Marxist Origins
Though North Korea was originally founded as a Marxist state, modeled after the Soviet Union, North Korea's ideology has drifted away from its original focus.
Ideology
China still educates its youth in communist theory and history, despite transforming into a capitalist country. North Korea never taught its students Marxist theory, instead focusing on Kim's cult of personality. GB Times
"It is of paramount importance to study, and widely publicize among the working people, the history of our country and of our people's struggle, before anything else."
– Kim Il-Sung, On Eliminating Dogmatism and Formalism and Establishing Juche in Ideological Work, December 28, 1955 "The most important task in education today is to bring up the new generation as worthy successors to the revolution, as reliable reserves of builders of communism."
– Kim Il-Sung, On the Thorough Implementation of the Principles of Socialist Pedagogy in Education, December 27, 1971 |
When North Korea was founded, Kim Il-sung was hailed as the mastermind behind the Juche ideology. Kim Il-Sung borrowed heavily from previous revolutionary thinkers, including Joseph Stalin's idea of "Socialism in One Country," emphasizing self-reliance as vital to Juche.
Flag of the Korean Worker's Party (KWP), synonymous with the Juche idea. korea-dpr.com
Most North Korean books focus on their history, and all are published by state publishing houses in Pyongyang. Eric Lafforgue
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Russian Translation: Stalin the Great – Luminary of Communism! Britannica Image Quest
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Kim Il-Sung's personality cult was modeled after Stalin's - both were heralded as great intellectuals and founders of progressive countries.
“In the interest of our common tasks, we must sometimes overlook their stupidities. None of us agree with the idolatry of Kim Il Sung.”
- O.B. Rakhmanin, Deputy Head of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, February 1973 |
Kim Il-Sung. He moved from a guerrilla fighter to the leader of the DPRK. Britannica Image Quest
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“Most of the mistakes noticeable in the DPRK are attributable to ... the exaggerated national pride of the Korean people.”
– North Korea Embassy First Secretary A. M. Yulin, October 7, 1960
– North Korea Embassy First Secretary A. M. Yulin, October 7, 1960
Contradictions of the Juche Ideology
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"The Juche ideology is based on Marx's principle "Workers of all countries, unite!" and is in full accord with proletarian internationalism."
– Kim Il-Sung, On Present Political and Economic Policies of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Some International Problems, January 10, 1972 |
"The revolution can neither be exported nor imported. Foreigners cannot carry out the revolution for us."
– Kim Il-Sung, On Present Political and Economic Policies of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Some International Problems, January 10, 1972 |
Economy
"Let's build a democratic Korea." Eric Lafforgue
"Marxism-Leninism is teaching us that inner ideological purity and organizational unity has to be the highest principle of the party…Yet nonetheless, some of our functionaries have elevated themselves above the masses and developed a bureaucratic style of working."
– Kim Il-Sung, Third Party Congress of the KWP, April 24, 1956 |
North Korea modeled its planned economy as a Soviet-style bureaucracy.
Economic Planning statistics in a North Korean village. Eric Lafforgue
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"This again has to be interpreted from the perspective that, ultimately, the economy [of North Korea] will not be developed in order to meet the continuously growing demands of the population – but that it will serve the [build-up of] defense and the outlined course of reunification."
– East German Embassy, August 4, 1967
– East German Embassy, August 4, 1967
This propaganda poster for North Korean industry boasts of industrial growth, which was heavily funded by the Soviet Union. North Korean Posters
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Trade
North Korea traded actively with socialist bloc countries before the fall of the USSR. Though this economic activity might seem to contradict Juche, Kim Il-Sung was a strong supporter of foreign trade.
"As regards the development of the DPRK economy then it seems to me that one ought to proceed not from the position of the creation of a closed economy but from the economic advisability of creating and developing individual sectors on the basis of local natural historical and climate conditions."
– A.M. Puzanov, Soviet Ambassador, April 11, 1957 |