OUR SOCIALISM CENTRED ON THE POPULAR MASSES SHALL NOT PERISH
KIM JONG IL OUR SOCIALISM CENTRED ON THE MASSES SHALL NOT PERISH Talk to the Senior Officials of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea May 5, 1991 ... 1 Socialism in our country is the socialism of our own style; it is the application of the great Juche idea and is centred upon the popular masses. The great leader Comrade Kim Il Sung, in founding the Juche idea many years ago, reflected the aspirations of the masses and the requirements of the times. He has thus provided our age, the age of independence, with a new guiding ideology. The Juche idea is a man-centred outlook on the world. It has clarified the essential qualities of man as a social being with independence, creativity and consciousness. It has, on this basis, evolved the new philosophical principle that man is the master of everything and decides everything. The Juche idea has established the viewpoint and attitude of dealing with every thing in man’s interests and approaching all changes and developments on the basis of man’s activities. The Juche idea has raised man’s dignity and value to the highest level. Because it is the embodiment of the Juche idea, our socialism is a man-centred socialism under which man is the master of everything and everything serves him. By man, whom it regards as the master of everything and as the most precious and the most powerful being, the Juche idea means the working masses. The Juche idea views the popular masses as the driving force of social movement. The social movement is started and developed by the independent, creative and conscious activities of the people, its driving force. Without the participation of the popular masses, no social movement for the transformation of nature and society can take place, nor can socio-historical progress be made. The popular masses are the driving force of social movement because they create everything in society and, through their struggle, ensure the progress of history. Although they promote the social movement and make history, they cannot occupy the position of masters in all societies. In an exploitative society, the exploiting class that eats the bread of idleness, not the history-making masses, is king. A socialist society is one that puts an end to the society in which the position of master is inverted; it makes the popular masses the genuine masters. Our socialism is centred upon the popular masses in that it makes them the masters of everything, commensurate with their position and role in socio-historical progress, and makes everything serve them. Our socialism for the masses meets the aspirations and desires of the working class most thoroughly. The Juche idea is the revolutionary ideology of the working class, and it represents the desires of the working class. It identifies the working class as the core of the driving force of the revolution. The working class embodies in itself at the highest level man’s intrinsic desire to live and develop independently and creatively. It requires that man leads an independent and creative life, free from all manner of enslavement and bondage. It has the historical mission of emancipating not only itself but all the members of society from every form of enslavement and bondage and bringing complete independence to the popular masses. In former days our country was a backward colonial, semi-feudal society, and so the working class was not large, yet it was the strongest in the spirit of independence and revolution. As this advanced class, it constituted the core of the revolutionary forces. Ever since the anti-imperialist, anti-feudal democratic revolution, the great leader has held up the working class as the leading revolutionary class and has made its class requirements and national requirements the starting-point of all his revolutionary lines and policies. In our country all the revolutions–the anti-imperialist national-liberation revolution, the anti-feudal democratic revolution, the socialist revolution and the building of socialism–have been carried out successfully under the leadership of the working class. Our working class has grown steadily in strength, its role has increased and it is now successfully assimilating the whole of society to itself. With its gradual transformation on the pattern of the working class, the general appearance of our socialist society is being perfected as a society assimilated to the working class, as a classless society. When I say that our socialism meets the intrinsic desire of the working class, I do not mean that our socialist society exists only for the working class. The requirements of the working class agree with those of all the other classes and sections that are interested in social progress; the society that satisfies the requirements of the working class also meets the requirements of other classes and sections. The Juche idea has defined as the components of the driving force of the revolution not only the working class but also the peasantry, the intelligentsia and other broad sections of the population, and advocates that their interests, too, should be met. The peasantry, along with the working class, constitutes the major component of the driving force of the revolution; it is the motive force of the revolution. In former days when the peasantry accounted for the majority of the population in our country, it was always an important matter in the revolution to meet the interests of the peasants in full. In regarding the peasantry, along with the working class, as the main revolutionary force, the great leader saw to it that all the problems arising in the revolution were solved to meet the requirements of the peasantry, as well as those of the working class. Under the wise guidance of the Party and the leader, the agrarian reform was carried out to meet the age-long desire of the peasants to own land, and the socialist revolution in the postwar years was accomplished on the principle of voluntary cooperation and in the original way of reorganizing the form of the rural economy on socialist lines prior to technical requirement; all this was in accordance with the desire of the peasantry. With a view to the ultimate realization of the desire of the farmers, the leader published the theses on the socialist rural question and has given energetic guidance to the struggle to implement these theses. Our Party’s consistent policy in championing the farmers’ interests is to ensure that the state and society help the farmers in every possible, responsible manner to realize their desires and requirements. In our country, as indicated by the theses on the socialist rural question, the working-class guidance of the farmers, industrial assistance to agriculture, and urban support for the rural communities are being stepped up in every way, and the cause of making agriculture industrial and modern and of assimilating the farmers to the working class is being realized with success. Intellectuals play an important role in the revolution and construction, and their role is enhanced with social development. It is very important in the revolution and construction to deal with intellectuals properly. Ever since the first days of his revolutionary activities, the great leader has regarded intellectuals as a component of the driving force of the revolution, as a major revolutionary force, and has guided them to work for the revolution. In view of the fact that the old-line intellectuals, as colonial intellectuals, had the anti-imperialist spirit of independence and a democratic revolutionary spirit, our Party trusted them without hesitation, re-educated them and guided them to work for the working class. It has also trained a large number of new intellectuals of worker and peasant origin and thus built up an army of intellectuals. Under the wise leadership of the Party and the leader, our intellectuals are making an active contribution to the cause of socialism and communism by displaying all their revolutionary enthusiasm and creative talents in all fields of the revolution and construction. The exploiting class is not the driving force of social movement; it is a reactionary force and the target of the revolution. Dealing with the working masses as the driving force of the revolution and viewing the exploiting class as the target of the revolution on no account mean that people’s standpoint and attitude towards the revolution and counter-revolution should be defined merely on the basis of their social class. People’s social class influences their actions, but it does so through their ideological consciousness. Even people of an undesirable class origin, if under a revolutionary influence, can contribute to the revolution. The Juche idea’s approach towards people of different classes and strata is that they should be judged by their ideas and actions and that the people who help towards social progress and the revolution should be trusted as part of the driving force of the revolution, without their social class origin being questioned. Our Party has never hesitated to trust all the people who have come out in the struggle for the masses’ independence, and has guided them along the path of revolution. For the anti-imperialist, anti-feudal democratic revolution in our country, our Party formed a revolutionary force of not only the major classes, but also conscientious national capitalists, honest men of religion and all other forces that were opposed to imperialism and aspired to democracy. In the socialist revolution, it did not eliminate rich peasants and capitalist businessmen and entrepreneurs; it admitted them into the cooperative economy on the principle of voluntary participation and led them to be transformed into socialist working people. Our Party has been leading all these transformed people to socialism and communism by trusting them as its lasting companions, rather than as temporary fellow travellers, no matter which class or stratum they came from. Our socialism has been able to grow stronger and develop steadily, enjoying the unqualified support and confidence of the popular masse, because our Party has strengthened the driving force of the revolution and has built our socialism on the most durable and broadest foundation of social classes by promptly frustrating the counter-revolutionary schemes of a handful of hostile forces on the strength of its just class and mass line, at the same time as rallying different sections of the broad masses behind itself and the Government of the Republic. The members of a social collective are bound together by both the interests of the collective and those of individuals. The manner of combining these two categories of interests is an important factor that determines the progressive character of the social system. A capitalist society is ruled by egoism which sets the interests of the community against those of individuals and places the interests of individuals above those of the community. Egoism inevitably results in social inequality and “an increasing imbalance between rich and poor”, and it produces conflicting relations among people. Egoism conflicts with the intrinsic nature of man as a social being. Because he is a social being capable of shaping his destiny only within the social community, man has an intrinsic need for collectivism. The Juche idea has made clear that the masses, and not an individual, are the driving force of the revolution and that collectivism, and not egoism, is an intrinsic requirement of man. The basic requirement of collectivism is that the interests of the collective should be placed above those of individuals, that the two types of interests should be harmonized and that the interests of individuals should be realized through the realization of those of the collective. That which is contrary to collectivism is not the individual interests themselves but egoism which seeks to satisfy only individual interests at the expense of collective interests. In our socialist society, which is the application of the man-centred Juche idea, the interests of every individual are respected, and the maximum social benefits and consideration are accorded to every member of the society, on the basis of protecting the interests of the collective thoroughly, and the relationship of the unity and cooperation of the whole society is fully mature. A country and nation is the most comprehensive of social communities. It is a solid organization of people, a body with a common destiny, that has been formed socially and historically. The revolution and construction are conducted with the country and nation as a unit, and the interests of the social collective and those of the popular masses are realized within the unit of the country and nation. Outside the country and nation the popular masses cannot realize their desire for independence. The Juche idea regards the safeguarding of the independence of the country and nation as a fundamental requirement for realizing the masses’ independence. When the imperialists are working viciously to trample upon the sovereignty of the country and nation, the thorough safeguarding of its independence is vital to meeting the masses’ desire for independence and their interests. With the clear understanding that independence is the life blood of the country and nation, our Party and our people have always made it their cardinal task to safeguard the independence of their country and nation in their struggle for the revolution and construction. As a result, we have been able to build a dignified and powerful socialist country which is independent, self-sufficient, and self-reliant in its defence; we have been able to continue our dynamic advance along the revolutionary road by foiling the now-worsening anti-socialist moves of the imperialists and reactionaries. The struggle to champion the interests of the country and nation and to realize its independence is linked with the worldwide struggle for independence. Realizing worldwide independence by opposing the domination and subjugation of one country and nation by another and inequality among nations is a major requirement of the Juche idea which advocates independence. The cause of realizing independence throughout the world requires, as essential, friendship and cooperation among countries and nations. Strengthening cooperation among all countries and nations, large and small, on the principles of independence, equality and mutual respect creates favourable conditions for the people to realize their independence. At a time when the allied imperialist forces are resorting to evil schemes to trample upon the independence of the popular masses, it is very important to strengthen anti-imperialist international solidarity. All countries and all nations that advocate independence must unite solidly and struggle jointly under the revolutionary banner of anti-imperialist independence. Only then will they be able to frustrate the imperialists’ schemes of intervention and aggression and succeed in achieving independence throughout the world. Our people, guided by the ideals of independence, peace and friendship, have been strengthening international solidarity and developing the relations of friendship and cooperation with the people of all countries who aspire to independence; they have been effecting multilateral exchange with all the countries that are friendly towards ours, on the principles of equality and mutual benefit. In spite of the difficult conditions in which they are conducting the revolution and construction in direct confrontation with the US imperialists, our people have been giving unstinted material and moral support and encouragement to the peoples of the third world who are struggling for independence. Being the application of the Juche idea, the revolutionary idea of the era of independence, our socialism is the best socialism; it is centred upon the masses and strongly champions the desire of the working class and other social strata, the nation’s right to independence and the aspirations of the world’s people to independence. Socialism is a cause for the popular masses, and socialism and the interests of the masses can never be separated. In order to safeguard the interests of the masses, we must be faithful to the cause of socialism, and in order to champion the cause of socialism, we must thoroughly safeguard the interests of the masses. The aspirations and demands of the popular masses are the criterion for judging the truth of all social phenomena and the guide to all revolutionary activities. In future, too, we must at all times attach prime importance to the interests of the masses in the revolution and construction and deal with everything to meet them. We must firmly maintain the principle of thoroughly defending the fundamental interests of the popular masses and meeting their immediate interests by closely combining the two. In order to build socialism that is centred on the popular masses, we must adhere to a revolutionary stand which enables the masses to maintain their position as the masters of the revolution and construction and play their role as such. No matter how much importance we may attach to the desires and interests of the masses, we shall be unable to meet them properly in practice if we do not maintain a correct stand in our efforts to meet them. If the popular masses are to maintain their position as the masters of the revolution and construction and to play their role as such, they must adhere to the Juche stand, in other words, the stands of independence and creativity. The stands of independence and creativity are the fundamental stands which must be maintained in the revolution and construction. The independent stand is the stand for the masses to maintain their independent position as the masters of the revolution and construction and of their own destiny; the basic requirement of this stand is for them to exercise their rights as the masters of the revolution and construction and fulfil their responsibilities as such. The independent stand is expressed in exercising the right to independence in all spheres of social life. If the popular masses are to exercise the right to independence, they must deal with all matters in the revolution and construction by their own decisions and judgements so as to meet their desires and interests. The right to independence is not provided by others. The popular masses must win their independence and defend it through their own struggle as the masters of their own destiny. If the masses are to maintain their position as the masters of their own destiny and safeguard their right tot independence and their dignity, they must accept full responsibility for solving all problems on the principle of self-reliance. The creative stand is the stand for the popular masses to fulfil their role as people who transform nature and society and shape their own destiny; the basic requirement of this stand is for them to believe in their own inexhaustible creative power and solve all problems creatively by relying on their own creativity. A social movement is a creative movement; it is the process of a struggle between the new and the old. The masses are creators; they overcome the old and create the new. History advances and the revolution is promoted on the strength of the inexhaustible creativity of the masses. In order to give a strong impetus to the revolution and construction, we must maintain the attitude of fostering the creativity of the masses and enhancing their creative role. The creative activities of the masses are always conducted in concrete subjective and objective conditions. The thoughts and feelings, as well as the preparedness, of the masses who create new things vary according to the countries they live in, and the socio-economic and material conditions under which the creative activities are conducted also differ from country to country. In the revolution and construction one must always adhere to the attitude of solving every problem to suit the specific situation in one’s own country. The practical experience we have gained in our revolution clearly shows that when the Juche stand is firmly maintained any problem, however complex and difficult, in the revolution and construction can be solved. The socio-historical conditions of our revolution made it imperative to solve every problem from our own conviction to meet the will of our people and to suit the actual situation in our country. We started the revolution in a backward, colonial, semi-feudal society and had to build socialism under difficult circumstances in which the country was divided into the north and the south and everything was destroyed in the war. No ready-made formula capable of coping with such a situation could be found anywhere, still less one capable of blazing a trail in building socialism after the establishment of the socialist system. This required us to consider for ourselves all the problems raised in the revolution and construction and find solutions that suited the situation in our country. From the Juche stand the great leader advanced original theories on the anti-imperialist national-liberation revolution, the anti-feudal democratic revolution and the socialist revolution, and he systematized them; he has perfected a new theory on the building of socialism and communism in a comprehensive manner. The theory and strategy and tactics on the revolution and construction the leader authored by implementing the Juche idea are a revolutionary theory centred on the working masse; they are the strategy and tactics of the revolution which are based on the role of the working masses. They are a perfect revolutionary theory of communism which encompasses a comprehensive system of the theory of national, class and man’s emancipation and the theory of the transformation of society, nature and man. Because the original revolutionary theory and the strategy and tactics evolved by the leader light up their way ahead, our people have been able to carry the cause of socialism along a straight path to victory without the slightest deviation. The internal and external situation of our revolution was very complex; this made it vital for our people to promote the revolution and construction for themselves by fully displaying the revolutionary spirit of self-reliance. It is not easy for a small country to conduct the revolution and construction by itself. It was particularly arduous for our country to build socialism from scratch by its own efforts because the country was in sharp confrontation with a formidable imperialist foe and because it took over only backwardness, poverty and a devastated economy from the old society and the preceding age. However, our people did not undertake the revolution and construction with the help of anyone else. They were firmly convinced of their being the masters of their own destiny and of being capable of shaping their own destiny, and they formed a solid union behind the Party and the leader and hewed out the path of socialism, overcoming every trial by their own efforts. Because it has adhered to the Juche stand in the revolution and construction, our Party has been able to uphold the dignity of the nation and revolutionary principles under all circumstances, however complicated, and firmly carry forward the cause of socialism. The prevailing complex situation requires that we should maintain the Juche stand still more firmly in the revolution and construction. With the imperialists and reactionaries resorting to vicious anti-socialist manoeuvres and directing the spearhead of their attack at those countries which maintain revolutionary principles, we must adhere to the Juche stand in the revolution and construction more firmly than ever before. We must be fully aware that adhering to this stand is vital to the destiny of the country and the nation, and consistently implement the Party’s line and policy of independence, solving all problems to suit the situation in our country by drawing on the creativity of our people. ... ..