다산의 국방안보론

Abstract

Chŏng Yagyong's thoughts on national defense and security would be understood clearly with the traditional ones of Chosun Dynasty. For defense strategy, traditional Koreans in Chosun Era heavily relied on relationship with China. Originally, it was an application of 'bandwagon strategy'. But gradually it was transformed to a posture of political and cultural toadism. Because of this transformation, people of Chosun had to suffered non inevitable warfares during the Ming-Qing transition. Moreover, this wholesome Sinocentric toadism led to public welfare-over-security policies and effeminancy. For military readiness, Chosun statecrafts idealized farmers-become-soldier policy. But in reality, yangban class and low-class people got out of military service system. Over time, more and more commoners followed them. Therefore, military readiness of Chosun had been nearly nullified in practice. Chŏng Yagyong did not believe Sinocentric toadism with realistic insights. His defense strategy was centered on the balance of power scheme in Northeast Asia. To him, main military power was also manpower as other East Asian traditional military thinkers. But not righteous resolves, but common desires were true basis of fighting morale, as he thought. To promote the morale, he insisted constituting reasonable property and distribution assurance systems, not moral improvement efforts. But in short term, they could not wait to new system. So Chŏng Yagyong suggested plots that more directly, and subtly prompt individual desires in his Minboyi. as a result, he did come close more to Legalists in his national defense and security thought, than in his other ones.