21/05/2016

ATrotskyistGoestoNorthKorea

ATrotskyistGoestoNorthKorea
1.62k
Ournewissue,BetweentheRisings,isoutnow.Tocelebrateitsrelease,international
subscriptionsare$25off,andlimitedprintsofourEaster1916coverareavailable.
L
astyear,photosofthemilitaryparadetocelebratetheseventiethanniversaryoftheWorkersParty
ofKoreatraveledtheworld.AllegednuclearmissilesfiledpastthepodiumKimJongun,aplump
youngdictatorinablackMaosuit,gavehisfirstpublicspeechintwoyearsthousandsofspectators
wavedcolorfulbouquetsofplasticflowersinperfectsynchronization.
AndafewWesterntouristswereinthecrowd.
IknowthisbecauseItoowasinPyongyanglastspring.Imnoworldtravelerandcertainlynota
Koreanist.
IoncereferredtoNorthKoreaasahipstersparadise:everyonehassinglegearbikesandvintage
clothes.Thereareplentyofsolarpanelsandalmostnocars.Awomanwhoworksinenvironmental
policyexclaimed:Thisisthefuture!
Andperversely,NorthKoreaisoneofthelastcornersoftheEarthwithanoncapitalistmodeof
production.Whilethatalternativeinvolveshorribleoppression,itsofnaturalinteresttoasocialist.
TheWayOver
I
tisnthardforWesterntouriststogettoNorthKorea,althoughlessthanfivethousandvisiteach
year.AllIhadtodowasbookatripwithaChinesetravelagency,wirethemabouttwohundred
dollarsforeachdayIdbeinthecountry,andsignamultipagestatementattestingthatImnota
journalist.Theagencytookcareofeverythingelse.
TheplanesoverheadmonitorsshowedaMoranbongBandconcert.TheMoranbongBandconsists
ofmorethanadozenyoungwomendressedinskimpywhitemilitaryuniformsahybridofthe
PussycatDollsandamilitaryband.
Themusicisquick,precise,andlimitlesslyoptimistic.Thesingersgesturesareperfectlycoordinated,
evenrobotic.Theaudienceisfullofoldmeninolivegreenuniformswhoseclappingisnoless
precise.
Thehipsterinmethrilled:Finally,abandthatnoonebesidesmeknows!
AtthePyongyangairport,Istoodnervouslyinfrontofaborderguard.WhenIyankedmyvisaoutof
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/05/northkoreapyongyangkimjonguntrotskyism/

1/7

21/05/2016

ATrotskyistGoestoNorthKorea

mypocket,aplasticpenflewthroughtheairandlandedontheofficialshead.
Avisionofaprisoncampflashedbeforemyeyes.Buthelaughedandsentmeonmyway.
Ihidallmycomputerfilesrelatedtopoliticsorjournalism.ButhowwelldotheyknowMacOSX?Kim
JungunisanMacuser,afterall.Butthecustomsagentsareuninterested.
Weretakenstraighttoahotelwhereweretreatedlikekings.WhilehundredsofPyongyang
residentscramthemselvesontocreakyelectricbuses,ourairconditionedcoachwasonlyhalffull.
Thehoteltheonlyoneforforeigntouristsinthewholecountryshootsfortysevenstoriesinto
thesky.ImexcitedabouttheviewuntilIrealizethatpowerisunreliable.Thefirstday,onlytwoofthe
eightelevatorsareinservice,andthewaittorideupisfortyfiveminutes.
AtleastthefoodinWesternRestaurantNumber2,asthemarketingexpertsoftheregime
christenedit,isplentiful,ifnotexactlygreat.
WhatisThisPlace?
I
tshardtounderstandNorthKorea.Ourtourgroupbeginsalongandimpassionedsearchfora
theorythatcanexplainthecountry.
ThestreetsofthecapitallooklikeestablishingshotsfromMadMen:menindarksuitswomenin
skirts,heels,andpearlnecklaces.
Wewonder:Arethesepeopleinthestreetperhapsjustactors?Andwhywontthestateguidestellus
anythingabouttheprisoncamps?(Tobefair,aDCtourguideprobablywouldntannouncerightoff
thebathowmanyAmericansarethrowninprisonandkilledbypolice.)
Thelocals,inthebriefsnippetsofconversationwecansneakbehindthebacksofourguides,arent
muchhelpwithourquestions.Theydonthaveanypointsofcomparison.
AyoungmanwitharedtieandamatchingredbicycletellsustheDemocraticPeoplesRepublicof
Koreaisthebanneroftheworldbeforeadmittingthathesneverleftitsborders.Ayoungwoman
askedmewhatKimIlsungUniversityisbestknownforinternationally.Istutteredthatitswellknown
forlotsofthings.
Westillneedanexplanation.Whatisthisplace,oneofthelastcornersoftheearthnotsubjecttothe
standardworkingsofcapitalistaccumulation?Soweproceedsystematically:whatarealltheterms
peopleapplytotheDPRK?
StoneAgecommunismthisisthemainstreampresssfavoritedescription.Butitdoesntmake
sense.IntheStoneAge,therewerenomaterialdifferencesbetweenpeople.Underwhatsomecall
primitivecommunism,everyonewaspoor,buteveryonewasequal.InNorthKorea,neitherofthese
thingsistrue.
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/05/northkoreapyongyangkimjonguntrotskyism/

2/7

21/05/2016

ATrotskyistGoestoNorthKorea

Inthecountryside,farmersworkwithdonkeysandwoodenplows.Buttheystillwearrubberboots
andcommunicateonmobilephones.Inthecapital,manyalsohavesmartphones.Comparing
smartphoneswithayoungwoman,IaskifhersisfromChina.No,shesays,confused,asifIhad
askedifitwasfromMars.ItsfromKorea.
Themarshal,asKimJungunisknown,livesacozylife.Butheisnottheonlyonetoenjoymaterial
benefits.Attheairport,wesawNorthKoreanofficialsreturningfromtripsabroadwaitingtopickup
theirgolfclubsfromthebaggagecarousel.
Partyfunctionariescanstilldrivecarsandvisitrestaurants,activitiesthatwouldbeinconceivablefor
mostcitizens.
InthewordsofFriedrichEngels,aStoneAgeleaderenjoyedunforcedandunquestionedrespect.
InNorthKorea,everyadultwearsasmallredpinwithpicturesoffounderKimIlsung,theeternal
president,andhisson,thegeneral,KimJongil.ButrespectfortheKimsorwhatourtourguide
callstheirdeificationseemstorequireabitofcoercion.
SothisisntStoneAgecommunism.Whatkindofsystemisit,then?Socialism?
Theregimecertainlyrepresentsitselfassocialist,butsincethe1990s,alltheimagesofMarxand
Leninhavedisappeared.
ThestatesfounderKimIlsungsupplantedMarxismLeninismwithhisownideology.Juchemeans
somethinglikeselfrelianceandstipulatesthatthemountainousnorthernhalfoftheKorean
peninsulamustbeanautarky.
Hisson,KimJongIl,expandedthistheorywithSungun:thearmynowhastoppriority.
Notoneofthetenprinciplesbywhichallcitizensmustlivefailstomentionobediencetothe
Kims.ThisisalmostasfarawayfromsocialisminMarxssenseasitisfromtheStoneAge.
Asaresult,andduetothecultaroundtheKimfamily,somepeopledescribeNorthKoreaasa
hereditarymonarchy.
Certaincomparisonstoabsolutismcometomind.TheKimshaveruledontheirpeninsulanearlyas
longastheSauddynastyontheirs.Andthereareubiquitousimagesofrulerswithsupposedmagical
abilities:KimJongIlreportedlyclaimedhecouldcontroltheweather.
Butatthesametime,theDPRKisstrictlyatheistic.TouriststoNorthKoreaarenotallowedtobring
theBibleorotherreligiouswritings.ThereareattemptstostaveoffChristianmissionarieswhoare
constantlytryingtomakeheadwayinthecountry.Everyoneunderstandsthattheeternalpresident
(whodiedin1994)isnotlookingdownfromheaven.
Butthecountryneverthelessevokesareligiouscult.Theimposinglyjoyfultourguideswouldfit
seamlesslyintopromotionalvideosforaparticularlyaggressivechurch.InPyongyangeveryone
wearsasteelysmilealongwiththeconvictionthattheirmiserablelivingconditionsareamongthe
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/05/northkoreapyongyangkimjonguntrotskyism/

3/7

21/05/2016

ATrotskyistGoestoNorthKorea

bestintheworld.
Soisitsomethingelse?
Thissummer,theSlovenianprovocationbandLaibach,whosatirizesNaziaesthetics,touredinNorth
Korea.Halftheworldspeculatedaboutthisstrangeevent.PerhapstheNorthKoreanssimplydonot
getthejoke?Afterall,onlyafewhundredpeopleinthecountryhaveaccesstoWikipedia.
OneNorthKoreanmanwhowasattheshowtoldtheBBC,Thereareallkindsofmusic.Nowwe
knowthereisthiskindofmusictoo.Washesatirizingthesatirists?Whoistellingandwhoisthebutt
ofthisjoke?
Thenithitme:itslikelythatKimJungunattendedaSwissboardingschool.Whatiftheyoung
dictatorwasaDadaist?CouldNorthKoreabeasurrealistGesamtkunstwerk?
No.Weprobablyneedanothertheory.
PlannedEconomy
L
etsstart,inthespiritofhistoricalmaterialism,withtherelationsofproduction.
NorthKoreahas,byandlarge,aplannedeconomy:mostpeopleworkforthestate,andthe
governmentdistributesmostproducts.
Infact,itwasthisplanningthatenabledtheKoreaneconomicmiracleafterthewar.Theterm
originallyreferredtotheNorthsindustrializationruralSouthKoreadidnotovertaketheindustrial
Northeconomicallyuntil1975.
Nevertheless,economicplanninginthecountrynevercameclosetofunctioningasMarxorEngels
envisioneditbecauseworkershaveneverdemocraticallydeterminedproductionanddistribution.A
groupofstatefunctionaries,withtheKimdynastyatthehead,havecontrol.
Forexample,whenKimJungundecidedthatthecapitalneededaworldclasswaterpark,the
militaryhighcommandtookoverresponsibilityandtheheadofstatepersonallycheckedinon
progresssevendifferenttimes.(Icanconfirmitwasanincrediblyfunwaterpark.)
ThisreachedabsurdproportionswhenKimJungilorderedhundredsofthousandsofpeopletohis
massdanceeventswhichwouldlastforweeksonend.
Lestyouthinkthisabsurdityisnew,founderKimIlsungestablishedtheOnSiteGuidanceroutine
thatKimJongunLookingatThingsdocuments.
CapitalistRestoration
E
conomicplanninginNorthKoreahasenduredlongerthanitdidinRussiaorChina.However,the
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/05/northkoreapyongyangkimjonguntrotskyism/

4/7

21/05/2016

ATrotskyistGoestoNorthKorea

governmentisnowopeningmarketniches.
Farmersinstateorcollectivefarmscansowsomefieldsthemselvesandselltheproceedsin
markets.ThankstoChineseimports,manyapartmentshavesolarpanels,andchildrenwearMickey
Mouseclothing.
Tourismissupposedtobringforeigncurrencyintothecountry.TheyoungestKimopenedalargeski
resortin2014anddreamsoftwomillionforeigntouristseachyear,ratherthanthefivethousandwho
visitnow.
Theproblemis,everysooften,atouristgetsshotorsentencedtohardlabor.Notexactlythe
vacationadvertisementcampaignthegovernmentwouldwant.
Still,thechangeshavebeenpronounced.InNorthKorea,asinChinainthenineties,thereare
specialeconomiczoneswhereforeigncompaniescaninvest.Wagesgotothestate,whichpasses
onasmallportiontotheworkers.
Touristscanvisitthefacilitiesinthesezonesaslongastheydonottakepicturesoftheproducts
manufacturedthere.Severalmultinationalcompanieshavebeenreluctanttoadmitthattheyhave
textilessewninNorthKorea.
ThestatealsoexportsfiftythousandormoreworkerstoChina,Russia,andevenQatar.Themajority
oftheirwagesalsogodirectlytothegovernment.
ButforeigninvestorsdontseemparticularlykeenonfinancingacapitalistrestorationintheNorth.
ThemoneycertainlyisntflowinginNorthKoreadependsoncertainmarketsthatotherproducers
avoid.
Accordingtounconfirmedrumors,thechemicalindustry,whichfoundnobuyersforitslegalproducts,
nowspecializesinamphetamines.NorthKoreasupposedlysuppliesChinaswholedrugmarket:a
countrysizedversionofWalterWhitefromBreakingBad.AndwhenhighqualitycounterfeitUS
dollarsshowupintheregion,theyprobablycomefromtheDPRK.
AneconomylikethissurvivesonlythankstoChina,whichintervenedintheKoreanWarafterUS
troopsbeganpushingnorth.ChinafarprefersanunpredictablesatellitestatethanNATOatits
doorstep.TheleadershipinBeijingwouldfindtheKimregimescollapse,whichwouldresultin
millionsofrefugeesandarivalattheborder,unacceptable.
Still,theKimsboastabouttheirindependencefromChinaandKimJungunhasyettomakea
courtesyvisittohisfinanciers.
Degeneration
O
urtourgroupsquestionisstillunanswered.WhatisNorthKorea?Itisaplannedeconomywithout
democracyaprivilegedcastemakesallthedecisionsattheheadofthiscastesitsaninfallible
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/05/northkoreapyongyangkimjonguntrotskyism/

5/7

21/05/2016

ATrotskyistGoestoNorthKorea

leader.
SoyoumightsayNorthKoreaisStalinist.Butthatonlyraisesanotherquestion:whatisStalinism?
Forademocraticplannedeconomytowork,itneedsacertainlevelofproductivity.Italsoneeds
workerswhocanactivelyparticipateinthemanagementofsocietyintheformofcouncils.Butin
NorthKorea,whichhadbeenbombedtothegroundinthewar,severepovertywasthenorm.A
privilegedbureaucracyemergedfromthissituation.
Marxhadalreadyindirectlypredictedthisin1845arevolutionwithoutthedevelopmentofproductive
forcescouldnotprevail,hewrote,becausewithdestitution,thestrugglefornecessitiesandallthe
oldfilthybusinesswouldnecessarilybereproduced.
AndRussianrevolutionaryLeonTrotskydescribedananalogoussituationintheyoungSovietUnion:
Thebasisofbureaucraticruleisthepovertyofsocietyinobjectsofconsumption,withtheresulting
struggleofeachagainstall.Someonehastopolicethebreadlinesanddecidewhoistoget
somethingandwhohastowait.
TwoCorpses
T
hehighlightofmytimeintheDPRKwasatriptothePalaceoftheSun,theeternalrestingplaceof
KimIlsungandKimJongil.
WhenLenindiedandtheSovietleadershipdecidedtoputhisbodyondisplay,hiscomradeand
widowNadezhdaKrupskayaprotestedagainsttheplaninPravda:Donotraisememorialstohim,
palacesnamedafterhim,splendorousfestivalsincommemorationofhim.
Theyignoredher,andthemausoleuminRedSquareisaphysicalmanifestationoftherevolutions
collapsefromproletariandemocracytobureaucraticmysticism.
ThemaintenanceofthecorpseapparentlycoststheRussianstatenearlytwohundredthousand
dollarsayear.ButtheMoscowmausoleumisashantycomparedtothePyongyangpalace.
InthePyongyangmausoleum,movingwalkwaystakeuspastendlesspicturesofKimsLookingAt
Things.Thecontrastbetweenthecharismaticgrandfatherandthecreepyfatherofthecurrentruler
isstriking.
Wefinallyarriveintwoidenticalmarblewalledrooms.Withouthisoversizedsunglasses,KimJongil
doesntlookthatfunny.Ingroupsoffourwebowtothreesidesofthesarcophagusbutnottoward
thehead,whichwouldapparentlybedisrespectful.
Next,wegotoasmallmuseumwhereweseeKimJongilsprivatetraincar,hisMercedes,hisgolf
cart,evenhisyacht.WeseeawardsandliterarydegreesthatmightevenrivalthoseofL.Ron
Hubbard.

https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/05/northkoreapyongyangkimjonguntrotskyism/

6/7

21/05/2016

ATrotskyistGoestoNorthKorea

AworldmapdisplayshisworldtravelswithlasershenevergotfurtherthanKorea,Russia,and
China.
TheDPRK,withitsdynasticcultofpersonality,stretchesTrotskysdefinitionofadegenerate
workersstate:Stalinshellishregimeisheresomehowmademorehorrific.
Afterfivedaysinthisstrangecountry,Imconvincedthanthisis,infact,apostcapitalisteconomy:
notStoneAgecommunism,certainlynotsocialism,notamonarchy,butratheraparticularly
cultishformofStalinismthelogicalconclusionoftryingtobuildaplannedeconomywithoutahint
ofworkersdemocracy.
TheKoreanpeoplesresistancerippedthecountryawayfromimperialistcontrol.Butthepovertyand
isolationthatfollowedproducedabureaucraticnightmare.
But,aspoorasthepeopleofNorthKoreaaretoday,onecannotsaytheirsituationwillnecessarily
improvewiththeestablishmentofaUSfriendlyregime.Aviolentdemocratictransitionas
envisionedattheendofTheInterviewisunlikelytoimprovethelivesofordinaryKoreans.History
hastoldusthatmuchaboutWesternintervention.
Butthereisstillhope,howeverdistant,ofanalternative.TouriststoNorthKoreaareallowedtobring
booksaslongastheyarenotreligious.SothewritingsofTrotsky,inwhichhecallsfortheoverthrow
ofthebureaucracy,wouldbelegalgiftsforourKoreanhosts.
IameagertotraveltotheDPRKagain,thistimewithTrotskyinmyluggage.
ThenewissueofJacobinisoutnow.Buyacopy,adiscountedsubscription,oracommemorative
postertoday.
Ifyoulikethisarticle,pleasesubscribeordonate.

Google+

https://www.jacobinmag.com/2016/05/northkoreapyongyangkimjonguntrotskyism/

7/7