Academic tendencies and political choices of land system reformers in the late Goryeo Dynasty

This study separates the reformist orientation of late Goryeo Neo-Confucianism, rooted in the principle of “經世濟民(governing the world and saving the people)” from the political choices made during a turbulent period. It analyzes the academic inclinations, aspirations, and political choices of those who advocated land system reform. While these advocates shared a common aspiration to govern the world and serve the people, their political choices during this turbulent period were not bound by a single aspiration or decision. This stemmed from their personal judgments about the Neo-Confucian ethic of “loyalty.” According to Mencius, it is legitimate for a subject to depose a violent ruler, but for a subject who is not a feudal lord to become a ruler is not “righteousness” but “rebellion.” Therefore, establishing the founding of a new dynasty as the ultimate goal of the “radical Neo-Confucianists” and viewing land system reform as a tactical step toward achieving this goal is inconsistent with the historical context. While the prevailing view is that the radical faction led by Jeong Do-jeon founded a new dynasty to realize the ideals of Neo-Confucianism, this structure of division and conflict contradicts historical facts.