Our Socialism Centred on the Masses Shall Not Perish

Our Socialism Centred on the Masses Shall Not Perish is a 45-page political text written by Kim Jong Il and published by North Korea's Foreign Languages Publishing House in 1991. The work originated as a speech delivered to senior officials of the Workers' Party of Korea during a period of global communist decline. The text presents North Korea's response to the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the transformation of other socialist states. Kim Jong Il outlines the principles of Juche ideology and explains how North Korean socialism differs from other communist systems. This book serves as a key document for understanding North Korea's political philosophy and its stance toward international socialism in the post-Cold War era. The text positions North Korean socialism as uniquely resilient due to its focus on the masses and adherence to Juche principles. The work represents a significant moment in North Korean political thought, marking the regime's ideological adaptation to maintain power amid the broader collapse of communist systems worldwide.

This book has very limited reader reviews or ratings available online in English. No reviews exist on Goodreads, Amazon, or other major book review sites. The few academic mentions focus on its role as a political text rather than reader reactions. The text appears to be primarily studied by scholars of North Korean politics and propaganda rather than general readers. What little commentary exists comes from academic analysis rather than reader reviews. Due to restricted international distribution and language barriers, there is insufficient data to compile a meaningful summary of reader reactions or ratings for this book. [Note: Given the nature of this text as North Korean political literature with very limited international circulation, providing a summary of reader reviews would require speculation. The above response aims to be transparent about the lack of available reader review data.]

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★ North Korea's Juche ideology, central to this book's argument, translates to "self-reliance" and was developed by Kim Il Sung in 1955 as a rejection of foreign influence and dependence. ★ The book was published in 1991, the same year the Soviet Union dissolved, making it a direct response to what North Korea called the "crisis of international socialism." ★ While serving as the de facto leader, Kim Jong Il didn't officially become North Korea's Supreme Leader until 1994, three years after writing this book. ★ The text is part of the "Kim Il Sung-Kim Jong Il Works" series, which contains over 100 volumes and is required reading in North Korean political education. ★ Despite the book's claim of "socialism centered on the masses," North Korea's Songbun system, active during this period, divided citizens into 51 social categories that determined their access to resources and opportunities.