孟子의 政治行政思想 硏究

Abstract

This study is made to analyze Mencius' idea of politics and public administration. As widely known, Confucianism is a study for SuGiChiIn (修己治人: Discipline yourself first and then govern the others.). The confucian intellectuals in the past used to dream of learning the great people's virtues and then participating in real political field based on such virtues to achieve the reign of YoSun (堯舜: great kings in the legendary Chinese history). Confucius and Mencius travelled all over the Chinese region in order to make such dream come true. They, however, did not accomplish their dream till the end of their lives. The ideas they wanted to make come true have been, however, inherited to the present time through the books named 'NonEo (論語)' and 'Mencius (孟子)' as they are. Mencius thought that the goal of politics and public administration was to make WangDoJeongChi (the politics of loyalty-principles) come true. In terms of methodology, it was based InJeong (仁政: perfect virtue based politics) that was based on the argument of JeongMyeong (正名: Work as directed by moral duty.) finally aiming at WangDoJeongChi, which was called YeoMinDongRak (與民同樂: Enjoy together with the people.) or YeoMinHaeRak (與民偕樂: Enjoy together with the people.). WangDoJeongChi starts with YangMin (養民: Feed the people.) and finishes with GyoMin (敎民: Educate the people.) Mencius, therefore, put the economic stability of the people at the first position based on MinBonJuEui (民本主義: a political idea for enhancement of the benefit and happiness of the people) and he believed that such MinBonJuEui based economic stability required ORyun (五倫: moral rules to govern the Five Human Relations of father and son; master and servant; of husband and wife; of brothers; and of friends): BuJaYuChin (父子有親: There should be affection between father and son.), GunShinYuEui (君臣有義: There should be loyalty between master and servant.), BuBuYuByeol (夫婦有別: There should be classification between husband and wife.), JangYuYuSeo (長幼有序: There should be order between the elder and the younger.) and BungUYunShin (朋友有信: There should be trust between friends.); and morality based community (人倫共同體) would be realized and the true WangDoJeongChi would come true if such five relation nets worked in harmony.