연산군 대 亂言 사건을 통해 본 사회 기층의 정치의식

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze how common people perceived the ruling class and the ruling system through Nan-eon cases during the reign of King Yeonsan (1494-1506). In particular, the study will measure the political standards of grassroots political efforts reflected in these cases. Nan-eon, which technically refers verbal criticism or resentment against the king, signified political resistance since criticism, in this context, was deeply focused on tyranny and exploitation. This paper particularly focused on grassroots as political participants. In most cases, grassroots efforts made major contributions to Nan-eon. The commoners who were critical of the regime attributed the cause of exploitation to the moral corruption of upper classes and structural contradiction of the societal system. They even suggested well-outlined alternatives to their political system. It is well-shown that the commoners had altered their views of monarchs in the Nan-eon cases. Accordingly, the king, once regarded to be a sacrosanct, was no longer immune to the criticism of grassroots political movements. In this vein, the Nan-eon participants challenged the nobility to make them aware of the dismal quality of life for commoners. They further demanded political reform based on Confucian ideology. Moreover, the commoners, as a member of the Confucian political community, experienced metaphysical changes in terms of self-identification. Gradually, the grassroots began assimilating their identity as political participants and demanded their rights be acknowledged.