상세정보

Syngman Rhee (Yi Sung-man, 1875-1965) is undoubtably one of the most important figures in modern Korean history. He emerged as the dominant leader in Korea's nationalist struggle against Japan and served as the first president of the Republic of Korea from 1948 through 1960. Rhee's political career as founder and president, however, was not without controversy. While some hailed him as "the George Washington of Korea," other regarded Rhee as "a little Chiang Kai-shek." This first English translation of Rhee's magnum opus, The Spirit of Independence (Tongnip chongsin), provides readers with an essential key to understanding the breadth and depth of Rhee's thought at a critical juncture in his life and his country's history.

The Spirit of Independence is the foremost classic of reformist political writings known collectively as "enlightenment" (kaehwa) literature of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Korea. The twenty-nine-year-old Rhee completed the manuscript in 1904 while imprisoned in Seoul for openly criticizing the Taehan Empire and calling for a constitutional monarchy. His work reveals the depth of Korean angst over the threat to Korean independence of the ongoing Russo-Japanese War. But, above all, it is an impassioned plea to the common people of Korea to recognize the mortal dangers threatening their nation and to carry out a series of drastic reforms based on Western political models.

정보제공 :

CONTENTS

Foreword = xi

Notes on Asian Names and Words = xv

Acknowledgments = xvii

Translator's Introduction = 1

THE SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE = 1

 Author's Introduction = 25

 Postscript = 27

 Publisher's Postscript = 29

 Chapter 1. Introduction = 32

 Chapter 2. Everyone Should Awaken to Their Responsibility = 34

 Chapter 3. Failure in Discharging Duties Invites Disaster = 40

 Chapter 4. Things That the People Can Do If They Try = 45

 Chapter 5. Foundation of True Loyalty = 48

 Chapter 6. A Strong Resolve for Independence = 51

 Chapter 7. Establishing Relations with Foreign Countries = 54

 Chapter 8. Distinction between Independence and Neutrality = 59

 Chapter 9. The Nation May Not Last If the People Remain Unenlightened = 62

 Chapter 10. Crucial Importance of the Right of Self-Rude = 67

 Chapter 11. An Outline of the Laws of the Universe = 71

 Chapter 12. Classification of the Six Continents = 76

 Chapter 13. Classification of the Five Races = 80

 Chapter 14. Distinctions between the New and the Old = 82

 Chapter 15. Three Types of Government = 85

 Chapter 16. Rights of the American People = 89

 Chapter 17. Events Leading to American Independence = 95

 Chapter 18. The Declaration of American Independence = 98

 Chapter 19. History of the American Civil War = 104

 Chapter 20. History of the French Revolution = 108

 Chapter 21. Benefits of Constitutional Government = 113

 Chapter 22. Damages Caused by Failure to Change Government = 116

 Chapter 23. Political System Matches the Level of the People = 119

 Chapter 24. The People's Mind Must Be Free First = 121

 Chapter 25. Limits on the Right of Freedom = 137

 Chapter 26. History of Korean (Taehan) Independence = 139

 Chapter 27. China's Obstinacy = 143

 Chapter 28. History of Japan's Progress = 146

 Chapter 29. Political History of Russia = 149

 Chapter 30. Western Influence Extends Eastward = 152

 Chapter 31. Japanese Endeavor to Establish Relations with Korea = 159

 Chapter 32. Trading with Japan for the First Time = 161

 Chapter 33. The Imo Mutiny (1882) = 164

 Chapter 34. Korea, Japan, and China before the Sino-Japanese War = 167

 Chapter 35. Events of the Kapsin Coup (1884) = 171

 Chapter 36. Sending Ministers to the West for the First Time = 175

 Chapter 37. Causes of the Sino-Japanese War = 178

 Chapter 38. [Foreign] Relations after the 8mb-Japanese W~i = 182

 Chapter 39. Russian Power Invades Liaotung = 185

 Chapter 40. The Boxer Incident in China = 187

 Chapter 41. Causes of the Russo-Japanese War = 192

 Chapter 42. Korea in 1894-1895 = 198

 Chapter 43. Japan and Russia after 1894-1895 = 202

 Chapter 44. Japan and Russia before the War = 209

 Chapter 45. Results of the Russo-Japanese Negotiations = 216

 Chapter 46. Situation in Korea Following the Outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War = 221

 Chapter 47. Japanese Intentions Are Different from Before = 227

 Chapter 48. Damages Inflicted by China, Japan, and Russia = 233

 Chapter 49. We Have Missed Many Good Opportunities = 236

 Chapter 50. Intentions of the Japanese Government = 239

 Chapter 51. Intentions of the Japanese People = 243

 Chapter 52. Epilogue : Essential Conditions for Independence = 253

Notes = 285

Index = 297