KIM JONG IL
ABUSES
OF SOCIALISM ARE INTOLERABLE
Discourse Published
in Kulloja, Official Magazine
of the Central Committee
of
the Worker’s Party of Korea
March l, 1993
At a time when the
imperialists and reactionaries are resorting
to unprecedentedly vicious schemes against
socialism, many misleading statements are
being made about socialism. The enemies of
socialism are abusing it, calling it
“totalitarian”, “barracks-like” and
“administrative and commanding” and are
distorting the facts, pretending that the
setback suffered by socialism is because its
nature is such.
The claim that
socialism is “totalitarian”, “barracks-like”
and “administrative and commanding” is not
in essence different from the pernicious
anti-socialist propaganda which the
imperialists have conducted since the first
appearance of socialism in the world. The
imperialists have always said that socialism
is an inhuman society in which there is not
freedom or democracy. The terms
“totalitarian”, “barracks-like” and
“administrative and commanding” are a
repetition of the imperialists’ false
propaganda against socialism that uses new
words.
The democratic idea
which a long time ago advocated freedom,
equality and human rights, in opposition to
feudal despotism, was transformed by the
capitalist class into bourgeois democracy,
which imposed and defended exploitation and
subordination by capital. The imperialists
made every possible effort to embellish
bourgeois democracy, calling it “liberal
democracy”; however, they could not conceal
its falsity and reactionary nature, nor
could they remove from the minds of the
popular masses their aspiration and longing
for socialism which would provide them with
genuine freedom and democracy.
Nevertheless, the sophistry of its being
“totalitarian”, “barracks-like” and
“administrative and commanding”, a
repetition of the imperialists’ vicious
propaganda against socialism, has in recent
years caused ideological confusion among the
people in many socialist countries. The
class enemies have even led socialism to
collapse by fanning this ideological
confusion and misleading public opinion.
The collapse of socialism in many countries
was an outcome of the conspiracy and
collusion by the imperialists and
counterrevolutionary forces and a result of
the ideological and cultural infiltration of
imperialism and of the corrosive action of
Right opportunist ideas. Decisive to the
collapse was the role played by the
counterrevolutionary schemes of the
renegades of socialism in those countries.
In order to stifle socialism the
imperialists have for a long time been
perpetrating every manner of destructive
move such as aggression and pressure,
blockade and appeasement; at the same time,
they have used as their stooges the
degenerates and traitors to the revolution
who appeared in the upper strata of the
communist and working-class movement. As
the history of the international communist
movement shows, all the ideological
confusion and all the twists and turns
within it are due to the fact that renegades
of the revolution have appeared in its upper
strata. In the historical situation in
which socialism had become a powerful
material force, the imperialists attached
greater importance to the strategy of
undermining it from within and made vicious
attempts to achieve this aim. In accordance
with this strategy employed by the
imperialists the abuses of socialism were
taken to an unprecedented level and, at the
same time, the criticism of socialism as
being “totalitarian”, “barracks-like” and
“administrative and commanding” came into
being. That such censure is a product of
the imperialists’ anti-socialist strategy
has been proved by the fact that all the
criminal acts aimed at destroying socialism
with this as a pretext have been committed
with the support of the imperialists and
under their manipulation. Today the schemes
of the renegades to vilify socialism are
becoming more heinous and frantic, their aim
being to justify their perfidy and check the
rebirth of socialism. That they are
defaming socialism by calling it
“totalitarian”, “barracks-like” and
“administrative and commanding” even now
when socialism has disintegrated and
capitalism has revived in many countries
serves as clear proof that the renegades of
socialism are the stooges of imperialism.
It is sophistry to
call socialism “totalitarian”,
“barracks-like” and “administrative and
commanding”.
Totalitarianism
served as the political idea of fascist
dictators. Notorious Hitler in Germany and
Mussolini in Italy
used totalitarianism as an ideological tool
to justify their fascist dictatorship. The
fascist dictators stamped out even the most
elementary democratic freedom and rights of
the masses of the working people and
enforced unprecedentedly tyrannical
policies, behind the misleading name of
“national socialism”, claiming that for the
sake of the whole nation and the whole state
no working-class movement and no class
struggle could be permitted. The
reactionary nature of totalitarianism is
that the interests of the working people are
sacrificed for the sake of the rapacious
interests of the reactionary ruling class
under the pretence that the individual
should be subordinated to the whole. What
is meant by the whole in totalitarianism is
not the whole of the popular masses but a
tiny handful of privileged circles such as
monopoly capitalists, major landowners,
reactionary bureaucrats and warlords.
Calling socialism, under which the popular
masses are the masters of everything,
“totalitarianism” is, ultimately, a
preposterous lie which identifies the most
progressive idea that reflects the demands
of the popular masses with the reactionary
idea of fascist rulers.
Denouncing socialism
as being “barracks-like” is also absurd.
The social way of life is defined by
ideology and varies according to the social
system. Socialism is the most progressive
of ideas that reflects the intrinsic demands
of people, and the socialist system is the
most advanced of systems under which the
popular masses enjoy an independent and
creative life to the full. The restraint of
their independence and creativity occurs not
under the socialist system but under the
capitalist system. Capitalist society,
where the working people are the slaves of
capital, cannot ensure a fruitful life,
independent and creative, for them.
Claiming that socialism is “barracks-like”
is pernicious propaganda that attempts to
turn black into white.
Accusing socialism of
being “administrative and commanding” is
also unreasonable. In general, the
administrative and commanding method of
management is an old method of rule that
serves the demands of the privileged classes
by invoking legal authority in an exploiter
society. In capitalist society where the
economy is run spontaneously on the
principles of the market economy, state and
social administration is conducted by the
administrative and commanding method and the
popular masses, the target of control, are
in duty bound to obey administrative orders.
Contrary to this, in socialist society the
popular masses, who have become the masters
of the state and society, hold the position
of masters and play the role of masters in
the administration. The fundamental
characteristics of state and social
administration by the popular masses are
that priority is given to political work in
all activities and superiors assist those
under them and cooperate with one another in
a comradely manner. This is fundamentally
different from the bureaucratic method of
management in the old society whereby
everything was imposed in accordance with
administrative orders. The administrative
and commanding method of management which
was manifested in socialist practice in the
past did not emanate from the essential
nature of socialist society but was a legacy
of the exploiter society. The renegades of
socialism directed the spearhead of their
attack against the principle of democratic
centralism on the pretext of opposing the
“administrative and commanding” method.
Democratic centralism is an important
principle in the activities of a socialist
state. In socialist state activities
democracy and centralism are organically
combined, and herein lies an important
characteristic of socialist state
activities. Those who created a chaotic
situation while emasculating centralism in
the name of “democracy” destroyed socialism,
and they are now openly moving towards
bourgeois dictatorship.
This slander against
socialism is absurd. But, it has caused
ideological confusion among the people,
mainly because they are not fully equipped
with the socialist idea. Of course, it was
not easy to identify the reactionary nature
of the slander from the outset, because it
was conducted craftily in the guise of
socialism. But if a proper yardstick had
been prepared by developing and perfecting
the socialist theory and if the popular
masses had been equipped with socialist
idea, they would not have been easily shaken
by such sophistry.
If the socialist
cause is to be defended and completed, the
socialist idea should be developed and
perfected constantly and the popular masses
should be equipped with it, so that they
accept socialism as their unshakable
conviction. They will keep faith in
socialism only when they are convinced of
the justness of the socialist cause.
The great leader
Comrade Kim Il Sung created the
Juche idea and, on this basis, has developed
and perfected the socialist idea. The Juche
socialist idea makes it clear that socialist
society is the most advanced society where
the popular masses are the masters of
everything and everything serves them, and
that it is a society which develops steadily
on the strength of their unity. The
socialist cause is just in that the popular
masses lead an independent and creative life
to the full as the masters of the state and
society. Our people have this as their firm
conviction, so they are moving steadily
along the road of socialism in spite of the
anti-socialist storms.
If the former
socialist countries had developed and
perfected the socialist idea in conformity
with the requirements of the times and the
developing revolution, and if they had
equipped the popular masses with it and thus
ensured that they accepted socialism as
their firm conviction, the tragic events in
which the popular masses, failing to see
through the reactionary, corrupt nature of
capitalist society and harbouring illusions
about it, wavered ideologically and thus
frustrated socialism would not have
occurred. As experience shows, if we are to
defend the cause of socialism and to bring
glory to it the socialist idea should be
perfected and the popular masses armed with
it so that it becomes their firm conviction.
Moreover, we should
see to it that the people have an unshakable
faith in socialism and regard it as their
moral duty to defend it. In the exploiter
society the politics of the ruling class
runs counter to the ethics of the working
masse, whereas the politics and ethics
correspond with each other in socialist
society where the popular masses are the
masters of the state and society. The
political and ethical cohesion of the
popular masse can only be lasting when
socialist ethics is fully prevalent.
Socialism strikes deep root in actual life
when socialist ethics based on revolutionary
comradeship and obligation is established
and becomes widespread. Only if this
happens can the popular masse fully
discharge their responsibilities and role as
the masters of socialist society, build
socialism successfully, firmly defend the
cause of socialism and promote it, whatever
the adversity. Betrayers of the revolution
appear in the course of socialist
construction because they have not made
socialism their faith or ethics. The cause
of socialism is that of the people and a
betrayal of the socialist cause is a
betrayal of the people. A betrayal of the
people is a manifestation of the greatest
lack of ethics. It is the worst
manifestation of a lack of ethics for a
leader to reject the confidence of party
members and the people who have elected him
to the leadership of the party and the
state. He may only be said to have a little
conscience if he resigns from his post
because of his lack of ability or leaves the
party for some reason.
That those who talked
about their loyalty to the cause of
socialism in the past have readily become
renegades of socialism is, in the long run,
due to their failure to make socialism their
conviction and ethics. This shows that
ideological transformation for all the
members of society to make socialism their
conviction and ethics is the most important
of tasks and should be carried out as a
matter of priority in defending and
completing the cause of socialism.
Ideological
transformation should be conducted in close
combination with the practical struggle to
build socialism. The major aim of equipping
the popular masses with the socialist idea
is to build socialism successfully so as to
provide them with a more independent and
creative life, by relying on the strength of
the people who have been awakened in a
revolutionary manner. Without socialist
construction it is difficult to conduct the
work of equipping the popular masse with the
socialist idea. It is only when people come
to recognize the superiority of socialism
through their own lives by successfully
building it that they will accept it as
vital to them.
The party and state
of the working class should concentrate
their efforts on displaying the superiority
of socialism to the full by building it
well.
The essential
superiority of socialism lies in the fact
that the popular masses are the masters of
everything.
For the people to be
the masters of everything they must firstly
become the masters of politics. Only then
can they lead a full social life as
befitting masters. Socialist politics is
popular politics exercised by the people as
its masters. In the society of exploiters
politics is, in essence, aimed at ensuring
class domination by the exploiting class,
and the masses of the working people are
merely the objects of politics. In
capitalist society the life of the people is
spontaneous and led by each individual to
maintain his or her own existence. But, in
socialist society the people themselves are
the masters of politics and organize and
conduct all aspects of social life in a
uniform manner.
Politics is exercised
by certain political organizations. For
people in a socialist society to exercise
their rights and discharge their
responsibilities as the masters of the state
and society they must have a political
organization which represents their will and
interests. The representative of the
people’s will and interests in socialist
society is the party and government of the
working class. In socialist society the
working-class party is the supreme political
organization and the government is the most
comprehensive political organization. The
position and role of the popular masses as
the masters of state and society in
socialist society are guaranteed by the
party and government of the working class.
The political
organization in a socialist society must
conduct its political activities in a manner
that suits its nature as the representative
of the will and interests of the popular
masses. Creating political methods which
suit the nature of socialist society is a
fundamental condition for realizing politics
for the people. Even if a working-class
party and socialist government have been
formed the popular masses will be unable to
exercise their rights and discharge their
responsibilities as the genuine masters of
politics unless new, socialist political
methods are created.
Socialism is an
untrodden path and it is extremely difficult
and complicated to create new political
methods inherent in socialism. In the past
many people resorted to the existing theory
that politics was defined by the economic
system and thought that the problem of
managing the state and society would be
solved easily once the socialist system was
established. Therefore, the problem of
creating new political methods commensurate
with the nature of socialist society was not
solved correctly, and the remnants of the
political methods from the old society
revived to a considerable extent. That the
remnants of the political methods from the
old society were not removed from socialist
society was also due to an improper
understanding of the essence of the
socialist political organization which was
different from the political organization of
the old society. In the past the party was
regarded mainly as an organized detachment
of a certain class which defended the
interests of this class, and as a weapon in
the class struggle; government, too, was
considered to be a power organ for the
dominating class to realize its political
domination over the society. Therefore, in
the building and activities of the party and
government the main attention was paid to
enhancing their functions and role as a
weapon in the class struggle and as the
executor of power. The essence of the
working-class party and socialist government
lies, above all, in that they serve the
people. Only when the working-class party
and socialist government adhere to the stand
of serving the people can they conduct the
class struggle and exercise political power
properly to meet the requirements of the
popular masses for independence. That they
serve the people is the essence and
superiority of the working-class party and
government which are fundamentally different
from the party and government of the
exploiting class. In the activities of the
working-class party and socialist government
serving the people, even the slightest trace
of seeking privilege is intolerable. In the
past the abuse of power and bureaucracy were
evident in socialist practice. This was
because the building of the party and
government was not conducted properly as
required by their mission as servants of the
people.
The abuse of power
and bureaucracy are products of the
anti-socialist idea and expressions of
anti-socialist methods. If the mass line is
implemented thoroughly under the correct
leadership of the working-class party in
socialist society so that the popular masses
occupy the position of masters of the state
and society and play their role as such to
the full, it is possible to eliminate the
abuse of power and bureaucracy. In order to
eliminate the abuse of power and bureaucracy
in socialist society, all officials should
have the spirit of serving the people
faithfully. The slogan “We serve the
people!” put up by our Party clearly shows
the attitude and stand officials should
adopt in dealing with the people and how
they should work for the people. Our
experience proves that when the ideological
education and ideological struggle are
conducted vigorously among officials to
improve their methods and style of work, it
is quite possible to eliminate the abuse of
power and bureaucracy which are vestiges of
the old society.
Unless ideological
education and an ideological campaign are
conducted to put an end to the abuse of
power and bureaucracy they will be fostered
and grow, and not disappear. If the abuse
of power and bureaucracy are allowed to grow
in socialist society they will alienate the
popular masses from the party and state, and
the enemies of socialism will exploit this.
The situation in those countries in which
socialism has collapsed shows this. In
every country the people demanded socialism
free from the abuse of power and
bureaucracy; they did not demand
capitalism. But, in some countries the
party and government were discredited in the
eyes of the people due to the abuse of power
and bureaucracy. Taking advantage of this,
acts of betrayal were committed in order to
instigate people to oppose the socialist
ruling parties and socialist power by
misleading them with the preposterous
slander that socialism was “totalitarianism”
and with the promise that they would be
provided with “humane and democratic
socialism”. What the people have got as a
result of the collapse of socialism is not
“humane and democratic socialism” but
capitalism under which exploitation,
oppression and social inequality are
dominant and every type of crime and social
evil prevails. In those countries where
socialism collapsed and capitalism was
revived the abuse of power and bureaucracy
have not disappeared but have become
institutionalized and legitimized and are
now socially prevalent.
An intrinsic
superiority of socialism lies in the fact
that under it everything serves the popular
masses.
That everything
serves the people means that, in socialist
society, all party and state activities are
geared to providing the people with genuine
freedom and rights as well as with an
affluent and cultured life. The enemies of
socialism use the vicious slander that the
independent and creative life which the
party and the state provide for the popular
masses in a responsible manner is a
“barracks-like” life.
Socialism provides
the people with a rich and cultured life.
The long-cherished desire of the people to
live free from any worries can only be
realized in a socialist society in which the
party and the state take responsible care of
the people’s life. In a capitalist society
a carefree life for the working people is
inconceivable. In this society even those
who are fairly well-to-do are always fearful
of sudden bankruptcy, job-loss and poverty.
Living a prosperous life in idleness without
any thought for others cannot be regarded as
a genuine human life. A worthwhile and
happy life that conforms to the intrinsic
requirements of the people is a creative
life which they lead to transform the world;
it is a sound and equitably prosperous life
which is enjoyed by every person. It is
only through such a life that people can
feel pride in being the masters of the world
and worthy as equal members of the society.
A creative, sound and equitable life which
conforms with the intrinsic requirements of
people can be fully put into effect only in
socialist society in which the party and the
state are responsible for the life of the
people.
The most important
aspect of people’s lives is to realize the
demand of their political integrity to unite
and cooperate with one another amid the love
and trust of the social community. People
cannot lead a life worthy of human beings
and develop their political integrity in
capitalist society in which the dignity and
personality of the working people are
trampled underfoot without scruple because
of the privileges enjoyed by capital. It is
only in socialist society in which every
manner of privilege has been eliminated and
genuine freedom and rights are guaranteed
for them under the leadership and care of
the party and the state that they can lead a
life worthy of human beings that meets the
demands of their political integrity.
Socialism provides
every condition for people to lead a stable
life under a well-regulated social order.
The socialist order of life is revolutionary
order which enables the popular masses to
lead a peaceful life free from infringement,
under the protection of the party and the
state; it is collectivist order which is
maintained by the people of their own free
will. Destroying the socialist order of
life is a criminal act which makes the
popular masses the victims of crime and
social evil. Those countries where the
socialist order of life has become chaotic
are now in a state of anarchy; there crime
and social evil of every description are
rampant and swindlers and criminals of every
type are working frantically, as if their
day had come.
The renegades of
socialism are continuing to repeat such
hackneyed expressions as “barrack-like”, the
falsity of which has been clearly revealed.
They are doing so in a foolish attempt to
hide their treachery in making the working
people the victims of unemployment, poverty,
crime and social evil.
Another intrinsic
superiority of socialism lies in the fact
that the society continues to develop
through the united strength of the popular
masses.
That society develops
implies that the position and role of people
in the world are enhanced, and this in turn
means an increase in their independence,
creativity and consciousness – the
attributes of human beings. In other words,
it means that people’s role is enhanced in
conformity with a rise in their independent
ideological consciousness and creative
ability, and that social wealth increases
and social relations improve in keeping with
the enhancement of the people’s role.
Therefore, whether a society has the
potential to develop depends on whether it
enables people’s independence, creativity
and consciousness to be displayed more
fully. Independence
and creativity for people are guaranteed by
their consciousness. Therefore, it can be
said that consciousness plays a decisive
role in the activities of a human being.
This means that ideological consciousness
plays a decisive role in human being’s
activity. Ideological consciousness
reflects the requirements and interests of a
human being and, as such, defines the goal
and direction of his or her activities, as
well as his or her will and fighting
ability. Therefore, the basic factor giving
impetus to social development is always
ideological consciousness. The ideological
consciousness which powerfully promotes
social progress is independent ideological
consciousness, and the ideological
consciousness at the highest level of the
development of people’s independent
consciousness is socialist ideology. It is
beyond dispute that socialist society, which
is developing through the high level of the
revolutionary consciousness and creativity
of the popular masses who are equipped with
the socialist ideology, is the society with
the greatest capacity for development.
The establishment of
the socialist system creates the social and
economic conditions for all the members of
the society to unite and cooperate on the
basis of one ideology; however, unity and
cooperation among the people cannot be
achieved spontaneously. In order to
strengthen the unity and cohesion of the
whole of society, education in socialist
ideology must be improved among them. In
the past, however, the remoulding of
people’s ideological consciousness was
neglected in socialist practice because of
the failure to understand that the basic
driving force for the development of a
socialist society lies in unity and
cooperation among the people based on a high
degree of ideological consciousness. In
particular, there were tendencies to raise
people’s enthusiasm for production by means
of such economic levers as material
incentives, seeking the driving force for
the development of the socialist economy in
adapting the production relations to the
character of the forces of production. Of
course, the lever of material incentives may
be used in socialist society because it is
transitional. But, this lever must be used
on the basis of giving priority to education
in socialist ideology. In other words, the
principle must be maintained of putting the
main stress on political and moral
incentives and properly combining material
incentives with them. If, instead of doing
so, emphasis is put merely on material
incentives, this will reduce people to
egoists who seek only their own interests,
with the result that society will stagnate
and the foundations of socialism will be
destroyed. In those countries which
abandoned education in socialist ideology
and encouraged egoism, the building of the
socialist economy floundered and, taking
advantage of this, the leadership of the
working-class party and state over the
socialist economy was rejected on the excuse
of opposing the administrative command
system and the capitalist market economy was
introduced.
Political leadership
and the centralized and systematic guidance
of the economy is a basic task for the
working-class party and state in socialist
society. This is because they are in duty
bound to take care of the popular masses.
For the working-class party and state to
abandon their function of guiding the
economy means ignoring their responsibility
in taking care of the livelihood of the
popular masses. The way the party and state
should give guidance to the economy in
socialist society may differ from one
country to another, according to their
specific situation and the requirements of
the developing revolutions, but they must on
no account abandon their guidance of the
economy. An economy without guidance from
the working-class party and state is not a
socialist economy, and the society which is
not based on a socialist economy cannot be
called a socialist society. How much scope
is given to the superiority of the socialist
economy depends on how the party and state
give guidance to it. Our experience shows
that the economy can be managed particularly
well in keeping with the intrinsic nature of
socialist society when, in the management of
the economy, the collective guidance of the
party committee is ensured, the mass line is
implemented, political work is given
precedence in all undertakings and the
revolutionary method of work and popular
style of work are established among
officials.
The renegades of
socialism are converting socialist ownership
into private ownership, claiming that the
“administrative command system” relies on
the absolute dominance of state ownership.
The socialist ownership which consists of
state and all-people ownership and
cooperative ownership forms social, economic
foundations which enable the popular masses
to occupy the position of masters of the
state and society and play their role as
such. It is clear that if socialist
ownership is dissolved and converted into
private ownership, the means of production,
having been privatized, will be
concentrated, sooner or later, in the hands
of privileged people, speculators and a
handful of other exploiters, no matter what
the method of privatization may be. It is
not long since privatization was carried out
in those countries in which socialism had
collapsed, but millionaires have already
appeared while the vast majority of the
working people are suffering because of
unemployment and poverty. As the facts
show, rejecting the guidance of the economy
by the working-class party and state and
doing away with socialist ownership is
nothing more than reviving the capitalist
exploiting system, whatever pretext may be
cited.
All the
anti-socialist, evil propaganda accusing
socialism of being ”totalitarian”,
“barracks-like” and “administrative and
commanding” is nothing more than
mud-slinging at socialist collectivism and
the extolling of bourgeois individualism.
So the struggle between socialists and the
renegades of socialism is a struggle between
socialism based on collectivism and
capitalism based on individualism.
In order to counter
the vilification by the renegades of
socialism and to defend the cause of
socialism, we must embody the principle of
collectivism thoroughly in all areas of
social life.
Collectivism is an
essential quality of socialism and a source
of the latter’s superiority and validity.
Collectivism is, in short, the concept of
valuing the interests of the collective more
than one’s own individual interests. In
socialist society, where all the working
people have been transformed into socialist
working people, the whole society becomes
one big family whose members are united with
one another through their common interests.
Collectivism in socialist society finds
expression in a high regard for the
interests of the state and society.
Socialist collectivism does not set the
interests of the state and society against
those of individuals; it ensures that they
coincide. Valuing the state and society in
socialist society means, in the long run,
valuing the popular masses, the masters of
the state and society. The popular masses
are a social community composed of the
working people; defending the interests of
the popular masses means defending the
interests of every working person, a
constituent element of it. The basic
requirement of socialist collectivism is for
people to give prominence to the interests
of the state and society and pursue their
own interests within those of the state and
society. Socialist collectivism is against
the pursuance of only individual interests
at the expense of those of the state and
society, yet not against the interests of
individuals. It is not socialist
collectivism but bourgeois individualism
that infringes upon the interests of
individuals. The reactionary nature of
bourgeois individualism is that it
encroaches on the interests of all the
working people for the sake of the interests
of a handful of exploiters. It is bourgeois
individualism that gives rise to conflicts
and social evils in capitalist society.
Collectivism, as an
ideal of socialism, has developed
continuously. The establishment of Marxism
was of great significance in the development
of the concept of collectivism. Marxism
made clear that the emancipation of humanity
could not be achieved by individuals and
that the exploitation and oppression of man
by man could be eliminated and genuine
freedom and equality for people could be
realized only through the united efforts of
the working class.
The great leader
Comrade Kim Il Sung authored the
Juche idea and, on this basis, has developed
the socialist idea and brought it to
perfection, thus developing the concept of
collectivism at a higher level. The Juche
idea contains the original concept that the
makers of history who forge the destiny of
humanity are the popular masses, not
individuals, and that they should be
combined into one socio-political organism
in order to forge their destiny
independently and creatively.
An isolated
individual cannot become the motive force of
socio-historical progress, nor have
socio-political integrity as a social being
with independence, creativity and
consciousness. The parental organization of
a person’s socio-political integrity is the
social community. It is only when an
individual, as a member of the social
community, joins his fate with that of the
community that he can have socio-political
integrity which is different from the
physical life and live and develop
independently and creatively as the master
of his own destiny.
In a social
collective in which the people, the makers
of history, are combined into one
socio-political organism, the principle of
comradely love and revolutionary obligation
holds sway in the relations between
individuals and between the collective and
individuals, the principle of sharing life
and death, and of devoted service to one
another. The expression of the relations of
comradely love and revolutionary obligation
between the collective and individuals
sharing life and death is socialist
collectivism which embodies the principle of
“one for all and all for one”. Our
socialist society based on the Juche idea is
the society in which socialist collectivism
is most thoroughly embodied.
Our Party’s
collectivist idea was formed during the
anti-Japanese revolutionary struggle
organized and led by the great leader
Comrade
Kim Il Sung.
In spite of the indescribably difficult
circumstances the Korean communists were
united firmly in one socio-political
organism around the revolutionary leader and
established a pattern for close ties of
kinship based on collectivism between the
revolutionary ranks and the people. Through
two stages of social revolution in our
country the social sources of the impeding
of collectivist unity and solidarity among
the people have been eliminated and
socialist construction and collectivist
education have developed in depth. As a
result, all the people form a
socio-political organism firmly united
behind the Party and the leader, an
independent motive force for the revolution,
and the collectivist way of life based on
comradely love and revolutionary obligation
has been brought into full play in all
fields of social life.
Our people are now
occupying the position of masters of the
state and society in all fields of social
life, such as politics, the economy and
culture, and are discharging their
responsibilities and role as masters; they
are advancing dynamically to accomplish the
revolutionary cause of Juche, united
single-heartedly behind the Party and the
leader, sharing good times and bad with one
another. The life of people must not be
judged simply by its material aspect; it
must be judged mainly from the point of view
of its social and political aspects and of
the life they enjoy as the genuine masters
of the state and society. The independent
and creative life our people are leading is
a genuine life. It clearly displays the
intrinsic advantages of the anthropocentric
socialism of our own style embodying
socialist collectivism.
In socialist society
the people are the masters of state power
and of the material and cultural wealth. So
everyone has the right to enjoy an
independent and creative life and is
responsible for strengthening and developing
it ceaselessly through a concerted effort.
In our country there are no jobless people,
nor anyone who cannot receive education and
medical treatment, nor are there vagrants or
beggars. All the people in our country are
allowing their creative talents to blossom
at their work places where they do jobs that
are suited to their aptitudes and abilities
and are leading an equitable and wealthy
life without any worries; they enjoy an
independent political life as the masters of
society, enrolled in appropriate
socio-political organizations.
In our country our
Party, a Juche revolutionary party, bears
the responsibility for the destiny of the
people as a political guide of society,
leads them forward and takes meticulous care
of all aspects of their life; the Party
committees, as the highest leadership bodies
of the relevant units, fully ensure the
independent rights of the working people
through collective leadership and properly
organize their creative activities. The
unity between superiors and inferiors and
the comradely cooperation among all have
become a social trend, the custom in our
country. The Party serves the people and
the people, upholding the Party’s
leadership, share good times and bad with
one another. Herein lie the infinite pride
and source of the invincible power of our
people. Our socialism is unshakable,
whatever the storm. This is because the
single-hearted unity of the leader, the
Party and the people has been realized and
the people are building a new life in
conformity with their independent demands
under the guidance of the Party and the
leader.
It is extremely
foolish to slander the new life of socialism
by reviving outdated ideas which have
already been buried by history. The value
of the new can be measured only with a new
yardstick. The reality has shown clearly
once again that the way of thinking of those
who preach the return to the old is not new.
It is ridiculous for them to talk about a
new way of thinking, while being unable to
distinguish collectivism from
totalitarianism. It is a farce to revive
capitalism while distorting the reality of
socialism with an outmoded way of thinking
and an old yardstick.
We must derive a
proper lesson from the setback faced by
socialism in some countries and resolutely
reject all the slander levelled by fools,
and we must advance more vigorously towards
the bright future of humanity, displaying
such intelligence and courage as to turn
misfortune into a blessing.