Intergenerational Elite Mobility amid Political Turmoil: Evidence from the Goryeo–Joseon Transition in Korea

• In Event: Inequality, Poverty, and Mobility Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): 11. Intergenerational Inequality and Mobility

Abstract

Patterns of intergenerational mobility shift during political transitions. Contrary to traditional hypotheses positing elite replacement, recent studies document substantial stability in the social status of elite families amid turmoil. This study examines that pattern in the Goryeo–Joseon dynastic transition in medieval Korea. We analyze bureaucratic rank mobility across multiple generations using two Korean genealogies. We find that the rank correlation declines roughly linearly from 0.4 to 0.1 as the kin link extends from father–son to third great grandfather–son, yet remains statistically significant throughout. We find similar but weaker patterns for in law and maternal ancestors, even when controlling for the father’s rank. We further find that the rank correlation decreases during the transition from Goryeo to Joseon—especially for the father–son link—but remains fairly high across the transitional period. We also observe a sharp divergence by the Eumseo (蔭敍) policy: lineages whose fathers ranked ≥ 5 Pum retain an almost unchanged correlation, whereas lower rank families experience a marked rise in mobility. These findings underscore that the persistence of institutional mechanisms—such as hereditary appointments and the civil service examination system—anchors elite reproduction even amid the disruptions of dynastic transition.

Authors

• Won-tak Joo, University of Florida

• Hynju Lee, Ajou University

• Sangkuk Lee