The Joseon Dynasty wasn’t just another monarchy—it was a revolutionary state built on a radical principle: the state exists for the people. Founded in response to extreme inequality under Goryeo, Joseon pursued **people-centered governance**, land reform, and low taxation as a matter of survival.
A Revolutionary Beginning: From Goryeo’s Collapse to Joseon’s Birth
Joseon was born not through natural succession, but through **revolution**. The Goryeo Dynasty had become a land of **extreme wealth inequality**, dominated by entrenched aristocrats (gwemun saejok) who hoarded land and resources. As inequality deepened, the sustainability of Korean civilization itself came into question.
Burning the Land Registers
At the time of Joseon's founding: - **Reformist scholar-officials (sadaebu)** seized national land records. - They **burned them for several days**, symbolizing the end of aristocratic land control. From these ashes, **Joseon emerged as a nation of land redistribution and reform**.
Inequality and Environment: Why Reform Was Urgent
Korea's natural environment made unchecked inequality fatal. Unlike large countries like China or Brazil, which could sustain aristocratic wealth due to surplus production, Korea had: - **Limited arable land** - **Low resilience to famine or drought** This meant that extreme inequality could cause societal collapse. Joseon's solution was **redistribution and balance**.
Joseon’s Practical Civil Contract: Land, Tax, and Responsibility
Joseon's early policies aimed to empower the peasantry and prevent economic collapse:
- Land Redistribution: Aristocrats’ lands were seized and redistributed to farming families.
- Low Tax Rate: Taxes were fixed at around 10%, with peasants keeping the remaining 90% of their harvests.
- Public Services: In return, the state provided defense, law, administration, and security.
This **“low tax, high legitimacy”** model was so effective that 200 years later, even during war, farmers resisted alternatives.
Case Study: Japanese Occupation Attempts During Imjin War
During the Imjin War (1592–1598), Japanese forces tried to govern Korean territories by offering a 40% tax rate—far lower than Japan’s internal 70%. However, Korean farmers, accustomed to Joseon’s 10% rate, **refused to comply**, calling the invaders “barbarians.” When scholar-officials formed militias, farmers joined them with spears and bamboo sticks. This showed how **deeply rooted Joseon's people-centered legitimacy** was—even 200 years after its founding.
Joseon’s King: Not a God, but a Father
Under Goryeo, the monarch was called **“the supreme among all beings”**—a divine-like figure. Joseon changed this dramatically. The king was now:
“The father of all people”
He was seen as the head of a national household—responsible for his children (the citizens), obligated to love and care for them.Why the King’s Role Had to Be Moral
Joseon’s philosopher-statesmen believed a king didn’t just ideally love his people—he **must** love them. This was not yet constitutional law, but officials sought to create **systems and norms** where an immoral king (like Yeonsangun) could not easily rule unchecked. This shaped Korea’s enduring political culture of **moral leadership accountability.**
Joseon as a Giant Family: The Nation as a Household
Joseon was structured as a **metaphorical household**:
- The king was the patriarch
- Officials were elder siblings or administrators
- The people were children
This Confucian familial structure defined national politics, social ethics, and governance for centuries.
Conclusion: Joseon’s People-First Model and Its Modern Lessons
Joseon wasn’t perfect—but its founding was a **revolutionary act of socio-political design**. It taught that a nation, especially one built on limited resources, must serve its people to survive. Land reform, low taxation, and ethical leadership weren’t just ideals—they were survival strategies. Today, as modern societies struggle with inequality and sustainability, Joseon offers a powerful lesson: “A nation that forgets its people will not last.”
