Keynote Report to European Seminar on Juche Idea and Issues of Socialism Ever-victorious Is Cause of Mankind for Independence, Cause of Socialism Edmond Jouve Deputy Director-General of the IIJI Board, President of the Council of the European Regional Society for the Study of the Juche Idea, Professor at the University of Paris V, France Dear comrades and friends! I am mostly pleased to get together like this with many comrades and friends who are now invariably upholding the unflagging banner of independence, socialism and working devotedly for its materialization in many European countries. >From now on I would like to propose a keynote report entitled by "Ever-victorious Is Cause of Mankind for Independence, Cause of Socialism" since I am highly honoured to be assigned by the Preparatory Committee for the seminar to submit this report. Comrades and friends! The historical task facing the progressive European people who aspire to socialism today is to restore and advance the socialist movement on a new basis. As you know, the 2oth century witnessed an abnormal situation of bankruptcy of socialism in various countries which emerged victorious in one country in the 10th of this century and later converted into world-wide range. The progressive European people who aspire to socialism are now seeking after the way to overcome the historical waves caused by the bankruptcy of socialism, restore and victoriously advance socialism. I am fully convinced that our seminar opened under the agenda of "the Juche Idea and Issues of Socialism" will undoubtedly not only give powerful stimulation to the broad sections of people to arise out in the honourable struggle for socialism with conviction in victory and fresh courage, but also mark a historical significance in restoring and advancing the socialist movement on the basis of the scientific socialist ideology and theory. 1. Dear comrades and friends! The socialist idea emerged early in the world as a reflection of the popular masses' long-cherished desire to lead independent and creative lives to their hearts' content in a society free from exploitation and oppression. It has long remained, however, as a fantasy since the scientific approaches to realizing socialism were not found. Marxism elucidated conditions and methods for the social liberation of the working class, thus shifting socialism from fantasy to science and inspired the European working class to the struggle against the domination of capitalism, opening the beginning of the socialist movement. Leninism inherited and developed Marxism in accordance with the historical condition that capitalism turned into imperialism and proved the possibility of the socialist victory in a certain country, thereby carrying socialism into historical realization and laying the beginning of the transition from capitalism to socialism. Opening the socialist movement and laying the beginning of transition to socialism, needless to say, constitute the historical achievements of the founders of Marx-Leninism which contributed to the socialist cause of mankind. The struggle of the popular masses for independence never remains in one place. The victory of socialism in a certain country affected other countries in the world, bringing about a rapid growth of the struggle of the people for independence. In this way, a new age was approaching, in which revolutionary struggle made progress in a broad and diversified way on a worldwide scale. However, this never meant that the struggle of the popular masses for independence was developing smoothly. Socialism once upsurged in some European countries witnessed repeated failures and trials and especially the struggle of the people in colonies and semi-colonies had gone this way and that, without finding the correct way. The development of the times needs that of idea and theory. Only when they have ideas and theories correctly reflecting the demand of the times, the struggle of the popular masses for independence can brave through all sorts of hardships and trials and advance victoriously. President Kim Il Sung, with a far insight into the urgent demand of the new times which was quickening within the framework of old, previous age, created the Juche idea, the man- centred outlook on the world and the scientific theory for the realization of the masses' independence. Thus he developed the struggle of the popular masses for independence onto a new higher stage and opened up a new historical era, the era of independence. The Juche idea elucidated the great truth that the master of one's destiny is oneself and that the strength with which to hew out one's own destiny also lies in oneself. Particularly it defined the revolutions in colonies and semi-colonies which were considered, in the past, only reserve army of the socialist movement in the suzerain state as an original one the people of that country should carry out on their own responsibility. It also extensively presented ways for its realization, opening a new era of the colonial national liberation struggle. Thus in the wake of the Second World War a lot of colonial and semi- colonial countries achieved national independence and embarked upon the road of building a new society and socialism became converted into the worldwide system thanks to the socialist reforms in many Asian and European countries. This was, indeed, a huge historical landmark. President Kim Il Sung's revolutionary idea has been continuously intensified and developed by General Secretary Kim Jong Il, outstanding successor to the independent cause, socialist cause. This is the meaningful year marking the 35th anniversary of General Secretary Kim Jong Il starting the work in the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea,the General Staff of the Korean revolution. General Secretary Kim Jong Il, with unusual wisdom and painstaking and enthusiastic ideo- theoretical activities, defined the revolutionary idea of President Kim Il Sung as an integrated system of the Juche- oriented ideology, theory and methodology and thus systematized it comprehensively and invariably developed in depth in accordance with the requirement of the times and the developing revolution. Only within a few years after bankruptcy of socialism in various countries, he published a series of classical works such as "Socialism Is a Science", "Abuses of Socialism Are Intolerable" and "Our Socialism Centred on the Masses Shall Not Perish", thus throwing a scientific light on all the problems arising in safeguarding and developing socialism. His original socialist ideology and theory constitute the general socialist principles on which to lead our socialist movement of our age to brilliant victory. His works give us conviction in victory and encouragement, indomitable will and strength. General Secretary Kim Jong Il applied the Juche idea and the Juche-oriented theory of socialism to the concrete reality while leading the revolution and construction and thus performed great exploits that would remain in the centuries. General Secretary Kim Jong Il set forth the cause of modelling the whole society on the Juche idea as the supreme program of the working-class party and sagaciously led the Korean people in their struggle for its realization. Thanks to his leadership, Korean socialism has been defended in defiance of the imperialist manoeuvres to isolate and stifle it, and the stronghold of socialist movement further cemented even in the stringent turmoil of history. Following the collapse of socialism in the several countries, the imperialists and reactionary elements directed towards the DPRK. To make it worse, Korea has been hit hard by repeated natural disasters for recent years. We knew very well how great hardships the Korean people had to suffer from and therefore, we scrutinized anxiously the tense situation on the Korean Peninsula. However, the Korean people created miracles beyond the imagination of the world's people. General Secretary Kim Jong Il, with firm belief in his people, inspired them to the nation-wide struggle to defend socialism in defiance of isolation and suppression manoeuvres by the imperialists and further strengthen and develop the popular masses-centred socialism. Taking the lead of the "arduous march", the socialist forced march, General Secretary Kim Jong Il, with outstanding and seasoned leadership based on indomitable iron will, great insight and far-sightedness and unchallenged strategies to convert unfavourable conditions into favourable ones, ensured that the people should create new miracles and innovations in all fronts of the socialist construction by overcoming all difficulties. As the result of the wise leadership of General Secretary Kim Jong Il, the popular masses-centred socialism in Korea has been further strengthened with the frustration of all the imperialist manoeuvres to isolate and stifle socialism in Korea. In the DPRK the politico-ideological fortress has been further intensified, the military trench strengthened invincible, the economy activated, its science and technology developed on such a high level that she has launched an Earth satellite on its own efforts, with the resultant that the general march for building a socialist powerful country is successfully progressing. We have to say it is a historic miracle that the DPRK has defended, strengthened and developed socialism all alone within the imperialist encirclement. It is entirely thanks to the extraordinary ideology and leadership of General Secretary Kim Jong Il that such a miracle unprecedented in history could be created. Availing myself of this opportunity, I, on behalf of all the progressive peoples in Europe, would like to extend great honour and thanks to General Secretary Kim Jong Il who has laid a new and firm ideological basis for the socialist movement by devoting himself to the dynamic ideological and theoretical activeties day and night and thus retained the lifeline of socialist movement and built an invincible fortification of socialism. 2 Dear comrades and friends! In pushing ahead with socialist movement on a new basis, it is important to have a correct understanding of the experience and lessons learned in the past struggles. To this end, we should firstof all, make correct evaluation of the situation prevailing in the several European countries after the collapse of socialism and instill firm confidence in inevitability of victory in the mind of peoples in broad sections who are advocating for socialism. Today, I would like to emphasize that it is necessary to understand the true meaning of the instruction of General Secretary Kim Jong Il that the collapse of socialism in several countries does not mean the failure of socialism as a science; it means the frustration of opportunism that has deteriorated socialism. This instruction gives correct evaluation of the present situations. When socialism collapsed in many countries the imperialists fabricated and spread misrepresentations so called "the end of socialism". The betrayers of socialism are busy in rationalizing their treachery vociferating that "the socialist idea itself was a misled one" and so "the socialist revolution itself was wrong". The sophism spread by the imperialists and socialist berayers aims at denying the historic necessity of socialism as a science and erasing the socialist ideal in the mind of the peoples. Socialism is a socialist system built in reflection of the centuries-old aspirations of the popular masses who desire to live to their hearts' content the independent and creative lives free from exploitation and oppression; it is the society based on collectivism, the embodiment of the essential demand of man,that nagates capitalism based on individualism discordant with the essential attributes of man. It is the law of the historical progress that the history advances in accordance with the aspirations and desire of the popular masses, the subject of the history and that the society based on individualism converts into the society based on collectivism. No force can stop the historical progress. The above-mentioned teaching of General Secretary Kim Jong Il is greatly encouraging us to rise to the struggle for socialism with firm confidence in inevitable victory. We are firmly determined to wage a dynamic struggle for socialism cherishing deep in mind the conviction of ultimate victory. The great concern of the European people in the struggle for socialism is how to build socialism in the future. It is an urgent need to have a correct understanding of this matter in advancing socialist movement along the road of victory in a purposeful and intentional way. The establishment of socialist system gives a rise to the framework of socialist society. But this does not mean the accomplishment of the struggle for socialism. Even after the establishment of the socialist system remain legacies of the old society because of which the popular masses cannot lead an independent and creative life to their hearts'content and is attended the dangers of return to capitalism. The establishment of the socialist system is only the beginning of the struggle to build a socialist society. Therefore, even after the establishment of the socialist system the revolution should continue to eliminate the remains of the old society and bring the society to completion in conformity with the intrinsic demands of the popular masses. In the past, however, the European countries allegedly engaged in the socialist construction regarded that with the establishment of the socialist system ends the revolution and thereafter, everything would go well only with the development of the economic construction. Therefore, they ceased to continue the revolution to complete the socialist society in accordance with the essential attributes of the popular masses. Life proved that their points of view and attitude towards the revolution was wrong from the basis. Then, what is the socialist society that meets the essential demands of the popular masses? It is, in a word, the popular masses-centred socialist society in which the popular masses are the masters of everything and everything in the society serves them. The socialism centring on the popular masses is the society based on collectivism in which independence, creativity and consciousness, the essential attributes of man, have been fully materialized. In this society the popular masses are not only the masters of the political powers and means of production but also the real masters of politics and social management; material and spiritual wealth are all at service for the independent and creative life of the popular masses; all members of the society have been united rockfirm into a single socio-political integrity and devote themselves to the interests of the society and the collectives while helping and leading each other. Only in the popular massescentred socialism can the popular masses realize their centuries-old aspirations to lead independent and creative lives to their hearts' content in the society free from exploitation and oppression. The popular masses-centred socialism, this is the strategical target of the socialist movement in progress in the European countries at present, we can say. The Juche-oriented theory of socialism which clarifies the strategical target of socialist movement, is greatly encouraging the European people to push ahead socialist movement with conviction and optimism. The Juche-oriented theory of socialism clarifies the fundamental methods and principles of socialist movement. The history of socialist movement shows that this is also an important question related with the destiny of the cause of the popular masses for independence, the cause of socialism. In order to reconstruct and advance socialist movement on a new basis, we should buad the strong subject of this movement. The social movement has its subject and proceeds by virtue of the initiative activities of the subject. This is the unique law governing the social movement fundamentally different from the motion of nature that takes place through the spontaneous interaction of the material beings. The socialist movement is the socio-historical movement on the highest stage of development, which is pioneered and advancing by virtue of the revolutionary action and role of the subject consisting of the leader, the Party and the masses. The victorious socialist movement is inconceivable apart from the active role of the subject of the revolution. Therefore, for the ultimate victory of socialist movement it is, above all, important to build the strong subject of the revolution. There is no other secret of and magic for suc- cesses of socialist movement than the invariably strength- ening of the subject of the revolution and the enhance- ment of its role. This is the truth proved by the history of socialist movement for over centuries. The main cause of the frustration of socialism in some European countries lies in the disintegration of the subject of the revolution subject to the manoeuvres of the opportun- ists instead of continuously strengthening the subject of the revolution in line with the requirement of the developing socialist movement. The disintegration of the party, the backbone of the subject of the revolution, brought about dis- integration of the subject of socialist movement as a whole. When the subject of socialist movement is disintegrated it cannot overcome slight difficulties and hardships. The disunion of the subject of the revolution, this is the main cause lying in the fact that the socialist country, once a superpower of the world with greatest economic and military power, has collapsed helplessly before anti- socialist manoeuvres of the imperialists. Should the strong subject of the revolution have been built, socialism would not have collapsed tragically to whatever vicious anti-socialist manoeuvres the imperialists resorted. Socialist Korea has proved this fact eloquently. It will be difficult to find an example of such an arduous revolution as the Korean revolution in the history of socialist movement. Since the embarkation of the revolution under the condition of the backward colonial and semi-feudal society, Korea had to fight grave nationwide wars twice against two imperialism that boasted of the world supremacy in the past half century and carry out the rehabilitation and construction of the country on the debris. This is the fact well known to the world. After the collapse of socialism in several European countries, the impelrialists concentrated their anti-socialist manoeuvres on Korea. The imperialists in an attempt to kill socialism in Korea allied and forced political and military pressure and intensive economic sanction. Taking advantage of the collapse of socialism in many countries, and of the Gulf war, the US imperialists became insolent to the utmost and underestimated that they would be able to defeat Korea, the small country, by resorting to vicious and tenacious isolation and stifling manoeuvres. But they made a wrong estimation. Korea, which rather rose as one than yielded, defended socialism honourably shattering all the manoeuvres of the imper- ialists and made higher rise as the stronghold of socialist movement. It is not Korea, but the imperialists who yielded to knees. The great might that enabled Korea to create such historic miracles defending socialism further strengthening and developing it alone within the encirclement of the imperialists, lies in the might of the subject, the ideological integrity of the entire people and the army who are rallied rockfirm around the leader and the Party. The key to victory lies in building the strong subject. This is the great truth learned in the stringent practice of Korea. Therefore, we should always exert great efforts in building the strong subject in the struggle to reconstruct and advance the socialist movement successfully. For successful reconstruction and victorious advance of the socialist movement we should adhere to firmly Independent and creative stands. Independent stand is the fundamental stand to be ad- hered to in solving all problems arising in the socialist movement on one's own efforts in line with one's own de- termination. Creative stand is the fundamental method to be firmly maintained for the popular masses to hold their position and perform their responsibilities and role as mas- ters of the socialist movement. The historical lesson of the socialist movement teaches us that only when the independent and creative stands are maintained is it possible to build socialism in an independ- ent way in conformity with the aspiration of one's own people. In the past many European countries failed to embody this fundamental principles in a correct way. They did rather accept absolutely and imitate the experience and established theories of the other countries than accelerate the socialist movement on the basis of their own conviction. They did pin hope on the powers of the big countries instead of giving thought to building socialism on their own efforts. As the result, socialism was transplanted that did not conform to the aspirations of their own people and actual conditions of their own countries. It is the self- evident reason that such socialism can neither strike its roots into the land of their people nor enjoy the wholehearted support from their people. Such socialism will be degraded if socialism goes to corruption in the big country and it will collapse the same way. In this context, we should remember the instruction of President Kim II Sung that if a man is subservient he will become foolish, if a nation follows big powers the country will go to ruin and if the party becomes flunkeyist it will make a mess of the revolution. This maxim is the crystallization of the historic review of the human cause of independence, the cause of socialism. Today, socialism in Korea, dignified for its independent politics, powerful for its self-reliant economy and invincible for its self-defensive military force, is a brilliant result brought about in maintaining invariably the independent and creative stands in the long protracted course of struggle for independence. _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for anti-imperialist news. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
