다산 정약용의 監司論

Abstract

The Joseon Dynasty’s local government system is based on Gun-hyeon System(郡縣制) and 8 do (道: province) was installed as the high rank administrative unit for each gun and hyeon’s effective rule. Provincial governors(監司) who were appointed as persons in charge of each do had all the administrative and judicial powers and military blocs and exerted their powerful influence to communities. As the provincial governors inspected chiefs and performed personal management tasks, the chiefs could not help concentrating on provincial governors. Problems of the provincial governor system diagnosed by Jeong, Yak-yong are largely divided into the costs of welcome and send-off[迎送] which welcome or send provincial governors, the expenses of making the rounds[巡歷] of areas, and their food and beverage[供億] expenses, and their ill-gotten wealth. The problems appointed by Jeong, Yak-yong did not occur due to their unique tasks but did for their individuals. In other words, Jeong, Yak-yong did not deny their unique functions but tried to crack down on the expenses and ill-gotten wealth which unnecessarily occur in the process to operate areas. Jeong, Yak-yong’s plan to improve the provincial governor system is to strengthen their function to make the rounds by restoring the old system[古制]. Jeong, Yak-yong instructed officials to welcome provincial governors according to defined rituals to reduce the costs which occur in the process to make the rounds and in addition, Jeong, Yak-yong argued that the system that provincial governors’ families stay at their places of work together[眷率] should be abolished to reduce the government expenditure. He exquisitely supplemented the system to evaluate provincial governors[考績法] to strengthen their investigation and the evaluation standards reflected the components of 『Mokminsimseo(牧民心書)』. And reports of provincial governors could be chiefs’ evaluation about their tasks[奏績狀] by making them submit the ones to the government. Jeong, Yak-yong recognized that the contemporary provincial governor system is very negative but the right function is positively necessary for the running the country. As seen in 『Mokminsimseo(牧民心書)』, Jeong, Yak-yong considered chiefs as most important for stabilizing communities. The core of Dasan’ theory of governor is to stabilize the communities through investigation of chiefs who are the only real rulers and at the same time, enable mutual control not to make them damage chiefs and Gun and Hyeon by using their powers.