North Korea Juche Ideology: Culture/Religion or Propaganda - Essay Example

North Korea Juche ideology: culture/religion or propaganda North Korea Juche ideology: culture/religion or propaganda Introduction A political ideology refers to a set of beliefs, principles, and doctrines that explain and justify preferred social, economic, and political strategies for a government or a political party. Political ideologies are the main bases through which political parties conduct their campaigns and promote their political agenda by outlining the desired goals and preferred methods for attaining the goals. Different governments or regimes endorse different ideologies that they deem fit for achieving their desired purposes. In North Korea, for instance, the government endorses Juche, as the national ideology to drive the society towards achieving economic, social and political independence. Juche is a form of socialism that promotes ideas such as self-reliance and independence. While this philosophy was successful in the beginning, its application has drawn criticism both from within and without North Korea. The government has used several strategies to promote the ideology, including both propaganda and creating utopia. This essay will analyze juche as a philosophy to determine whether it was really a cultural, religious, or a political ideology imposed on the people to advance the needs of the ruling class. The analysis will be based on the theoretical framework of utopia and how Kim used utopia to impose juche on the North Korean masses. The essay will also compare the political situation in North Korea with that of East German in relation to their national political ideologies. Background Juche Philosophy is a political, religious and economic ideology that was introduced in North Korea in the 1950s by the nations founder Kim II-Sung. Kim II-Sung was an autocratic and dictatorial leader during his tenure that lasted from 1948 to his death in 19941. It emerged as a revolutionary theme in North Korea that would eventually be a national philosophy guiding various aspects of the North Korean people. Kim II-Sung devised this ideology in order to distinguish socialism in North Korea and other socialist themes such as Marxism, Leninism, and Stalinization. Juche is the official philosophy guiding policies and strategies of the North Korean government. Juche has taken root in North Korea since its inception and currently about 70% of the North Korean population are adherent followers of the philosophy2. Juche, also known as Kimilsungism or Kimilsungism–Kimjongilism, literally means self-reliance or independence. Juche implies one holding an independent position, believing in himself or herself and rejecting being dependent on others. Juche calls for North Koreans to display revolutionary spirits of dependence, responsibility, and determination regardless of the circumstances. Juche is based on the philosophical principle that man is the controller and master of his future and his own destiny. It presents a man-centered worldview that puts man at the center of everything in the world3. Kim II-Sung popularized the philosophy among the North Koreans as a means of one becoming a master of their own revolution. Juche was aimed at encouraging North Koreans to reconstruct their own country and believe in the government’s policies. Kim II Sung first introduced juche to the international community in his speech in Indonesia in 1955. In his speech, directed at developing countries, Kim II Sung urged developing countries to take up the juche philosophy in order to become fully independent and self-reliant. He promoted the ideas as independence of politics, economics, and the military. For North Korea, Juche was necessary in order to gain political support for the government, which was increasingly coming under criticism from both within and without the country for its involvement in the Korean War in the 1940s4. Kim originated the philosophy in order to gain political support from the North Koreans for his leadership. At the time that Kim introduced Juche, there was a strong de-Stalinization movement in the Soviet Union, which most North Koreans feared would penetrate into North Korea. Juche was, therefore, meant to insulate North Korea from external political influence Proponents of the juche philosophy in North Korea believe that while the philosophy has its origins in North Korea, it has universal application and should be adopted by other nations around the world. Scholars, politicians, and administrators in North Korea have sought to promote juche around the world, especially to other developing nations and North Korea’s allies such as Indonesia. Juche, they believe is the only way in which countries can realize independence and real development. Kim II Sung first introduced juche to the international community in his speech in Indonesia in 19555. In his speech, directed at developing countries, Kim II Sung urged developing countries to take up the juche philosophy in order to become fully independent and self-reliant. He promoted the ideas as independence of politics, economics, and the military. Since its origin, Juche philosophy has been criticized from both within and without North Korea as a means of legitimizing Kim II-Sung’s dictatorial leadership. While the philosophy was widely accepted among North Koreans in the 1950s when it first emerged, some of the people in the country have in recent times raised alarm about the effects of juche as a leading philosophy of the nation. Juche has contributed to underdevelopment in North Korea by effectively withdrawing North Korea from the international community. It has also promoted the authoritarian leadership of Kim’s family and abuse of human rights. The philosophy, which was expected to empower the Korean people eventually, resulted in adverse effects. The country has deteriorated both politically and economically with poor foreign relations with some of the leading economies in the world like the US and China. Several questions have emerged in recent times regarding the application of juche and whether it is really a national philosophy or an ideology of a few individuals. Kim II-Sung tried to impose juche on the North Korean masses as a cultural ideology that would transform their social and economic lifestyles. Consequently, the philosophy developed in to a religious ideology centered on Kim II-Sung’s cult of personality. Kim and his advisors relied on propaganda and utopia to promote juche among the people. According to Kim, utopia is a perfect state in which North Koreans would become self-reliant, independent, and possess the power to change their own destinies. From Kim’s perspective, this kind of utopia represents the dream of North Korea and its ambitions to become the perfect country made up of self-reliant individuals6. Kim encouraged North Koreans to view themselves as the purest race in the world in comparison to people from other regions. With this king of purity, the North Koreans are gifted to achieve self-reliance and be masters or authors of their own revolution. Kim acknowledged that the ultimate goal of juche was to empower people to become their own master. While this kind of utopia seems great for the country, whether Juche was the best way of achieving this perfection remains unseen. The government embarked on propaganda through state media and other government agencies to promote juche and other polices of the government. Propaganda was also used to legitimize wrongdoing and failures of the government as well as dismissing criticism and objections of government polices from abroad. North Korea, however, is not the only country to have used a socialist ideology for both political and economic means. East German, for instance, was also infamous for its application of Leninism during occupation of the Soviet Union in the 1950s. There are several similarities and differences between East German and North Korea in relation to application of their political ideologies and the impact these ideologies had in the masses7. Juche, culture, religion and politics Juche ideology was meant to change the cultural aspects of North Koreans and call for them to believe and trust in themselves as the masters of their own fate. Juche dictates the type of culture that is appropriate for the North Koreans at any particular time. Juche, for instance is extended to enforce dress codes for the people, promote certain behaviors, restrict other types of undesired traits, regulating the types of food people eat and other cultural aspects for the North Koreans8. Adherents of juche claim that by influencing culture, the North Koreans are able to remain a pure race with a distinct culture, and therefore, be in a position to achieve the main objective of the juche ideology, which is to be completely independent. Consequently, juche became entrenched in the lifestyles of the North Korean masses during Kim II-Sung’s reign after the North Korean revolution. Juche currently has about 70% of North Koreans as adherent followers. Kim and his government were effective in creating a cult of personality of Kim’s family and promoted juche as a religion for the North Korean people. Kim II-Sung is regarded as a revolutionary leader and often referred to as the Eternal President who would rule forever. His pictures, statutes, images and sculptures are displayed throughout the country on public buildings, schools and as well as in some private homes9. This is to symbolize the omnipresent nature of the president as a god. The North Koreans are expected to show unwavering loyalty to Kim’s family with very serious consequences for those who blatantly disrespect Kim II-Sung or any member of his family. As a religion, juche emphasizes on the belief in the power and strength of men as the controller of their own destinies. Kim and his family, being the greatest men in the country, were therefore likened to God10. Kim II-Sung is the central figure in the juche cultural religion. The main objective of juche as a religion was to shade off influence from external religions such as Christianity, Buddhism, and confusions. Followers of Juche venerate Kim- II-Sung as the savior of the country and every individual in North Korea. His writings are taught throughout the country in the education system. Posters, sculptures, statutes, and pictures of both Kim II-Sung and his son Kim Jong-il are omnipresent throughout the country in the streets, public buildings, schools as well as private homes. The North Korean constitution demands unwavering loyalty and subjugation to the ruling family and Kim II-Sung and there are dire consequences for those who disrespect the ruling family. Followers of the Juche religion praise the qualities of both Kim II-Sung and Kim Jong-il. Kim II-Sung’s birthday is venerated throughout North Korea as a national Holiday, referred to as the ‘Day of the Sun’. Despite being presented as a social, cultural and religious ideology by the North Korean government, the masses receive it as a political theory that aims at satisfying the objectives of the ruling class. Juche has more support when it first emerged, but support for the movement is gradually decreasing g from within and without North Korea. Other religions such as Buddhism, Confucianism, and Christianity are gaining popularity in the country and most of the North Korean masses are beginning to question the aims of the juche ideology. While Juche still has many followers currently, its future still remains a major doubt given the emerging trends in the country. The government has been using various political strategies to promote juche, including propaganda, dictatorship and instilling fear in the masses and other people who object to the country’s ideology. The main objective of using propaganda is to create strong link between the country and Kim’s family. Loyalty to Kim’s family is portrayed as being loyalty to the country and vice versa11. The government also uses propaganda to dismiss criticism and legitimize its strategies regardless of their impact. North Koreans are, however becoming weary of the government’s methods and the main issues underlying the Juche philosophy. The truth in such circumstances, however, is that the masses have very little to do but respect the authoritarian leadership of Kim’s family. There are very serious consequences for individuals who are disloyal to the country and Kim’s family. Such people are branded betrayers to the main cause of the government and may be charged and hanged in courts. Cross comparison of Juche with East German case East German was an authoritarian jurisdiction during occupation of the Soviet Union in the 1950 up to 1990. During the same period, Kim II-Sung had taken over in North Korea. The two countries have many things in common stemming from their political ideologies. While Juche was prevalent in North Korea, East German was under the influence of authoritarian leadership of the Soviet Union with their Marxism-Leninism12. Marxism-Leninism is a political ideology that was introduced in the Soviet Union by Joseph Stalin. This ideology brings together elements of Marxist ideologies and the political ideas of Vladimir Lenin. Marxism- Leninism was the official political ideology for the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and a key political theory in communism. East German promoted Marxism-Leninism as real existing socialism with the phrase Realexistierender sozialismus’. This implies that the Soviet Union was implementing its own different model of socialism that that propagated by Karl Marx. North Korea, on the other hand, referred to its political philosophy as ‘Socialism of our style’ to differentiate it from other socialist movements that were being practiced at the time13. Both Marxism-Leninism and Juche were political ideologies that were enforced on the masses in order to influence their social, cultural and economic development. Both ideologies suppress and oppress people by restricting their freedom, limiting integration with the external world and overreliance on propaganda and utopia. Both Marxism-Leninism and juche advocate for a single party political system that allows socialists to take over leadership of the country. Both philosophies aim at creating dynasties of leadership on the basis of centralized democracy and resistance to imperialism. Both Juche and Marxism-Leninism have a theological element. Both ideologies do not recognize world religions and promote atheism as the basic foundation of any belief system. In effect, these two philosophies aim at promoting state atheism, which calls for unwavering loyalty and support to the state and its leaders. Conclusion Juche philosophy emerged as a distinct philosophy that would reform North Korea’s culture and religion and drive the country to stronger economic and political development after Kim II-Sung took over leadership in 194814. This philosophy was necessary in order to prevent external influences from neighboring countries and enemies given that the country had just come from the Korean War. While the juche Philosophy was appreciated when it first came up, the ideology has been transformed in to a tool for the government to perpetrate dictatorship15. While Juche has been presented as a national ideology, there are questions about its main elements and whether the masses believe in the government’s philosophy. From this analysis it is clear that the influence of Juche, as a philosophy is fading in North Korea. While it has been a strong movement, its influence seems to be dwindling, especially after the death of Kim Ii-Sung in 1994. The ideology is gradually divorcing from being a national culture and its future remains blunt. Many analysts predict that Juche is likely to lose influence in the near future like Marxism-Leninism in East German, which was abolished after the re-unification. References Cassese, Antonio. Realizing Utopia: The Future of International Law. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012. Cull, Nicholas John, David Holbrook Culbert, and David Welch. Propaganda and Mass Persuasion: A Historical Encyclopedia, 1500 to the Present. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 2003. Dimitrov, Martin K. Why Communism Did Not Collapse: Understanding Authoritarian Regime Resilience in Asia and Europe. 2013. Heather, David, and Koen de Ceuster. North Korean Posters: The David Heather Collection. Munich: Prestel, 2008. Juetten, Stephan A. North Koreas Juche Ideology and the German Re-unification Experience. Monterey, CA: Naval Postgraduate School, 2008. Kihl, Young Whan, and Hong Nack Kim. North Korea The Politics of Regime Survival. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, 2006. Kim, Seok-Hyang. The Juche Ideology of North Korea: Socio-political Roots of Ideological Change. 1993. Lanʹkov, A. N. The Real North Korea: Life and Politics in the Failed Stalinist Utopia. 2013. Myers, B. R. The Cleanest Race How North Koreans See Themselves and Why It Matters. Brooklyn, N.Y.: Melville House, 2010. Oh, Kong Dan, and Ralph C. Hassig. North Korea Through the Looking Glass. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 2000. Park, Kyung-Ae, and Scott Snyder. North Korea in Transition: Politics, Economy, and Society. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2013. Sŏ, Chae-jŏng. Origins of North Koreas Juche Colonialism, War, and Development. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2012. Read More