연산군대 금표 설치와 경기의 농산물 유통

Abstract

Previous studies tended to view King Yeonsan-gun’s violent ruling of the dynasty, and Jungjong’s dismissal of Yeonsan-gun by force, primarily as political issues. Sometimes, however, the economic nature of the conflict was also referred to, pointing out Yeonsan-gun’s abuse of state revenue as well as his harsh taxation imposed on the public to compensate for the monetary problems the government was facing. Examined in this study is King Yeonsan-gun’s decision to establish ‘banning markers,’ as it seems to have inflicted considerable damage on the civilian market, and affected not only the residents of the Capital city but also the general population of the wider Gyeonggi region. It is this author’s argument that such economic damage was one of the major reasons behind Jungjong’s forceful dismissal of Yeonsan-gun.<BR> During the first half of the Joseon period, which also included Yeonsan-gun’s reign, the Capital city was developing into a city with a huge size. To maintain such growth, required was a base region that would provide sufficient circulation of goods and swift transportation of items. To the capital city at that time, such base was no other than the Gyeonggi region, where commercial agricultural production was in progress (in many areas including farms owned by governmental officials), providing the capital city with grain and other necessary food resources.<BR> Then, banning markers were established throughout the Gyeonggi region. They severely disrupted agricultural products’ production and circulation, and ultimately resulted in decrease in vital food transports into the capital. In addition, the final years of Yeonsan-gun’s reign were further complicated by rise in commodity prices, which was due to a series of bad yields that continued for years as well as the government’s gross abuse of the revenue, and eventually dealt a crippling blow to the civilian economy. This kind of economic problems may not have been a direct cause behind Jungjong’s move against Yeonsan-gun, but would certainly have swayed the public opinion to support the change in Joseon leadership.