KIM
JONG IL
ON THE
JUCHE IDEA
Treatise
Sent to the National Seminar on the Juche
Idea Held to Mark the 70th Birthday of
the
Great Leader Comrade Kim Il Sung
March
31, 1982
...
5.
THE HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE JUCHE
IDEA
The
Juche idea is exerting a great influence on
the ideological life of humanity and on the
revolutionary changes of the world. It is
gaining strong sympathy from people all over
the world and giving a powerful impetus to
the contemporary historic movement which is
aspiring to independence.
The
Juche idea has become an accepted
contemporary thought, and its attraction and
importance in affecting changes increase
with the progress of history.
It
gives us a genuinely revolutionary world
outlook of our time, the Juche age. This
constitutes a major historic contribution
made by the Juche idea to the development of
humanity’s thinking and to the cause of
liberation of mankind.
People’s
notions of the world and their views on and
approach towards it have developed down
through long history.
The
history of the world outlook was a history
of struggle between two conflicting
philosophical currents, that is, between
materialism and idealism, between dialectics
and metaphysics. In this struggle Marxism
signalled the victory of materialism and
dialectics. The emergence of the Marxist
materialistic dialectical world outlook was
a reflection of the contemporary
requirements. The appearance of the working
class on the arena of history ushered in a
new era in human history. The new historical
conditions under which the revolution
against capital had started, urgently
demanded a revolutionary idea which would
bring home the inevitability of the downfall
of capitalism and the triumph of socialism
to the working class who had risen up in
struggle. The most important question in
this was to vanquish the idealism and
metaphysics which had sanctified the
domination of reactionary capital and
preached its eternity, and to elaborate a
scientific world outlook of the working
class. The materialistic dialectical world
outlook came into being as a reflection of
this requirement of the times.
The
progress of the times is accompanied by the
development of the world outlook. The steady
expansion and development of the revolution
which started with the emergence of the
working class, gave birth to a new age when
the working masses who had so far been the
object of history appeared as its masters.
The new age that witnessed the appearance of
the working class and other working masses
as a great force controlling the world,
demanded the evolvement of a new world
outlook which would enable them to become
masters of their own destiny, shaping it in
an independent and creative way, and to
realize successfully the historic cause of
national liberation, class emancipation and
human freedom. This historic task was
brilliantly accomplished with the evolution
of the Juche idea.
The
Juche idea which elucidates the world
outlook of a new age is fresh and unique in
its philosophical principle that forms its
foundation.
In
the past the relations between substance and
consciousness, between being and thinking
were regarded as the basic question of
philosophy. The Marxist materialistic
principle concerning the priority of
substance and being gave a scientific
solution to this question.
Since
the question of the world’s origin had been
made clear by the materialistic viewpoint,
the Juche idea raised a new problem
concerning the position and role of man in
the world as the basic question of
philosophy and gave an answer to the
question of who is the master of the world.
The
philosophical principle of the Juche idea
which clarifies the position and role of man
as master of the world is based on a new
elucidation of man.
The
question on man had been also discussed a
great deal by preceding philosophies, but it
was confined mostly to abstract views on
pure man, to the exclusion of social
relations. The question of man’s substance
in social relations was raised and made
clear by Marxism.
Considering
man in social relations the Juche idea cast
a new light on his essential features. It
expounded that man is a social being with
independence, creativity and consciousness,
and thus gave a perfect philosophical
elucidation of man. The clarification by the
Juche idea of the philosophical principle
that man is the master of everything and
decides everything, on the basis of the
scientific explanation of man as a social
being, was a philosophical discovery which
brought about a new change in the world
outlook.
The
idea that man is the master of everything
and decides everything, in other words, the
idea that man is the master of the world and
his own destiny and is the transformer of
the world and the shaper of his destiny, is
fundamentally opposed to idealism and
metaphysics. Idealism leads to mystical
theory that the world and man’s destiny are
controlled by the supernatural “might”,
while metaphysics leads to the fatalistic
belief that everything in the world is
immutable and, accordingly, man must be
obedient to his predetermined destiny. The
idea that man is the master of the world and
his own destiny and is able to transform the
world and shape his destiny, is based on the
premise of the materialistic and dialectical
viewpoint which denies mysticism and
fatalism.
The
Juche idea uniquely defined the domination
of the world by man who is the
highest-developed product in the material
world, as well as the principles of its
transformation and progress, thus shedding a
new light on the foundation of the world
outlook. The world outlook based on the
philosophical principle of Juche is a world
outlook which is centred on man.
There
have been various types of world outlook in
history, but there was none that clearly
indicated the viewpoint and stand on the
world placing man at the centre. Even the
materialists who in the past had regarded
the world as a material object, to say
nothing of the idealists who considered it
as a world of ideas or spirit, could not put
forward the viewpoint and approach towards
the world with man at the centre.
The
Juche idea defined man as the master who
dominates the world, not merely as part of
it, and thus established a new world outlook
which, unlike preceding ones, regards the
world and its changes and progress with man,
its master, at the centre. The Juche
viewpoint and stand on the world with man in
the central place provide a sure guarantee
for the independent and creative cognitional
activities and practice of man who
transforms the world and shapes his destiny.
The
Juche idea which clearly showed the
man-centred viewpoint and stand towards the
world provided a new view of social history.
In the years prior to Marxism, even those
who had advocated materialism or dialectics
adhered to the idealistic stand towards
social history. Marxism made it clear that,
like nature, society belongs to the material
world and changes and develops in accordance
with the general laws that govern the
development of this world. In this way it
disproved the idealistic view on social
history.
While
admitting the general law’s of the progress
of the material world which affect social
history, the Juche idea expounded the laws
which are peculiar to social history.
Therein lies a great service the Juche idea
rendered in perfecting the working-class
outlook on social history.
The
principle of social history that the subject
of history is the masses of the people, that
socio-historical movements are their
independent and creative movements and that
their consciousness of independence plays
the decisive role in the revolutionary
struggle, forms the basic content of the
Juche-based view of history. This provides a
new elucidation on the essence, character
and motive force of socio-historical
movement, the movement of the subject.
The
Juche idea established the new viewpoint and
stand which see historical development and
social revolution with the popular masses,
the subject, at the centre.
The
Juche idea which clearly indicated the
man-centred world outlook and the view of
social history brought about a great change
in the development of world outlook. The
revolutionary world outlook of the working
class had been established by Marxism for
the first time, and it was developed by the
Juche idea onto a new, higher plane for its
perfection.
The
Juche idea, the revolutionary world outlook
representing a new era in history, the Juche
age, is rightly leading the onward movement
of mankind aspiring to independence and
sovereignty, socialism and communism, while
sweeping away all the reactionary and
counter-revolutionary currents of thoughts,
It
marked a new, higher stage in the
development of the working-class
revolutionary theory. Therein lies another
historic contribution of the Juche idea to
the revolutionary cause of the working class
and the cause of liberation of humanity.
An
age had passed and the revolutionary
movement had gone a long way since the birth
of the revolutionary theory of the working
class. Revolutionary practice in the new era
demanded that the revolutionary theory be
developed in a way which was suitable to new
historic conditions. The Juche idea
propounded the basic principle of revolution
that the masses of the people are masters
and the motive force of the revolution and
construction and, on this basis, rendered it
possible to evolve new revolutionary
theories required by our time.
The
Juche idea is the sound basis on which to
develop the revolutionary theory of the
Juche age. Developing revolutionary theory
on the basis of this idea means expounding
the principles and laws of revolutionary
movements with the working masses, the
masters of revolution and construction, at
the centre.
Developing
a revolutionary theory with the working
people at the centre is a requirement of
revolutionary movements in the Juche age. In
our time when the working masses have
established themselves as the masters of the
world and when revolutionary struggles are
being waged with a far-reaching scope on the
strength of their consciousness of
independence and creativeness. the
principles and laws of revolutionary
movements can be elucidated correctly only
by developing a revolutionary theory with
the working people at the centre. By this
method the Juche idea has made it possible
to fully elaborate on the revolutionary
theory aimed at realizing independence for
the working masses; and it has consummated
the revolutionary theories of the working
class to include those on national
liberation, class emancipation and human
freedom, and to be a perfect communist
theory of social and natural transformation
and human remoulding.
Placing
the working masses at the centre in the
development of a revolutionary theory is a
sure guarantee for evolving the
revolutionary theory and strategy and
tactics in accordance with the true
characteristic of the revolutionary
movement.
Every
revolutionary movement is an undertaking for
and by the working people. Therefore, a
revolutionary theory and strategy and
tactics should naturally champion their
interests and enhance their role. It can be
said that the value of a theory depends on
how well it advocates the interests of the
popular masses, and that the effectiveness
of strategy and tactics depends on how well
they enhance the role of the masses. By
basing itself on the independence,
creativity and consciousness of the masses,
the Juche idea made it possible to evolve
the theory, strategy and tactics which would
champion their basic interests and provide
the proper way to give rein to their high
revolutionary zeal and inexhaustible
creativeness. This is how the revolutionary
theory of the working class has become most
powerful and able to champion the interests
of the working masses thoroughly and enhance
their role to the utmost.
The
Juche idea serves as a guideline which shows
a correct approach to the preceding
revolutionary theories. These working-class
theories were advanced on the premise of the
conditions and tasks of the past times which
were different from today, but they have a
community of class idea and mission with the
revolutionary theory based on the Juche
idea. By laying down the principle of
creatively approaching the existing theories
and experiences, the Juche idea makes it
possible to apply and develop the preceding
revolutionary theories to suit the
requirements of revolutionary practice in
our time. In particular, it maintains the
position of firmly defending and realizing
the independence of the working class and
other working masses, and thus makes it
possible to accurately identify and
eliminate all kinds of opportunism,
including revisionism which gives up the
cause of revolution halfway or denies class
struggle, and uphold the class principle and
the spirit of uninterrupted revolution in
the revolutionary theories of the working
class.
The
Juche revolutionary theory is the genuinely
revolutionary theory of the working class in
the Juche era and is the undying communist
revolutionary theory which will be
ever-victorious along with the struggle for
the independence of the working masses.
A
great idea gives rise to great practice. The
great Juche idea which throws a new light on
the philosophical principle and on the laws
of socio-historical movement, the
revolutionary movement, and gives scientific
elucidation of the guiding principles of
revolution and construction, has brought
about a tremendous change in revolutionary
practice.
The
Juche idea has been brilliantly applied,
above all, to the Korean revolution and has
won a great victory.
The
Korean revolution is guided by the Juche
idea, and all its victories would be
inconceivable without this idea. Under the
banner of the Juche idea, the Korean
revolution could get rid of its birth-pains
caused by flunkeyism and dogmatism and has
been able to triumphantly advance on the
arduous road of struggle, getting over
various difficulties and trials.
The
Juche idea has led the revolution and
construction straight along the new road
which had never been trodden by others
before. The Korean revolution has paved an
absolutely correct path for national
liberation in a colony and opened a short
cut to socialism. It has created a best
socialist new life which the world’s people
call a “model of socialism”, and is
successfully pioneering the untrodden path
to socialism and communism. Because the
Juche idea illuminates the way, we have been
able to advance along the shortest route and
thus achieve in a brief period of time a
great victory in the struggle for
independence, sovereignty and socialism, a
success which is amazing to the world.
The
Juche idea has become a solemn reality in
our country. The history-making changes and
great creations worked out by our people are
precious fruit of this idea. Very proud and
honoured by the brilliant victory and
results attained under the banner of the
Juche idea, our people are now struggling
for the historic cause of transforming the
whole society in accordance with this idea.
Because
it reflects the common aspiration of the
world’s people to independence, the Juche
idea is exerting a great influence on the
contemporary revolutionary movements to
build a new world of independence.
It
has opened up a new revolutionary road, a
broad avenue along which to advance the
revolution in an independent and creative
manner.
Our
era, when the revolutionary movement is
making progress through diverse forms with
the national state as one unit, demands that
the people of each country properly play the
role of masters with a high degree of
awareness that they are the masters of
revolution. This is more urgent since there
is the influence of wrong ideologies such as
worship of great powers and dogmatism. By
clearly showing how to stage a revolution in
an independent and creative manner, the
Juche idea has enabled the people of each
country to have a strong sense of
responsibility as the masters of the
revolution, ridding themselves of the
fetters of all outdated thoughts hampering
independent progress: and it has also helped
them to work out a policy which is suitable
to the actual conditions in their country,
according to their own views and belief, and
to exploit their own creativeness to push
ahead with the revolution. The opening up of
the way to stage a revolution in an
independent and creative manner has
encouraged the people in different
conditions of history and at different
stages of development to carry on, confident
of victory, the vigorous struggle to achieve
national liberation and class emancipation
and build socialism and communism.
The
Juche idea has paved a new road of the
international communist movement advancing
on the basis of independence, and has
brought about a new era of progress in
international relations.
The
communist movement is an independent
movement of the party and people in every
country aimed at doing away with all types
of subjugation and inequality and becoming
the true masters of their destiny. So there
should be neither superior-subordinate
relations nor master-servant relations in
this movement.
Independence
is the life and soul for every country and
people, and no relations of domination and
submission, order and obedience could be
permitted between them. The Juche idea
defined independence as the fundamental
principle of the relations between parties
and between countries, and thus helped
towards a change in the inter-national
communist movement and the development of
international relations. Today the principle
of independence is displaying still greater
vitality as a steadfast principle that
guarantees the international communist
movement and determines the relationship
between the Communist and Workers’ Parties.
It also serves as a recognized principle of
development of state relations among
newly-independent countries and many
countries of the world with different social
systems and as a powerful weapon against the
imperialists who subjugate other nations and
impose inequality upon them.
Indeed,
the Juche idea is an immortal banner of
struggle, a banner of victory, for the
popular masses in their endeavour to create
a new world and shape their own destiny.
*
* *
Our
Party and people who have traversed the
glorious path of struggle and victory over
half a century following the banner of the
Juche idea under the guidance of the great
leader, should hold high this banner in
future, too, and fight on energetically.
Our
revolution has not as yet ended. We are
still confronted with complicated and
difficult revolutionary tasks. Only when we
continue with our struggle upholding the
banner of the Juche idea, will we be able to
overcome all difficulties and trials, speed
up national reunification and achieve final
victory in the cause of socialism and
communism.
We
should equip ourselves more firmly with the
Juche idea and thoroughly implement the
Party’s policies, its embodiment, and thus
successfully realize our Party’s programme
to model the whole society on the Juche
idea.
If we
are to model the whole society on the Juche
idea we should ensure that all Party members
and working people are firmly equipped with
the Juche idea and staunchly fight on
anywhere, anytime along the road indicated
by the Juche idea.
Scientific
and theoretical activities are intended to
perform an important role in equipping the
Party members and working people with the
Juche idea and materializing it.
Giving
priority to the study and dissemination of
the Juche idea is a precondition for
equipping them firmly with the
Juche-oriented revolutionary world outlook
and for fully applying the Juche idea to the
revolution and construction.
All
scientists and theoreticians should keep in
mind their heavy responsibility and bring
about a new upsurge in studying and
propagating the Juche idea.
In
the social science sector they should make a
profound study of the Juche idea and the
ideas and theories clarified by it.
Social
scientists should study the fundamentals and
guiding principles of the Juche idea, as
well as all the ideas and theories
illuminated by it, in a comprehensive
manner. They should also make a profound
study of the achievements and experience our
Party gained in the revolution and
construction by applying the Juche idea.
Our
social science should give correct,
scientific and theoretical solutions to the
urgent problems arising in revolutionary
practice. Workers in this sector should
intensify the study of the Juche idea, with
the main emphasis being laid on the solution
of these practical problems, so that
correct, scientific and theoretical
solutions are provided for all problems
arising in the revolution and construction.
The
Juche idea has opened up a wide vista for
the development of all spheres of social
science on a new foundation.
We
should steadily intensify and improve
scientific research with the Juche idea as
an ideological, theoretical and
methodological basis and thus enrich all
branches of social science with new results.
Education
in the Juche idea should be intensified.
Our
educational institutions are the seat for
the education in the Juche idea, and our
school education should be consistent with
the Juche idea throughout.
All
educational institutions should radically
improve the quality of education in the
Juche idea. The students should thus be
trained to become personnel who have
acquired a basic outline of the Juche-based
revolutionary world outlook in their senior
middle school days and who have been firmly
equipped with the Juche-based revolutionary
world outlook when they graduate from
universities and colleges.
In
particular, universities and colleges should
intensify the education of the Juche thought
and theory. They should properly combine the
education to establish the world outlook
with the education to give specialized
knowledge. Social science faculties in
universities and colleges should help the
students to acquire fully the revolutionary
world outlook of Juche and, at the same
lime, training in their specialities should
be improved so as to produce good experts
firmly equipped with the Juche thought and
theory.
We
should intensify the studying of the Juche
idea among the cadres, Party members and
working people.
The
dissemination of information about Party
theories is work to acquaint them fully with
the Juche thought and theory.
The
Juche idea is priceless ideological pabulum
for genuine Juche revolutionaries to
maintain their political integrity. In order
to become such a revolutionary everyone
should profoundly study the Juche idea.
All
leading officials, Party members and working
people should always study hard to acquire
the Juche thought and theory and thus make
them an integral part of themselves.
Scientists
and theoreticians and men of the press
should write many excellent books and
articles which give profound explanations of
the Juche thought and theory. They should
thus actively contribute to firmly equipping
the leading officials, the Party members and
the working people with the Juche idea.
In
the sector of science and theory they should
strengthen the struggle against reactionary
bourgeois ideas and all kinds of opportunist
ideological trends and staunchly defend the
purity of the Juche idea.
Workers
in this sector should sharply expose the
reactionary nature and harmfulness of all
hostile ideologies which run counter to the
Juche idea and strictly prevent even the
slightest non-class, non-revolutionary
ideological elements from infiltrating into
our ranks. All our scientists and
theoreticians should uncompromisingly combat
the reactionary, counter-revolutionary
ideological trends including bourgeois
ideas, feudal-Confucian ideas, revisionism,
flunkeyism and dogmatism. They should thwart
the manoeuvres of all sorts of reactionaries
and opportunists and staunchly defend the
Juche idea.
Our
scientists and theoreticians should make the
great Juche idea their firm belief and
should ensure that all scientific and
theoretical activities are geared to
studying and propagating, defending and
materializing the Juche thought and theory;
they should also explain and disseminate the
greatness and validity of the Juche idea
broadly and profoundly.
Social
scientists and theoreticians, the possessors
and propagators of progressive ideas, play a
tremendous role in the revolution and
construction.
I
believe that our Party’s scientists and
theoreticians will keep in mind their
mission and duty as the active advocates and
propagandists of the Juche idea and make an
excellent contribution to the struggle for
the ultimate attainment of the revolutionary
cause of Juche.