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국회도서관 홈으로 정보검색 소장정보 검색

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I. 머리글 6

1. 연구 목적 6

2. 연구 동향 9

3. 연구의 범위와 방향 17

II. 경세론의 성립 20

1. 이론적 근거 20

2. 시대적 배경 29

3. 탈 성리학 41

4. 성호 실학의 영향 55

5. 서학의 영향 66

III. 신 목민 위민사상 74

1. 신목민론(新牧民論) 74

2. 민을 위한 이용후생 108

3. 민을 위한 병전과 형전 116

1) 민을 위한 병전(兵典) 116

2) 민을 위한 형전(刑典) 123

4. 민을 위한 교법(敎法) 128

5. 민을 위한 세법 140

6. 민을 위한 의료와 복지 155

1) 민을 위한 의료 156

2) 민을 위한 복지 161

IV. 변통사상 165

1. 민주체론(民主體論) 166

2. 점층식 대의민주제론 179

3. 여전론(閭田論) 192

4. 패정군주 방벌론 211

V. 맺는 글 224

참고문헌 234

ABSTRACT 243

초록보기

 This is a thesis to bring light on how Jeong Yak-yong (1762-1836) whose pen name was Dasan tried to reform the corrupt and ailing country in the late Joseon period of the 19th century.

Jeong deplored in the preface to his 『Gyeongseyupyo』, "The whole world has long been rotten, with its corruption having reached decomposition." He issued a stern warning to rulers, saying, "If the society isn't going through a reform right away, the country is doomed to ruin."

Jeong Yak-yong was an advocate of popular sovereignty who recognized people as the agent of historical progress and was the first Korean who awarded power to people. He asserted that "Since a ruler exists for people, not rulers but people are the master of a country." He argued that a ruler should work only for people and that all laws, systems, and policies of a country must function for people. Also, he said that politics is about correcting all wrongs. To be specific, politics consists in correcting wrong laws and systems and rectifying the rulers' wrong governments and thereby ensuring a good life for all people. Thus, he suggested the introduction of advanced technology that could give actual help to people's livelihood and revamping all wrong laws and systems such as land system, military system, criminal system, educational system, tax system, medical system, and welfare system, and presents alternatives. Especially with his arguments on 'democratic agency' which assets that all power comes from people, 'bottom-up multi-layered political system' which has people elect leaders from lower to higher levels, 'Yeojeonron' which focuses on joint production and distribution, 'new governor' which emphasizes a ruler's responsibility for people, and 'ouster of a despot', he suggested that it was all just natural to depose a ruler and replace him with a new, qualified one when the rule has failed to fulfill his responsibilities and duties for people and has thereby forfeited trust from them. This is the kernel of Jeong Yak-yong's reform philosophy.

Most important, his warnings and discourses presented to the policy-making people of the country about 200 years ago transcend space and time and are currently in progress. In this light, it is understood that Jeong Yak-yong's argument for 'carrying out a people-centered reform and bringing benefits to people' are a future-oriented theory that survives as a truth that is to remain forever with the continuing history of humankind.

Nevertheless, his reform philosophy has a few limitations.

First, as regards reinterpreting Confucian canon and critiquing Neo-Confucianism, he performed thoroughgoing historical demonstration and presented evidential documents; especially concerning state reform, he presented specific alternatives and plans through 『Gyeongseyupyo』, 『Mokminsimseo』, and 『Heumheumsinseo』. With regard to 'democratic agency' and reform toward an 'bottom-up multi-layered democracy', however, his argument was basically about posing a question, despite being an ultraprogressive idea.

Second, while the ideal state which he wanted to realize through his Yeojeonron was an epochal proposal exuding an ultraprogressive view, Jeongjeonron which would show in his 『Gyeongseyupyo』 had his progressive position weaken or step backward to some extent, in that it was an eclectic plan adapted to the actual conditions.

Third, while criticizing the contradictions embedded in the caste system and arguing for its abolition but nevertheless calling for strengthening slavery, he failed to argue for complete shutdown of social caste and theorize the principle of universal equality among human beings.

As Jeong Yak-yong pointed out the irrationalities of the monarchical succession and top-down power structure, his argument for realizing bottom-up multilayered democratic politics, carrying out a great reform for building a new state, and ousting a despot remains as a perpetual process that transcends space and time.