the problems we experience are similar in nature. Since the root causes do not change, problems seem to be resolved at times but continue to reoccur.

🐎To solve social problems, the ‘structure’ must change

This is where the concept of “system change” comes in.

Rather than solving problems through simple acts of help, system change focuses on transforming the structure that creates the problem.

It involves analyzing the root causes of a problem, designing how the structure should be modified to address it, and then creating structural change through collaboration with various stakeholders.

Recently, social impact organizations in Korea have also begun to pay attention to system change—that is, structural transformation. This is because pursuing “values” and “social goals” alone is not sustainable.

Therefore, they aim to ensure sustainability by creating long-term structural changes based on data. Although it takes time, this approach can help build a more sustainable society.

Of course, it is not easy.

It takes a long time, and there are many stakeholders involved in solving a single social issue. Because many people are involved, communication and coordination can be challenging. In addition, since results are not immediately visible, it is easy to become discouraged along the way.

However, real change is achieved through this kind of system change approach.

That is why many actors in Korea’s social impact sector are continuously working toward system change by collaborating, forming alliances, and building networks.