feudalism and modernization
2021-07-01
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The Industrial Revolution cannot succeed in the Joseon Dynasty.The existence of proletariat is indispensable for the Industrial Revolution.The goal of defeating the Edo Shogunate, which was a closed-door policy, was not only to open the country, but also to break away from the feudal system and destroy the shogunate system.In other words, as long as people are in feudalism and are bound by land, they cannot secure a fluid labor force.Even in new industrial development, necessary human resources cannot be gathered where they are needed.
In this sense, if you look at the Korean Peninsula at that time, it is not feudalism but servitude, which is from the Middle Ages.In fact, it is said that things that developed in the Middle Ages did not develop and were in a pre-medieval state.Thus the servant was bound not only by the land, but also by his master, and had no freedom.Was it possible to get workers for Industlial Revolusion?
In order to modernize, it is essential to destroy the traditional feudal social system.The Meiji Restoration was the same, and the １９１１ Revolution aimed to break away from the Qing dynasty.For this reason, Kim Ok-kyun's way of thinking is correct.Only when the Joseon dynasty is overthrown can social reform be carried out, and the road to modernization begins there.
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The Hague Emissary Incident was tell - all diplomacy - Why was the emissary ignored? Evidence that the world did not recognize Korea, which had given up its sovereignty.
The Korean Empire was founded before the Russo-Japanese War
Japan helped Korea gain independence and eventually stripped Korea of diplomatic rights
The Hague emissary incident is a pathetic diplomatic failure
Main emissary activities
Already surrendered sovereignty before the Hague emissary incident
The southward movement of Russian interests was the cause of the Russo-Japanese War
Kojong made the mistake of causing the head of state to flee and seek asylum in the Russian legation, and the first Russo-Japanese Protocol (Komura-Weber Agreement) and the second Russo-Japanese Protocol (Yamagata-Lobanov Agreement) were concluded, and the premise was He returned to Gyeongun Palace and changed the country's name to the Korean Empire in 1897. Adding the name of an empire to a country's name meant that it was on the same level as Japan and China, and Japan approved of this.
Later, during the Russo-Japanese War that began in 1904, the First Japan-Korea Treaty was concluded, giving Japan the upper hand in the Russo-Japanese War. Under the Second Japan-Korea Treaty concluded in 1905 after the end of the Russo-Japanese War, the Korean Peninsula was stripped of its diplomatic rights.
Although Japan helped establish the Korean Empire on a par with Japan through the Japan-Russia Protocol, Gojong continued to draw in Russian interests. The eventual outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War led to Japan stripping Korea of its diplomatic rights.
The Hague Emissary Incident occurred when Gojong dispatched an emissary to the Hague International Conference in 1907 to appeal for the restoration of diplomatic rights. They were doing the same kind of tell-all diplomacy that is practiced today.
However, Russia, who was supposed to have invited them, betrayed them and was rejected by all the participating countries, and the emissary sent by Gojong was not even able to enter the conference hall. Conversely, Japan's jurisdiction over the Korean Peninsula became internationally recognized.
[Main emissary activities]
He visits Count Nelidov, the chief representative of the Russian Empire, who is the chairman of the conference, but he is refused a meeting.
He visits representatives from the United States, England, France, and Germany, but is refused assistance.
We request a meeting with the Dutch Foreign Minister of the country hosting the conference, but he is refused.
The conference in The Hague, Netherlands recognized Japan's jurisdiction over the Korean Peninsula.
In the first place, in 1896, after the assassination of Queen Min and the Chunshengmun Incident, Go Song, the head of state, fled to the Russian Legation and went into exile (Roguan Transfer). At this point, Korea was no longer recognized by the world as an independent and independent nation.
With the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895, Korea renounced its sovereignty less than a year after gaining independence from Qing thanks to Japan.
Even if they attempted to exercise remote control from their exile, they were already under Russian house arrest, and Russia gradually gained control over the Korean Peninsula. Even after Gojong returned to Korea and founded the Korean Empire, Russia continued to gain interests in the Korean Peninsula, which led to the Russo-Japanese War.
The Joseon Dynasty cried out to the Qing Dynasty and triggered the Sino-Japanese War, and was invaded by Russian interests due to the transfer of Rokan, leading to the Russo-Japanese War. The Hague Emissary Incident was a case in which a courier was sent to express his dissatisfaction with having been stripped of his diplomatic rights. Japan then gave up on the independence of the Korean Peninsula.
The Korean Peninsula seen from Charles Darré's ``The Korean Situation'' The Joseon Dynasty of the Yi Dynasty, when culture was undeveloped.
This is an excerpt from Charles Darré's ``Korean Affairs,'' a compilation of the correspondence of French missionaries.
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Roads and transportation are severely lacking in this mountainous country, which prevents large-scale cultivation. People only cultivate what is nearby, such as around their homes. Furthermore, there are almost no large villages, and the people in the countryside are scattered in three or four, or at most twelve or three, clusters. The annual harvest barely meets the needs of the population, and famine is common in Korea.
Although the treaty concluded in 1637 did not increase the actual conditions of Korea's servitude to the Qing, it formally made it a more humiliating relationship than before. The king of Korea had to not only recognize the right of investiture to the Emperor of Qing, but also the direct authority of his status, that is, the relationship of master and servant.
Seoul is a populous metropolis surrounded by mountains, along the banks of the Han River, and surrounded by tall, thick walls, but there is nothing of note in its architecture. With the exception of a few fairly wide roads, there are only winding alleys in which there is no airflow and the only thing that gets on your feet is garbage. Houses are usually covered with tiles, but are low and narrow.
Offices are openly bought and sold, and those who buy them naturally seek to recoup their costs, without even bothering to appear in order to do so. From the provincial governor to the lowest petty official, each official uses tax collection, litigation, and all other opportunities to raise money. Even the king's messengers abuse their privileges with extreme shame.
Academics in Korea are not ethnic at all. The books they read are Chinese, the language they learn is Chinese rather than Korean, and when it comes to history, they study Chinese history rather than Korean history, and the philosophical systems espoused by academics are Chinese. Since manuscripts are always inferior to originals, it is a natural consequence that Korean scholars are considerably inferior to Chinese scholars.
Setting aside the past, it is certain that today's public examinations are extremely corrupt. Today, degrees and licenses are not awarded to the most learned and most capable people, but to those with the most money or the most powerful guardians. .
The Korean aristocracy is the most powerful and most arrogant in the world. In other countries, monarchs, judicial officials, and various organizations keep the aristocracy within their proper limits and maintain a balance of power, but in Korea, there is a large population of yangban, and there are internal conflicts between them. Nevertheless, they know how to band together to preserve and extend their class privileges, and no citizen, government official, or even the king can challenge their power.
In Korea, as in other Asian countries, the customs are extremely corrupt, and the inevitable result is that the general status of women is unpleasantly wretched and low. Women are not seen as companions for men, but merely as slaves, playthings, or labor.
Koreans are generally stubborn, difficult, angry, and vindictive. This is due to uncivilization. There is no moral education among pagans, and even among Christians it takes time for education to bear fruit. Children grow up with little punishment, and when they grow up, both men and women are capable of endless outbursts of unparalleled anger.
Strangely enough, however, the armies are generally very weak, and if they see any serious danger, they will only give up their weapons and flee to the four directions. Perhaps it is due to lack of training or organizational deficiencies. The missionaries are convinced that if only they had competent generals, the Koreans would make a great army.
Koreans have an eye for making money. Use any means to make money. They know little about the moral laws that protect property and prevent theft, much less obey them. They are generally greedy and wasteful, and when they have money they spend it to the fullest.
Koreans are gluttons. In this respect, there is no difference between the rich, the poor, the yangban, and the ordinary people. It is an honor to eat a lot, and the value of the food served to the diners is measured not in its quality but in its quantity. Therefore, we hardly talk during meals. For if you say a word or two, you will lose a mouthful or two of food. They are raised with care from an early age to ensure their bellies have firm elasticity. Mothers hold their young children in their laps and feed them rice and other nutrients, occasionally tapping their bellies with the handle of a spoon to see if their bellies have swelled enough. Stop feeding when it becomes physiologically impossible for the baby to expand further.
Clothes are supposed to be white, but it takes a lot of effort to keep them clean, so they are often discolored due to the thick grime. Dirtyness is a major flaw among Koreans, and even the wealthy often wear clothes that are moth-stained and torn.
Koreans have made little progress in the field of scientific research, but they are still far behind in industrial knowledge. No useful technology has advanced in this country for centuries.
One of the major obstacles to the development of commerce is the imperfect monetary system. There are no gold or silver coins. Selling these metals in bulk is prohibited by many detailed regulations. For example, Chinese silver cannot be minted into the same bars as Korean silver and sold. He would definitely be found out, the silver bars would be confiscated, and the merchant would be heavily fined and possibly caned. The only legal currency in circulation is copper coins.
Another obstacle to commercial transactions is the deplorable condition of transportation routes. There are very few navigable rivers, and only a few allow ships to pass through, and even then, navigation is allowed only in very restricted areas. Although this country has many mountains and canyons, there is little known technology for building roads. Therefore, almost all transportation is done on the backs of oxen, horses, or people.
But the Government scrupulously adheres to this isolationism, which it believes to be necessary for its preservation, and is unwilling to abandon it on any interest or humanitarian consideration. In 1871 and 1872, a shocking famine struck Korea, and the country was devastated. It was so bad that some people on the West Coast sold their daughters to Chinese smugglers for one sho of rice each.
Some Koreans who crossed the forests of the northern border and reached Liaodong drew a diagram of the country's brutal state and showed it to the missionaries, complaining that ``bodies were lying on every road.'' But even then, the Korean government chose to let half of its population die rather than allow food purchases from China and Japan.
This hurdle will eventually be overcome by the Russians, who are increasingly invading the northeastern parts of Asia. From 1860 onwards, their territory bordered Russia, and various difficult problems arose between these two countries regarding border and trade issues. These problems will undoubtedly continue to occur, and one day Korea will be annexed to Russia.
One of the books written by a foreigner about the Joseon Dynasty is Isabella Bird's ``Travel to Joseon'', but the content is very similar.
The history of China and the peninsula was continuously invaded by northern peoples. The peninsula ultimately failed to maintain its independence.
Due to its geographic characteristics as a peninsula, the Korean Peninsula has a topography that is completely covered by mainland China. For this reason, it has a history that cannot be separated from China. What exactly is this victim mentality and hostility toward Japan that many Koreans have? The historical differences between China and Japan seen from South Korea appear to be largely due to geopolitical reasons when viewed from a map, but there are probably other reasons as well.
Let's think about this in terms of the historical dominant and ruled ethnic groups on the continent. Legend has it that there was a country called Dangun Joseon and Minojo Joseon on the Korean Peninsula. Archaeologically, it is said to have existed since the later Ei Dynasty. The legendary Mino Korea is said to have been founded by Mino of the Shang Dynasty in China. The Wei clan Joseon is said to have been founded by the Wei clan of the Yan state in China. Both countries were established as vassal states of China. The point is that, despite the legend, it is already a vassal state of China.
Even after that, Korea continued to be invaded by China. After that, Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla flourished on the Korean peninsula, and after Goguryeo was victorious, Goguryeo was invaded by Sui and later by Tang. After that, Goryeo established a unified dynasty on the peninsula, but shortly after its founding, it was placed under the control of the Tang Dynasty in mainland China. During the Yuan era, China was invaded by the Mongol Empire and became a vassal state.
As Mongol invaders, the combined forces of Mongolia and Goryeo invaded Japan twice, but failed. Lee Seong-gye, who founded the Joseon Dynasty, is also said to be a Jurchen, and the Jurchen were an ethnic group that lived in the Manchuria region, and later Hong Taiji founded the Qing Dynasty in China.
From the perspective of China, the Korean people are positioned as a different ethnic group living outside the Great Wall of China. Many of the northern peoples lived primarily as nomadic peoples, but the Korean people are thought to have settled down due to their geographical location on the peninsula. Northern ethnic groups such as the Xiongnu, Xianbei, Khitan, Jurchen, Manchu, and Mongolians were a threat not only to the Han Chinese, but also to the Koreans.
Looking at the history of China, there are only a handful of unified dynasties founded by the Han Chinese, who make up the majority of the population. For most of history, other ethnic groups other than the Han Chinese dominated mainland China. When you look at world history, you don't often see explanations that focus on northern peoples, but if you look at it from that perspective, both mainland China and the Korean Peninsula have a history of being continuously invaded by northern peoples. This appears to be a common feature.
The Sui, Tang, and Yuan dynasties that invaded the Korean peninsula are different ethnic states in China if you consider the Han people as the center, and they are also different ethnic states if you look at the Korean peninsula as the center. In addition to direct invasions of the Korean peninsula by foreign ethnic groups, the majority of the history is that dynasties from mainland China, which were dominated by mainland China, invaded the Korean peninsula. It is said that the Korean peninsula has been invaded by neighboring ethnic groups as many as 960 times, both large and small.
If we look at the annexation of Japan and Korea in this sense, the Korean peninsula was the same for China, but it was ruled by a neighboring foreign ethnic nation called Japan. For the Korean Peninsula, they see themselves as being connected to the Chinese mainland, calling themselves Little China, and Japan is a country outside of that, and their sense of superiority centered on China has been historically fixed. doing. In other words, they have never had the concept of nation-building by their own people or an independent nation since the beginning of recorded history. It looks like they had neither the opportunity nor the will.
Even after Japan made the Korean peninsula an independent state after the Sino-Japanese War, Japan did not realize this and continued to sell its interests to Russia one after another, unable to operate the country on its own. In 1910, Japan annexed Korea and Japan, giving up on supporting the independence of the Korean peninsula. South Korea says that Japan stole the independence of the Korean Peninsula, but the Korean peninsula became an independent nation because of the Treaty of Shimonoseki during the Sino-Japanese War, which was ruled by Japan. If they had developed a strong sense of independence after that, there would have been no need for annexation. That is the true opinion of Japan.
Technology and knowledge of the Korean Peninsula at that time from pictures of unicycles on the Korean Peninsula.
This photo is often introduced as an interesting ride on the Korean Peninsula, but how about comparing it to the second one in terms of efficiency and cost?The second one is a Japanese rickshaw, but neither is a modern vehicle.The difference is whether it is one wheel or two wheels.
At that time, there was no technology to make wheels on the Korean Peninsula, so it was imported from China.The wheels were expensive, and even though they were aristocrats on the Korean Peninsula, they moved on one wheel.As a result, the biggest difference is the number of people driving the car.In the case of one wheel, it becomes unstable when people ride on top of it and requires two people in front and back.In the case of two wheels, it can be operated by one person for stability.It can be imagined that human costs were much lower than wheels.Or there was no concept of labor costs.If you think about transportation efficiency, you can say everything about agricultural work and transportation of goods.If you need twice as many people to transport things, production efficiency cannot be increased.
It is said that nearly half of the people were slaves at the end of Joseon.If you just order the slaves, there will be no labor costs.
According to Jeong Dong-yu, a Confucian scholar in the Joseon period, "The Sheep, the Car, and the Needle" is not available in Joseon.During the Joseon Dynasty, there was no technology to bend and round wood to make wheels, and there were no horse-drawn carts, cattle carts, rickshaws, or agricultural water wheels.Will this be effective in farming?The absence of needles indicates that metal processing techniques are extremely low.Needles must be made with the technique of sharpening metal and must not be broken.Also, it is necessary to make a hole in the rear part where the thread can be machined.During the Joseon Dynasty, wheels and needles were obtained from China.
You can't make things without those tools.In order to make the tool, we need the tool to make it.Japan's industrial revolution was made possible based on craftsmanship handed down over 1,000 years.They made production facilities and railways that they learned from the West in imitation.
In winter, the Korean Peninsula is cold and warm, but when Japan came to Korea, it was bare and bare.As soon as it rained on the bare mountains, a lot of water flooded the fields and destroyed the crops.Japan planted forests on the mountains of the Korean Peninsula.The number has reached 1 billion in 10 years since 1911.This is a problem unrelated to the Industrial Revolution.This is because it is a matter of improving the efficiency and planning of human resources.During the Joseon Dynasty, no progress was made due to the servitude of the people, and technology and knowledge were lost.
Korea cries out that it was taken away by Japan due to the annexation of Japan and South Korea, but there was nothing on the Korean Peninsula when Japan went there.
The truth about Queen Min assassination is completely different from what South Korea claims.None of the Japanese were punished.
In 1906, King Gojong said, "There was a criminal among my men " and killed six people, including Cho Hee-yeon, Woo Beom-sun, Lee Doo-hee, Lee Jin-ho, Lee Beom-rae, and Kwon Hee-jin, who were pardoned by the Russian legation for the assassination of Queen Min.
King Sunjong, who was at the scene of the murder, reported that he witnessed Woo Beom-sun as the "enemy of his mother," and Woo Beom-sun himself confessed that he had killed Queen Min.Woo Beom-sun was assassinated on November 24, 1903 in Wu, Hiroshima Prefecture by King Sunjong's alleged stabbers Ko Young-geun and Roh Yoon-myeong.
In Korea, two days after the assassination of Queen Min (October 10), before Queen Min's death was announced to the public, Daewongun issued an imperial decree that deprives him of his status as queen of Queen Min and drops him to the common people.At this time, Queen Min's death had not yet been made public.In other words, ordinary people have died in Korea.
The Korean government certified that Heungseon Daewongun was the mastermind.
The case was treated as an assassination case led by Daewongun.Queen Min is then declared dead as a commoner.
The story of the Japanese assassination of Queen Min, believed by Koreans, is that they killed Queen Min smiling, and angry with oil after carefully examining the queen's body with two or three cuts, naked.By the way, there is no presentation of the evidence as usual.Like the story of Japanese Military comfort woman and the story of Gunkanjima, the story is transformed into a sensational story, and the other party is shocked and the conclusion is changed to a groundless story.Do you want to say that King Gojong's subordinates did this in front of his son Sunjong and many others?
At the time of Queen Min assassination, there were about 100 court ladies and maids, and only one Queen Min was killed.There was someone who knew Queen Min's face.No one had mistaken to assassinat Queen Min for other woman.Only a limited number of people have access to Queen Min.Moreover, after the murder, the criminals fled immediately.This is not the time to pour oil into.
By the way, the theory that the current photograph of Queen Min is not Queen Min introduced in Japanese and European materials until 1910 as "Korean wives in formal clothes," "Maiden of the Palace," and "Maiden."It was after World War II that the photograph was called Queen Min.
The truth about Queen Min assassination is completely different from what South Korea claims.None of the Japanese were punished.
48 officials, including Japanese diplomat Minister Miura, were tried in Japan and released due to insufficient evidence, and all eight officers submitted to the court-martial have been acquitted.
