I Became Park Jeong-ui’s Nephew - Chapter 302



Only Krnovel

He became Park Jeong-ui’s nephew. – (302)

[The Civil War was a major political and economic event in American history, and it also had a major impact on women’s social roles. Women had different experiences in the home, on the farm, in hospitals, in factories, and in schools, and these opportunities drastically changed the lives of American women.]

This is Kyungsung University,

Lee Yeon-su never stopped his academic research.

How did American women, who were once not allowed to own private property, come to be recognized as having equal status with men in American society?

When the Civil War broke out, food prices in the United States skyrocketed, and the situation became so dire that bread riots broke out in many places.

In this situation, would women hide behind men and wait for the situation to calm down? On the contrary,

She managed farms and even managed slaves in place of the men who went to war.

What was particularly difficult was slave management.

Would black slaves with strong bodies follow the orders of women?

At the time, the South did not recognize women as owning private property, so in reality, slaves did not have to follow women’s orders (the North recognized women’s private property in 1839, and the South in the late 1870s).

“No way.”

“Now that there are no men, we take care of the slaves.”

But women exercised their rights in their own way.

If slaves were to be let go because they did not follow orders, would household finances, or even the local economy, be able to function?

Women faced the war with courage and even persuaded their reluctant husbands and sons to join the army.

“If I enlist, how will I manage the slaves?”

“I’ll try to do something about it. Right now, fighting the Northern Army and protecting our property is the priority. If you don’t fight, how can we protect our property?”

Surprisingly, this was the landscape of American Southern society at the time.

As men went off to war, women naturally filled their empty positions.

Establishing a charity organization centered around the church,

They devoted all their efforts to collecting food, clothing, medicine, etc. to be sent to the battlefield, and this group later evolved into an organization that led the way in expanding women’s suffrage in the United States.

“You’re giving black men the right to vote?!!”

“Then what about us?!! We took charge of the local economy while the men were away!! This is unfair!!”

Women at the time were literally combative,

They didn’t just assert their rights; they played a role that gave them a voice.

Eventually, the U.S. government granted American women suffrage in 1920.

However, some American historians define this period as a time of chaos rather than freedom.

“What do we do now?”

“That’s right. Now that the right to vote has been granted… there’s nothing left to do, right?”

American women who fought for their rights for 60 years,

But when that struggle ended, the women’s movement lost its direction.

The fatal blow here was the economic depression that broke out in the 1920s. The economy was already difficult, making it difficult for men to find jobs. If women entered the job market, where would men earn money and support their families?

At that time, American society put implicit pressure on women to ‘stay home and not get a job.’

The American Federation of Labor (AFL) went so far as to claim that “women who seek employment while their husbands are employed should be discriminated against.”

Does that mean women didn’t resist?

They also played a pressure card aimed at society.

“It’s hard to make a living, so why have children?”

“Since it has come to this, let’s legalize contraception and not allow marriage.”

Contraception was not legalized in the United States until 1936, and until then, contraception itself was a crime under Catholic doctrine.

However, women fought back against men who tried to oppress them by legalizing contraception and refusing to marry.

The question is how women who couldn’t find jobs could continue this strike. Black women could only work as servants in other people’s houses, but white women were a little different.

If the family was a little well off, it was possible to stay at her parents’ house, but if that didn’t work out, she held on tenaciously, even doing things like mending children’s clothes and tending to a vegetable garden.

“Huh~ Refusing to get married if contraception is legalized?”

“Let’s see how long it will take. In the end, women cannot help but be subordinate to men.”

Men scoffed at the women’s resistance.

I laughed it off, thinking it would just end there, but then another incident happened.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor,

As the war dragged on, the U.S. government had to wage an all-out war, and naturally had to mobilize women from the rear to the industrial front.

“Well… how can it be bad when the men are out at war and there is a shortage of manpower?”

“Do you only reach out to women when you’re having a hard time?”

“Please, please help me. It seems like you’re taking good care of your garden… We’re really short on food right now.”

Who would have thought that gardening, a means of livelihood for women without jobs, would become their weapon?

In fact, the labor of women, called the “Victory Garden,” was responsible for one third of all food in the United States at the time.

About 2 million women worked in food production, but this was just the tip of the iceberg, and by 1942 the female workforce had absorbed all of the male workforce.

During the war, as many as 6 million women worked in industrial settings, and the Civil War and World War II proved that women could replace men.

“Look!! We can do it like men!!”

“So treat us the same way as men!!”

“Okay, I got it.”

America has this history, so men have nothing to say in front of women.

The woman was treated well because she did the man’s work,

But what about Korea? Do women want to do the work that men do?

Field work is often avoided as it is difficult and tiring, and don’t women receive military and police training more easily?

How can women be treated equally to men in a society like this?

If you think American women won equal rights with men overnight, you’re mistaken. It was a struggle that lasted a full 80 years.

What about Korean women?

Have you worked and fought so fiercely that you could take the place of men?

Because I couldn’t do that, I didn’t receive the treatment I deserved.

Lee Yeon-su confirmed this point once again by looking into American history.

“I am an orphan, so I don’t know how fiercely our parents’ generation lived, but I know that women in modern society only demand rights without making any sacrifices. This is not right.”

Lee Yeon-su contributed a follow-up commentary to the newspaper.

Once again, Korean society has been turned upside down. Modern women are demanding only their rights without making any sacrifices. Is this right?

If you want something, you have to fight for it.

Although she could have put her spoon on the table set by the Joongdo Shindang, Lee Yeon-su chose to create her own party.

“We cannot have our rights recognized if we only demand and rely on men. We have to form a party and do it ourselves.”

Lee Yeon-su’s argument drew considerable support.

Are we going to be stuck in the office and just type on the typewriter just because we are women? The status of women, which changes only when they go out and do something, is starting to shake in Korean society.

***

“You founded a party?”

“Yes, national team, persuasion seems pointless.”

“Hmm~.”

This is the headquarters of the Central Church.

Representative Park Myeong-ui was lost in thought.

The Centrist Party is the largest political party in South Korea, with over 200,000 members.

Of course, there are many women in it, and to some, it may seem like they are trying to take advantage of the men’s authority.

In fact, there was a woman who joined the moderate party and took the position of chairperson, and Park Myeong-ui wanted to give that role to a student named Lee Yeon-su.

But she chose her own path, and wouldn’t it be the attitude of a centrist politician to respect that?

Park Myeong-ui did not offer Lee Yeon-su any membership after that.

‘I’ll show you that we can have policies for women too.’

I intend to show it through actions rather than words.

Since the Centrist Party is a party run mainly by men, does it only know how to make a fuss about policies for women?

That’s a misunderstanding. The moderate party has raised 4 billion won in donations so far and has promoted policies to help women become self-reliant.

There are 60,000 women who have benefited, and they plan to enact the ‘Basic Law on Women’s Job Development’ soon.

A political party needs to be big to be able to do something. Joining the centrist party means a woman putting her spoon on the table set by a man. Such thoughts may be another expression of women’s inferiority complex toward men.

If you can go together, that would be a reasonable option.

And don’t people flock to places where there is money and power? The women who followed Lee Yeon-su also felt their limits and began to switch to the Center Party.

‘I’m upset, my opponent is too strong.’

Lee Yeon-su hit her chest.

Park Myeong-i, the leader of the moderate party, has the support of the head of state’s older brother, but doesn’t he have nothing himself?

It’s so sad to have no background or funds, but then an unexpected support group appears.

Lee Yeon-su was shocked to learn of the identity of the anonymous businessman who had donated 2 billion won to the Women’s Peace Party.

***

“Your Majesty, we have a guest.”

“Tell them to come in.”

This is Geumneung, and I came face to face with my invited guest.

The identity is Lee Yeon-su, the representative of the Women’s Peace Party.

Who would have imagined that the student I once considered adopting as my adopted daughter would become the party leader?

I offered support because they were having financial difficulties recently, and they responded right away.

“Your Majesty, how have you been?”

“I’ve always been good to you. Come and have a seat.”

The guests who were seated were served tea, as if to encourage them to relax and unwind.

The conversation started like that, and the guest’s complaints began.

“Sir, honestly, my pride is hurt.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I tried to stand up on my own somehow. But when I think about it, I’ve only received help from you up until now. Do women really have no choice but to depend on men?”

“Well, that depends on the situation.”

“Depends on the situation?”

“In the past, women usually did housework, but when the man got into trouble or went out, he had to take responsibility for the household. Our old Park family was like that too.”

Who took charge of the household when my grandfather was away fighting for independence?

If it weren’t for my grandmother and aunt’s sacrifice, our house and family would have been scattered.

This is also the case for women in modern society, where many women end up taking responsibility for the household because their husbands do not earn money.

If the husband does his job, the wife can focus on housework, but if that doesn’t work, the mother has to be the last resort.

If even that doesn’t work, the family falls apart and an orphan is created. Isn’t that why this girl named Lee Yeon-su became an orphan?

The women I think of are neither subordinate to the home nor are they treated with contempt by society.

It is only the last safety device that operates when society is shaken.

If war breaks out and all the men are absent, who will protect the country? If the husband falls, who will protect the family?

Women are the final safety net that prevents the collapse of the nation and the family. If this fails, won’t the nation eventually perish?

I emphasized that point.

“I think our representative Lee Yeon-su can be a safety device for Korean society. The New Party of Korea may face a major crisis in the future, and women may play a big role in the future when something big happens to the country. That’s why I’m supporting you, so don’t feel too proud.”

“Yes… I was thinking like a very childish person.”

CEO Lee Yeon-su understood what I said.

As a gifted student who entered Kyungsung University, it was only natural that I secured a safety device in case Korea were to falter.

Representative Lee Yeon-su, who received the subsidy, is expanding his power again.

It laid the foundation for a political party that could stand shoulder to shoulder with the centrist party.