Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and Its Applications
Total Success Index and the Longitudinal Dynamics of Bureaucratic Stratification in Joseon Korea
Donghyeok Choi, Javier Cha, Juyong M. Park
14,638
Bureaucrats analyzed
502
Years of records (1392-1894)
247,432
Career records extracted
804
Civil service exams
Abstract
Can one characterize the long-term modus operandi of a complex historical social system that has lasted several centuries? The historical Korean kingdom of Joseon is a rare such case, having maintained a consistent record-keeping system throughout its five-centuries of existence. We analyze the career trajectories of its officials using two comprehensive government records: The Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, which record the proceedings and deliberations of the royal court, and the bangmok, which contain personnel information on those who passed the civil service examination.
Key Highlights
01
Stable inequality for four centuries
Career success inequality remained stable with a Gini coefficient of 0.52 for four centuries, revealing a remarkably consistent behavioral pattern in Joseon's bureaucratic system.
02
Rapid destabilization in the 19th century
The Gini coefficient spiked to 0.78 in the 19th century, signifying a dramatic increase in inequality that coincided with the dynasty's decline.
03
Rise of oligarch families
A 2.02-fold increase in the proportional representation of four oligarch families in bureaucratic appointments preceded the dynasty's demise in 1910.