[Liberal in Your Pocket] Chojeong Bak Jega

In the 18th century, Chojeong Park Jega (朴齊家, 1750–1805) advocated economic development through trade in Joseon.

- Born in Hanyang as the son of a concubine

- In 1776, together with Yi Deokmu and others, published the four-family poetry collection Geonyeonjip

- Served as a geomseogwan official at the Gyujanggak and as magistrate of Buyeo

- Visited Yeongyeong of Qing China three times beginning in 1778

- Major works: Bukhakui (1778), Myeongnongchogo, Jeongyusigo, among others

“The greatest affliction of a state is poverty, and the way to escape that poverty is to trade each other’s surpluses and shortages—this is common sense known throughout the world.”

— From Bukhakui —

By citing Guan Zhong’s saying, “Only when people have ample clothing and food do they know propriety,” in the preface to Bukhakui, Park Jega made clear the fundamental importance of economic life and rebuked any state that neglected the economy as one that was deceiving itself.

At the time, Zhu Xi learning, or Neo-Confucianism—the dominant philosophy in Joseon—viewed material desire and the pursuit of personal profit very negatively on the grounds that they harmed benevolence and righteousness. Park Jega, however, argued forcefully that this in fact suppressed human nature, and he strongly asserted the necessity of commerce and trade founded on individuals’ pursuit of self-interest.

Park Jega focused on creating a business-friendly environment that would foster commerce by having idle yangban, who lived like parasites on the country, take up occupations and engage in commerce and trade so that they would pursue profit daily, while promoting commercial development not through direct support for them but by guaranteeing merchants’ freedom of activity and encouraging competition.

He believed that because Joseon was small and poor, it would be difficult to achieve national prosperity even if it fostered domestic industry and fully developed its resources, and that it should therefore seek economic prosperity by revitalizing foreign trade. Moreover, Park Jega was a pioneer who understood that foreign trade offered advantages not only in the exchange of goods but also in the introduction of advanced foreign ideas and scientific technologies.

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Original title: [주머니 속의 자유주의자 ] 초정 박제가

Author: Center for Free Enterprise (CFE)

Date: 2005-12-20

Source: https://www.cfe.org/bbs/bbsDetail.php?cid=column&pn=21&idx=10668