Changes in informal society and slavery during the Chosun-Era in Korea

Abstract While slavery was unconventional in Northeast Asia the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, it has been documented Korea from Three Kingdoms period (BC 57–AD 668). In 1731, a new regulation introduced that stipulated child slave only if its mother slave, regardless of status child’s father. This led to dramatic decrease number slaves. addition, slaves also deserted more frequently after 1731 because ‘not-freed’, remaining tried various ways secure their freedom amid ensuing societal instability. The easiest way for achieve flee owners since they were native descent. Slave desertions entry into informal economy may be attributed exclusion social institution. Slaves attempted escape current sectors society, where could manage subsistence-level existence without being caught. study explores government registries household tallies three counties Korea’s Kyungsang province data on transaction. We consider role desertion order examine relationship between change, institution slavery, society. find evidence indicates change desertions, costs monitoring increased; replaced with daily-wage workers farmlands. contributes literature by tracing causality society collapse eighteenth- nineteenth-century Korea.