Tuesday 28 March 2017

35 years since the publication of "ON THE JUCHE IDEA " -contribution of Dr Dermot Hudson to the Skype Seminar of the ASSPUK, JISGE and UK UK KFA on the 24th of March



The 31st of March will see the 35th anniversary of the publication of the historic and classic treatise "ON THE JUCHE IDEA " by the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il.
This is the definitive and seminal work that gives a very clear understanding of the Juche Idea. There are many misunderstandings about the Juche idea even today . Some of these are spread quite deliberately , others arise from ignorance and superficiality. The blockheads of the bourgeois media love to tell us that Juche just means self-reliance which is turn means autarky,which is actually wrong on both counts. Then we have various so-called  “Left “ critics of Juche who make various false assertions usually that Juche is “nationalism “ or that Juche is anti-Marxist , has rejected Marxism-Leninism etc and at the other end of this spectrum Juche is just “Stalinism “etc. An in depth reading of  ON THE JUCHE IDEA “ will clear away these  fundamental misconceptions  and saw that in fact Juche is a comprehensive and integrated ideological and philosophical system.
This work of the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il fully systematised for the first time and carried to a new higher level, the immortal Juche idea authored by the great leader comrade Kim Il Sung , the eternal president of the DPRK. President Kim Il Sung had developed the Juche idea over a number of years, important landmarks in this development were the works "Path of the Korean Revolution", "On Eliminating Dogmatism and Formalism and establishing Juche in ideological work"and " On some problems of our party's Juche idea and the government of the Republic's internal and external policies"
Comrade Kim Jong Il’s   treatise  ON THE JUCHE IDEA “ is very profound and massive in contents. It is composed of five chapters–the origin of the Juche idea, the philosophical, socio-historical and guiding principles and the historical significance of the Juche idea. It comprehensively delineates all the problems arising in accomplishing the cause of mankind for independence.
Leader Kim Jong Il in his thesis "ON THE JUCHE IDEA" looked at the Juche idea in its entirety . In the work he examined the application of the Juche idea to philosophy and historiography as well the application of the Juche idea in practical fields. In this work for the first time in the history of philosophy leader comrade Kim Jong Il defined the nature and essence of man. He said that man is a being , with independence, creativity and consciousness. These three factors form an integral whole. He taught that Juche proves that man is the master of the world, he said
"The Juche idea shows a new viewpoint and attitude to the world, on the basis of man′s position and role as master of the world.

The viewpoint and attitude to the world shown by the Juche idea are those with which the world is approached by focusing on man, the master of the world.

Taking a man-centred attitude towards the world means approaching the world from the viewpoint of interests of man, the master of the world."

This is the central philosophical core of the Juche Idea .It demonstrates the true philosophical genius of the great leader comrade Kim Jong Il .
In the work comrade Kim Jong Il defines the popular masses as the subject rather than object of social history saying
The question of the subject of history is a basic question in  understanding  the  development  of  society,  the  development  of 
revolution, from the attitude and point of view of Juche.
As the leader instructed, the working masses are the subject
of history and the motive force of social progress.
History  develops  through  the  struggle  of  the  masses  to transform  nature  and  society.  That  history  develops  precisely means that the position and role of the masses as the subject ofhistory are enhanced.”
Comrade Kim Jong Il correctly points out that the laws of social movement are different to those of nature , though of course social movement is affected by the universal laws of the material world stressing that “In  contrast,  the  social  movement  is  caused  and  developed  by  the  volitional  action and role of the subject

Comrade Kim Jong Il also explained how Juche is applied in terms of state building and immediate day to day policies .
““If the revolution and construction are to be carried out as required by the Juche idea, independence must be maintained and realized in Party and state activities.
  The leader laid down the principles of Juche in ideology, independence in politics, self-sufficiency in the economy, and self-reliance in defense as the principles of realizing independence. The principles of Juche, independence, self-sufficiency and self-reliant defense are the guiding principles of realizing independence in the
spheres of ideology, politics, the economy and defense”
   So Juche can be defined  in terms of its practical application as  having three core principles namely independence, self sustenance and self-defence. Of course this is not to reduce Juche as simply meaning self-reliance.
 
The work "ON THE JUCHE IDEA " brilliantly expounded the superiority of the Juche idea. It showed have it overcame limitations of preceding theories such as determinism and over-emphasis on material and economic factors. At the same time it soundly crushed revisionist and opportunist theories which preached giving up revolution and weakened (and eventually frustrated) the building of socialism.
When it was published it caused a big impact. It was carried in more than 10 million copies of publications in over 90 countries in less than a year and printed in book form in 144 countries.

The work "ON THE JUCHE IDEA " shines brightly as a brilliant manifesto for total human liberation in all fields. It gives correct answers for those building socialism, correct answers for those overcoming imperialist oppression building new independent societies , correct answers for those struggling for independence against imperialism and correct answers for those fighting against capitalist oppression and exploitation.
I can remember as a student having problems with Marxism-Leninism and dialectical materialism which asserted the change of social systems occurred simply because of the contradictions or even a comparison with water turning to steam when it reached a certain temperature . When I discovered Juche I found the true path to understanding the laws of social change .

"ON THE JUCHE IDEA" is a a work that should be studied by all progressives, anti-imperialists,anti-capitalists ,socialists and communists as well serious students of philosophy.
As it has been said "study the Juche idea , it will cost you nothing but will pay in plenty ! "

Dr Dermot Hudson 
President ASSPUK
Chairman JISGE
Official Delegate KFA UK


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