| Juche | |
|---|---|
| Korean name | |
| Chosǒn'gǔl: | 주체 |
| Hanja: | 主體 |
| McCune-Reischauer: | Chuch'e |
| Revised Romanization: | Juche |
Juche (pronounced "Joo-cheh"), officially called the Juche Idea in English, also dubbed by some as Kimilsungism, is the official state ideology of the Korean Workers' Party leading The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The name is Korean and means something similar to 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 North Korean 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. Critics say Juche is little more than an excuse to isolate the country from the rest of the world.
The Juche-influenced Chollima (later known as Taean) economic campaign of the 1960s describes the rapid development of the DPRK economy and growth, and strengthened the DPRK's 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 as it is practiced in North Korea was meant only for the national needs of the Korean nation and was never meant to be exported outside Korea although some people compare North Korea with Romania during the Cold War. It is intended to be adapted to the national needs of each specific country. While Juche study groups exist in many Western countries, they are few in numbers, and are often run by enthusiasts and they exist more for curious and interested people rather than actual study.