조선말 일제하 資産家型 地方有志의 成長 추구와 利害關係의 中層性 - 浦口商業都市 江景地域 사례 -

Abstract

The colonial society of Japanese Imperialism was a historical site where interests of class, region and nation worked out mutually. Therefore national interest was not a decisive factor which had an absolute influence on everyday life of Korean people. In this paper, I attempted to highlight how local gentry in the commercial port town Ganggyeong(江景) had endeavored to grow in this colonial situation. Local gentry behaved pragmatically in the face of multi-layered interests. They acquired a political status through pro-Japanese collaboration, and attained social fame from Korean people by social movements such as regional development movement and mass enlightenment campaign, etc. Also, they achieved economic growth dynamically by defending their own markets, or developing new markets, or receiving modern technology. But the acquaintance of political status & social fame, and economic growth had basic limits because of the colonial environment in which discrimination between Korean people and Japanese colonist was frequently made, aside from the difference between Korea and Japan in the sphere of capital, modern technology and social organization. At times, these circumstances made local gentry have a feeling of powerlessness and discontent in the social and economic activity. Consequently, national interest functioned, not absolutely but relatively, as one of the most important factors which gave a serious impact on the growth of local gentry.