This blog post explores the possibility of institutional reform, focusing on the limitations of the past system in the late Joseon Dynasty and attempts to overcome these limitations by reintroducing feudal elements.
Yi Yong-won’s concept of the Gonggeoje, a representative bureaucratic selection system reform of the late Joseon Dynasty, was intended to overcome the weaknesses of meritocratic and result-oriented talent selection and was also aware of the problems of status inheritance. Yi Yong-won sought to embody a Confucian ideal society while also trying to solve the real problems of society at the time. He sought harmony between status and ability and proposed a more fair and efficient bureaucratic selection system through the Gonggeoje.
In China, around the 17th century, a reformist movement emerged that sought to partially reintroduce feudal elements such as hereditary appointment in the selection of bureaucrats. Gao Yanbu proposed that the upper echelons of the bureaucracy should maintain a meritocratic system, while local officials should be given a certain amount of time to prove themselves before being given a lifetime position, opening the way for hereditary appointment. This approach was intended to maintain the efficiency of the central government while promoting the stability of local administration. Hwang Jong-hee argued that the past system should be supplemented by reviving old systems such as the “Byeokso,” in which local bureaucrats invited, tested, and recommended their own officials for management. He emphasized the autonomy and solidarity of local communities and sought to promote their development through this.
This reform was not a sudden occurrence. Countries that had used the traditional civil service examination system had been under pressure to improve the system for hundreds of years. The side effects of the examination system were a major problem for the traditional civil service examination system. The fierce competition led to superficial learning aimed at passing the exam rather than in-depth study of academic subjects, and many talented people wasted their talents by spending long periods of time preparing for the exam. There was also skepticism about the anonymity of the test, as it was argued that it was impossible to evaluate character and practical skills other than learning ability. This was not just a problem with the test system, but also led to reflection on the direction of education and values of society as a whole.
The recognition of the side effects of the past system led to a critical view of the activities of managers appointed through the past system. The meritocratic attitude was applied not only to the test but also to the evaluation of management work. As officials who were not hereditary and moved to different regions every few years needed to produce results quickly to be promoted, they had the side effect of focusing only on visible, short-term results rather than promoting policies with a long-term perspective for the benefit of the local community. This was a case where personal motivation conflicted with the public interest. This situation was pointed out as an issue that hinders the sustainable development of local communities due to the pressure to achieve short-term results.
The weakening of the sense of community was also recognized as a negative consequence of the past system. Because officials from the past system had a low sense of belonging to the community and were career-oriented, they were less loyal to the community than the hereditary elite or officials recommended by the region. This phenomenon intensified gradually after the introduction of the past system, and it was the cause of officials focusing on their personal achievements rather than the needs of the local community.
The argument to supplement the past system by introducing feudal elements was not simply a retro trend. It was based on the judgment that it would be difficult to secure the sense of belonging and loyalty seen in private and emotional relationships through the past system, as nostalgia for the past system existed throughout the period when the past system continued, and it was difficult to imagine any other political system. This was an attempt to supplement the paradoxical situation brought about by the rational system by utilizing historical experience and the given ideological resources. This attempt reflected the will to build a more sustainable and efficient bureaucracy by supplementing the shortcomings of the past system. This reform theory emerged in the process of balancing the advantages and disadvantages of the past system and seeking a more advanced system based on this.
