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The politics of transition to socialism in Cuba and North Korea
Abstract
Both critics and defenders of socialism often regard socialism as the full negation of all capitalist social structures. However, a careful analysis of socialist practices in the Third World reveals that the construction of socialism depends not only on the pre-revolutionary structure, but also on the specific dynamics of the domestic and international opposition. A realistic understanding of socialism requires an examination of the interactions between domestic and international political forces and the socio-economic factors constraining this relationship. This comparative analysis of the transitionary processes in Cuba and north Korea during the period of 1959 to 1970 and 1945 to 1961, respectively, confirms the importance of these interactions in shaping socialist societies. Among the conditions favorable to the socialist transformations of both Cuba and north Korea were the large number of wage workers and landless peasants, the discrediting of the bourgeoisie for their collaboration with neo-colonial or colonial forces, the strong leftist sentiment among the masses, and the decision by anti-socialist forces to flee their country rather than remaining to fight. These factors enabled both regimes to avoid the repressive use of force and to develop a more humane socialism, despite the severe technical and financial losses inflicted by the exodus of the bourgeoisie. The legitimacy of the north Korean and Cuban regimes is based upon the role of Kim Il-Sung and Fidel Castro, respectively, in each revolutionary struggle. Their background in guerrilla movements contributed to the widening of their perspectives beyond narrow class-biased communism. In each country, power was then centralized to maintain unity against "imperialist" aggressions and to secure the power of the hegemonic leader and group. Both Cuba and north Korea experienced U.S. intervention, blockades, and a sudden isolation from the world capitalist system during their transitionary period. Although aid from socialist allies was received, Cuba was forced to reduce its revolutionary internationalism to secure Soviet aid, whereas north Korea succeeded in resisting Soviet interference through successful industrialization. Thus, a fair understanding of Third World socialism requires much more than a static conception of socialism. Instead, a study of the effect of historical constraints on the evolving vision of socialism is necessary in any study of Third World socialism.
Subject Area
Political science|Asian History|Latin American history|History
Recommended Citation
Kwon, Hyuk-Bum, "The politics of transition to socialism in Cuba and North Korea" (1990). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI9110171.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9110171