Korean Dilemmas in Modern Transition: Joseon’s Hyper-Stable Monarchy and Its Legacies in the Late 19th Century
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The stability and longevity of the Joseon dynasty have attracted the attention of many scholars. Previous research has primarily attributed these qualities to factors such as the high degree of centralization in governance, the checks and balances in the relationship between the kingship and the bureaucracy, the provision of rents to the yangban elite and public goods to the ordinary people, as well as to governance based on public opinion. However, what previous studies have not adequately addressed is the role these factors played when Joseon confronted the challenges of opening up and modernization in the late 19th century. How the weight of monarchy in Joseon politics, the reliance on China in diplomatic practices, and the agrarian-based underdeveloped economy functioned in the face of unprecedented external pressures has not been sufficiently examined. This study presents a thematic account of the late 19th-century history and demonstrates that the ‘hyper-stability’ of the monarchy ultimately served as an impediment to the rapid change required for modernization. While the hyper-stable system of Joseon was advantageous for overcoming internal issues, it hindered quick adaptation to new external challenges.
Abstract
The stability and longevity of the Joseon dynasty have attracted the attention of many scholars. Previous research has primarily attributed these qualities to factors such as the high degree of centralization in governance, the checks and balances in the relationship between the kingship and the bureaucracy, the provision of rents to the yangban elite and public goods to the ordinary people, as well as to governance based on public opinion. However, what previous studies have not adequately addressed is the role these factors played when Joseon confronted the challenges of opening up and modernization in the late 19th century. How the weight of monarchy in Joseon politics, the reliance on China in diplomatic practices, and the agrarian-based underdeveloped economy functioned in the face of unprecedented external pressures has not been sufficiently examined. This study presents a thematic account of the late 19th-century history and demonstrates that the ‘hyper-stability’ of the monarchy ultimately served as an impediment to the rapid change required for modernization. While the hyper-stable system of Joseon was advantageous for overcoming internal issues, it hindered quick adaptation to new external challenges.