North Korean State TV Says Kim Jong Il Died

[Mrs. Garrison]

The website mentions doing business in North Korea.

Seriously? Business in North Korea?

hey, they proudly boast

Lowest labour cost in Asia.

 

[INDY500]

North Korea:

So why doesn't it get any attention from the U.S. government, like Iran does now and Iraq did in the last decade?

Oh I forgot to mention that it has no oil.

Have they dropped the Korean War and the 35,000 American GIs that lost their lives there from current textbooks?

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

Have they dropped the Korean War and the 35,000 American GIs that lost their lives there from current textbooks?

not to mention 30k US troops currently stationed in various bases all over the country.

 

[INDY500]

not to mention 30k US troops currently stationed in various bases all over the country.

Supported by the Pacific Fleet.

 

[cobl04]

Hey vlad how are they classless? Again, out of my element here, but it would appear to me that there are two distinct classes in North Korea.

I can wait. Believe me. If anything it needs more GIFS, preferably one leading to a guestbook.

... I actually had to check just then to make sure there wasn't one already.

PROUD MEMBER OF THE DEAR LEADER'S WEBRING

Oh you

 

[Vlad n U 2]

If North Korea opens let me be the first to introduce capitalism to them. I have dibs on porno theaters and useless gadgets.

And those mass games will be replaced by large LCD screens.

Hey vlad how are they classless? Again, out of my element here, but it would appear to me that there are two distinct classes in North Korea.

I didn't say they were classless. Friggin'.

 

[cobl04]

I didn't say they were classless. Friggin'.

I lol'd.

How is that even possible? A stateless/classless society cannot be a dictatorship.

?

 

[Vlad n U 2]

?

I messed up my post so now I understand how weird it sounds. What I meant to say, is that a stateless/classless society cannot be a dictatorship so it is ridiculous to suggest that NK is a 'communist dictatorship' like A11 did. I have trouble with wording on occasions.

 

[LemonMelon]

http://www.korea-dpr.com/forum/

I don't know what you guys are talking about. Kim Jong Il is peerlessly patriot.

I'm so disappointed that this isn't an actual message board we could spam. I wanted to be Shaun Vox.

 

[cobl04]

I messed up my post so now I understand how weird it sounds. What I meant to say, is that a stateless/classless society cannot be a dictatorship so it is ridiculous to suggest that NK is a 'communist dictatorship' like A11 did. I have trouble with wording on occasions.

But there are two distinct classes in North Korea? The government and the people? correct me if I'm wrong...

 

[Vlad n U 2]

But there are two distinct classes in North Korea? The government and the people? correct me if I'm wrong...

No, you're right. We're confusing each other here. NK is not communist. Hence why I've said what I've said.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

http://www.korea-dpr.com/forum/

I don't know what you guys are talking about. Kim Jong Il is peerlessly patriot.

I'm so disappointed that this isn't an actual message board we could spam. I wanted to be Shaun Vox.

It could've been the best of all things ever.

 

[PhilsFan]

But there are two distinct classes in North Korea? The government and the people? correct me if I'm wrong...

The point he's trying to make is that a lot of people who don't really understand foreign policy look at all "bad" governments as dictatorships, communists, and socialists, as if those words all mean the same thing. They're all just words with such connotations of fear in the US that people don't even understand them. People will call North Korea socialist or communist, when it has never been either of those things. It's a dictatorship.

 

[Achtung11]

North Korea is not communist in the classical textbook term because yes, the government has all the power and so it's not classless. But it is a centrally planned economy and there is almost no private enterprise, which obviously makes it communist economically. Politically, it's a dictatorship. And so that's why I used the term "communist dictatorship".

 

[canedge]

They're all just words with such connotations of fear in the US that people don't even understand them.

If I was granted one wish in this world I would wish that people from the US would have a better understanding of the word 'socialism.'

 

[canedge]

How much impact does one person have? The real work begins when North Korea opens up and begins to embrace Western modernity much like China has over the last twenty five years. Check out the photo below of DPRK and see how much they have to do on the electrical front.

North Korea is Dark

 

[canedge]

North Korea is not communist in the classical textbook term because yes, the government has all the power and so it's not classless. But it is a centrally planned economy and there is almost no private enterprise, which obviously makes it communist economically.

Each country has its own adaptation of free market or planned economy. How successful has the de-centralization of the Soviet and Eastern European economies? Created many billionaires thats for sure.

 

[PhilsFan]

North Korea is not communist in the classical textbook term because yes, the government has all the power and so it's not classless. But it is a centrally planned economy and there is almost no private enterprise, which obviously makes it communist economically. Politically, it's a dictatorship. And so that's why I used the term "communist dictatorship".

... A dictatorship has a planned economy with no private enterprise. It's not exclusive to communism.

 

[Achtung11]

... A dictatorship has a planned economy with no private enterprise. It's not exclusive to communism.

Not necessarily. Nazi Germany had private enterprise. Saudi Arabia, a monarchy, has significant private enterprise. Libya had some private enterprise under Gaddafi.

Communism is an economic ideology as well as a social and political ideology. On the economic spectrum, ranging from communism to capitalism, North Korea obviously falls on the communist end.

There are no absolutes. Has there ever been a truly communist or capitalist nation by the textbook definition?

 

[canedge]

Hate to say it but now is the time to get in there and make some ground on those prisoners camps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y0yhV6IT7o

 

[Vlad n U 2]

The point he's trying to make is that a lot of people who don't really understand foreign policy look at all "bad" governments as dictatorships, communists, and socialists, as if those words all mean the same thing. They're all just words with such connotations of fear in the US that people don't even understand them. People will call North Korea socialist or communist, when it has never been either of those things. It's a dictatorship.

Thank you.

North Korea is not communist in the classical textbook term because yes, the government has all the power and so it's not classless. But it is a centrally planned economy and there is almost no private enterprise, which obviously makes it communist economically. Politically, it's a dictatorship. And so that's why I used the term "communist dictatorship".

It has absolutely nothing to do with communism, its economic system is best described as state capitalist. The workers do not control the means of production, and the workers having control is the definition of a communist/socialist economy. So NK is not 'communist', but rather, I feel, quite the peculiar theocracy with a strong sense of nationalism and it's just so messed up in every way and you can't even describe it as being even close to socialism/communism and ugh.

If I was granted one wish in this world I would wish that people from the US would have a better understanding of the word 'socialism.'

Yeah but then we wouldn't be exposed to as much hilarity as we have.

Has there ever been a truly communist or capitalist nation by the textbook definition?

We've never had a truly socialist nation in the world to this date, the requirement for that being the workers controlling the production, as mentioned before.

(Phew, it's a damn hot day today. )

 

[Earnie Shavers]

If I was granted one wish in this world I would wish that people from the US would have a better understanding of the word 'socialism.'

Especially when talking about a certain centre-right President.

 

[canedge]

I should add to Vlads points that only 'micro' systems are purer forms of the above. The character of economic systems tend to change as they get larger or smaller.

 

[INDY500]

If I was granted one wish in this world I would wish that people from the US would have a better understanding of the word 'socialism.'

We have a better understanding than we did 3 years ago.

 

[INDY500]

It has absolutely nothing to do with communism, its economic system is best described as state capitalist. The workers do not control the means of production, and the workers having control is the definition of a communist/socialist economy.

The ruling party is the Korean Workers' Party so communism is their goal. The problem with central planning is it requires some muscle to convince all the citizens to... play along. That muscle may be the tyranny of communism, the soft tyranny of socialism of the soft despotism of the nanny state.

So NK is not 'communist', but rather, I feel, quite the peculiar theocracy with a strong sense of nationalism and it's just so messed up in every way and you can't even describe it as being even close to socialism/communism and ugh.

While some of that is true regarding N Korea, by your pure definitions, the United States is not a capitalist economy because it's not laissez-faire capitalism.

 

[canedge]

I generally accepted the North Korean way of life economically. What really shocks and disgusts me is the unacceptable human rights abuses and intolerance of other ways of life.

 

[PhilsFan]

The ruling party is the Korean Workers' Party so communism is their goal. The problem with central planning is it requires some muscle to convince all the citizens to... play along. That muscle may be the tyranny of communism, the soft tyranny of socialism of the soft despotism of the nanny state.

While some of that is true regarding N Korea, by your pure definitions, the United States is not a capitalist economy because it's not laissez-faire capitalism.

we have certainly learned a lot more about laissez faire capitalism in the last 30 years.

 

[INDY500]

we have certainly learned a lot more about laissez faire capitalism in the last 30 years.

I'd say we've learned how harmful crony capitalism, government bailouts, tax loopholes, corporate welfare, artificial bubbles and ill-informed regulations are.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

The ruling party is the Korean Workers' Party so communism is their goal .

Just like the country is called the 'Democratic Republic'?

 

[Vlad n U 2]

That muscle may be the tyranny of communism, the soft tyranny of socialism of the soft despotism of the nanny state.

Oh nooo!1!! the socilits1!1!1

I'm pretty sure, they don't even have the word 'communism' in their constitution. Their state ideology is Juche/Songun. Which is, yeah, not really related to socialism/communism.

Would you say that China's goal is 'communism'?