Many experts designate the political regime of North Korea as the most totalitarian in the world. Today it is the most closed and most mysterious state in the world. The form of government in the DPRK has no analogues in the world. Let's find out what the political regime is in North Korea, and what signs of totalitarianism are present in it.
Korea in World War II
During World War II, the territory of the whole country was occupied by Hitler's ally - Japan. But the Korean people waged a continuous struggle with their enslavers, using various methods - from political instruments to guerrilla warfare and terror.
But, unfortunately, the resistance forces in Korea were very fragmented. Too differently they represented the future of their homeland after liberation from the hated occupation. Some of the leaders of resistance focused on the United States and countries of Western Europe, others - on the USSR and the Chinese communist underground.
In the end, thanks to the victories of the Allies and their own pressure, the Korean people managed to throw off the Japanese yoke. But here, as expected, all the contradictions between the leaders of Korea surfaced. The separation for political reasons was also facilitated by the fact that after the victory over Japan, the north of the peninsula to the 38th parallel was controlled by the Soviet Union, and the south by the United States of America.
Education DPRK
Representatives of the Korean elite, in accordance with their political views, moved to the part of the country controlled by the state, whose position they shared.
Naturally, an ardent Communist and supporter of the Soviet Union, Kim Il Sung, settled in the north of the peninsula. Then under his leadership in 1948 a new state was formed - the Korean People's Democratic Republic, or North Korea. The political regime of the DPRK was based on the doctrines of Marxism-Leninism and orientation toward the USSR. In addition, Kim Il Sung introduced his own ideology, which was supposed to reflect the characteristics of the Korean mentality in building a communist society. It was called Juche. We will talk more about its features below.
War with South Korea and the USA
Everything would be fine, but a little earlier, in the same 1948, another state was formed on the territory of South Korea, which was supported by the United States. It was focused mainly on the democratic values of the Western world. The official name of this state is the Republic of Korea.
Each of the newly created state entities claimed the exclusive right to express the will of the Korean people and sought to extend its sovereignty to the entire Korean peninsula. War was inevitable.
And it erupted in 1950, when North Korean troops invaded the territory controlled by the Republic of Korea. The former were hidden at first, and then more and more clearly supported by the USSR and Maoist China, and the USA openly supported the latter. Support was expressed in both material and military assistance.
But three years of one of the most bloody wars of the 20th century did not give a significant advantage to either side. In 1953, an agreement was concluded that maintained the status quo, that is, it confirmed the line of demarcation between states along the 38th parallel. Since then, the DPRK and the Republic of Korea have been living in a precarious truce.
Post-war development of the DPRK
After 1953, a peaceful period began in the history of the DPRK. But, despite this, the population was in constant danger of the resumption of hostilities. This could not but leave an imprint on the development of such a state as North Korea. The political regime of the DPRK, even in comparison with the communist governments of other countries, was distinguished by special authoritarianism, totalitarianism and isolation. Visits of Kim Il Sung to the countries of the socialist camp were very rare.
While the bipolar system remained in the world, life in the DPRK was relatively stable and calm, although economic troubles constantly haunted the country due to high spending on the army, but when the USSR collapsed and the whole system of the socialist bloc collapsed, North Korea found itself in almost complete isolation.
Another blow that the political regime of North Korea suffered was the death of the permanent leader of the DPRK, Kim Il Sung, who died in 1994.
After Kim Il Sung
It would seem that after such shocks, significant changes in the DPRK management system are inevitable. But it was not there. The political regime of North Korea not only survived, but even became hardened and became even tougher. Kim Il Sung was replaced by his son - Kim Jong Il.
Since then, each year, the DPRK has become more and more closed, and its relations with the United States and South Korea have constantly escalated. In fact, in the eyes of the North Korean leadership, the United States presented itself as a world evil.
Despite this, when from 1996 to 1999, an unprecedented famine erupted in the country, due to which, from various sources, from ten thousand to three million people died, the United States provided humanitarian assistance to North Korea. But in 2005, the DPRK announced that it had created its own nuclear bomb.
In 2011, Kim Jong Il passed away and was replaced by a young son - Kim Jong-un, who by that time was not yet thirty years old. Perhaps because of the maximalism that is inherent in youth, relations with the United States and South Korea have intensified even more under it.
Doctrine of juche
Now we will examine in more detail the political regime of North Korea. Signs of totalitarianism are even present in his national doctrine - Juche.
The word "juche" in translation from one of the Korean dialects means a concept that is close in meaning to the expression "master of everything." That is, ideally, the DPRK citizen should be. But in order to become a master, he must immediately obey implicitly the Juche precepts formed by Kim Il Sung.
This doctrine was to combine the teachings of Marxism-Leninism with the mentality of the inhabitants of East Asia. She preached an isolationist policy, nourished the ideas of militarism, leaderism and authoritarianism. Like Stalin’s testament, Juche’s ideology was oriented towards building communism in a single country, and North Korea was such a state. The political situation, formed thanks to a similar ideology, could not help promoting the development of a totalitarian governance model.
"Communist monarchy"
In such an ideological atmosphere, North Korea developed. The political system that was formed in the DPRK, due to the change of rulers in the same family, some experts call the "communist monarchy." Of course, not everyone agrees with this opinion, because nevertheless, the leader is chosen by the party, and he theoretically can relate to another family. Other experts, in view of the significant orientation of the Korean version of Marxism on national characteristics, call the political regime of North Korea communist nationalism or national communism.
The cult of personality
Even during the life of Kim Il Sung, a cult of his personality was widely developed in the DPRK, comparable in scale to Stalinism. This is evidenced by the fact that in the country he erected more than five hundred monuments. In addition, a number of facilities and organizations are named after Kim Il Sung. His biography is beginning to be studied in kindergarten. After death, in 1998, Kim Il Sung was given the title of Eternal President of the DPRK. Thus, his actual deification took place.
Although on a smaller scale, the personality cult of Kim Jong Il was also developed. His biography is studied in schools, and his birthday is a national holiday. After the death of Kim Jong Il was awarded the title of Generalissimo and hero of the DPRK.
At present, the formation of the cult of Kim Jong-un is beginning. For example, all men of the DPRK were ordered to wear the hairstyle that their leader wears.
The political regime of North Korea is clearly authoritarian and autocratic.
Atmosphere of terror
Another distinguishing feature of the North Korean political system is state terror against all dissenters or simply objectionable. Its scope has not yet been fully disclosed, since the DPRK is almost a completely closed country. But, despite this, the world has already learned about hundreds of thousands of repressed.
According to so far unconfirmed reports, Kim Jong-un ordered the execution of the Minister of Defense simply because he fell asleep at the meeting. Moreover, the method of execution was chosen very sophisticated: the minister was shot from an anti-aircraft complex. Kim Jong-un burned another minister himself from a flamethrower. In addition, on the orders of the young Korean leader, his uncle was executed with his whole family, including young children.
But this is only a small fraction of the horrors of repression, which North Korea keeps secret. The political structure of the country, of course, is supported by the use of state terror, especially cruel under Kim Jong-un.
