제목: Rationalism and “Modernity” in the State Examination System of Chosǒn Korea: an Analysis of Munkwa Examination Rosters,1545-1720

저자: Milan Hejtman(하민성)

The Chosŏn period in Korean history (1392-1910) fits uncomfortably into emerging narratives of world history. While its culture has been granted esteem, its political, social, and economic institutions are generally termed "pre-modern","traditional" or perhaps, "early modern". Alexander Woodside, among others, challenges such characterizations, positing the notion of "lost modernities" to understand the governmental systems of Vietnam, Korea, and China before the twentieth century, finding in their bureaucratic systems patterns of rational selection and organization comprehensible as "modern". This study examines statistically the rosters of 3,857 candidates successful in High State Civil Examination (munkwa) examination between 1545-1720. Using survival analysis and logistic regression, it finds that: (1) the most powerful lineages of the period did not gain privilege through early examination passing; (2) examination rank and age are predictive of future career advancement to tangsang or ministerial position, indicative of a rationally predictive system of selection and promotion; and (3) there was a center-periphery difference in patterns of career advancement, but not one that favored the lineages of the top three quartiles of examination passers. The data thus buttress an interpretation viewing the Chosŏn bureaucratic system as substantially rational and in accord with "modern" techniques of selection and promotion to high position.

Keyword: Korean history, Choson period, examination system, modernity



이 연구는 1545-1720년 사이의, 3,857명 문과합격자를 통계적으로 분석하였다. 분석결과, 첫째, 문과합격자의 가문(씨족)은 합격 나이와 관계가 없었다. 둘째, 문과시험의 등급과 나이를 통해서 향후의 당상관 취득가능성을 예측할 수 있었다. 셋째, 시험의 합격자가 향후 당상관이 될 가능성은 지역적으로 중앙과 주변의 차이가 있는 반면에 가문(씨족)중에 최저의 분위(bottom quartile)만 분리됐다. 이런 결과들은 Alexander Woodside의 잃어버린 근대성(Lost Modernities) 중에서 월, 조, 중 의 역사 해석틀과 부합된다.

주제어: 조선시대사, 문과제도, 근대성