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Revision as of 10:04, 5 August 2005 by Thecunninglinguists (talk | contribs) (No point in linking with Stalinism, radically different)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Template:Koreanname north Juche (pronounced "Joo-cheh"), officially called the Juche Idea in English is the official state ideology of the WPK ruling the DPRK. The name is Korean and means self-reliance. It states that the subject of the revolution should be the masses, not any foreign power. It further develops that the nation must rely on itself; in this sense self-reliance or autarky. Juche is based on the teachings of Kim Il-sung.
Juche has been promoted by the DPRK government and educational system since the term was first used in a 1955 speech by Kim Il Sung. At first, the ideology consisted of two fundamental ideas: that the proletarian revolution belonged to the people, and that man is the master of the revolution.
From an economic standpoint, Juche also calls for the DPRK to be self-sufficient in industry and services, while preserving the dignity and sovereignity of the entire nation, and it has been applied more strenuously since the 1960's. The economic focus has been on heavy industry, national defense, and agriculture.
The Juche-influenced Chollima (later known as Taean) economic campaign of the 1960s describes the rapid development of the DPRK economy and growth, and strenghtened the DPRK's Koreas independence from other nations.
In 1977, Juche replaced Marxism-Leninism in the DPRK constitution, solidifying its position in the state's government and society.
Some sociologists and other overseas scholars have likened Juche to a religious movement. Juche authorities state that the idea is a secular one and that the idea of a religious movement lacks any basis in reality as Juche only addresses the problems of life, not what happens after death.
The ideology was meant only for the national needs of the Korean nation and was never meant to be exported outside Korea although some people compare the DPRK with Communist Romania. While Juche study groups exist in many Western countries, they are not numerous, they are often run by enthusiasts and they exist more for curious and interested people rather than actual study.
Juche Calendar
The DPRK government and associated organisations use a variant of the Gregorian calendar with a "Juche" year based on 1912 C.E., the birthdate of Kim Il Sung, as year 1. As a result, the year numbering is the same as that for the "Minguo" year numbering used in Taiwan area (Republic of China). Months are unchanged from the standard calendar. There was no Juche Year zero. In many instances the Juche year is given after the C.E. year, for example 27 June 2005 Juche 94. In Korean texts, the Juche year is usually put in front of the corresponding C.E. year instead.
See also
External link
- The International Institute of the Juche Idea
- Juche Idea Study Group of England
- Songun Politics Study Group USA
- Korea is one!
- Korean Friendship Association