일제시기 면 단위 유력자의 구성과 지역정치 ―전남 長興郡 蓉山面 사례를 중심으로

Abstract

In this article, the Jeollanam-do Jangheung-gun Yongsan-myeon area is examined, in order to determine how the internal order of local Myeon units, and the local influentials' communities as well, were composed and then changed in the wake of modern realignments happening here and there inside local societies, during the Japanese occupation period. Yongsan-myeon was one of the regions that showed the most powerful presence of Yangban communities inside the Gun society during the pre-modern era, and it had a multi-layered hierarchy structure formed around powerful houses, existing inside the area. Considering the fact that the operations of traditional concepts such as Hyanggyo schools and Myeon'yak rules continued into the modern era, and taking into account the local population's view and response to such continuing concepts, we can see that the traditional authority and order were still being maintained even during the Japanese occupation period. Yet, at the same time, there were powerful beings with close ties to the administrative authorities, who rose to power with help from the local administrative system that was newly developed in the Myeon units, and also other kinds of local influentials who resisted the colonial ruling and started to raise their own voices. They were mostly people who were outside the traditional hierarchy structure, or who were rather positioned on the borderline, between the traditional realm and the outside. During the Japanese occupation period the local politics in Myeon units showed many facets, like people trying to protect their existing interest using administrative forces, people resisting or negotiating with the administrative authorities based upon the traditional network of past influentials, and people resisting the colonial system through movements of organized residents living in the area. We can also see that behind these various types of political actions, the traditional order and authority were still operating as a real-life force as well.