Juche and Me:'-entry to KFA UK Literary Competition by Nathan KFA UK Member

Juche is a word much misunderstood, here in the west. It is typically summed up as a two word answer of 'self-reliance' as if that means much. But the reality of the juche idea is much deeper, and wholly distinct to a narrow view of being 'self-reliant.' Afterall, Comrade Kim Il-sung himself believed in cooperation with other nations and with other people, he wasn't 'self-reliant' in such a narrow view of the term. So juche cannot mean just this, no what juche means is that 'man is the master of all things' and that people have the right and responsibility to end oppression and injustice. 

Juche is the view that all people intrinsically have the power within them to determine fate and to master the world itself. We are the most creative, most powerful, most just beings on this earth and we can use ourselves for great things. The juche idea provides a model to focus this power and creativity, it informs us not only of what we can do but tells us what we should and shouldn't and warns us that we can put this greatness to terrible use if we let ourselves become maligned with greed, ignorance, and hatred.

Juche is that mantra repeated in pop-culture of great power coming with great responsibility. As man is master of all things, we must check ourselves and our fellow man to make sure master does not become tyrant and our intrinsic and good natured power leads us not into a temptation to oppress and repress other but to extend a strong hand and bring others to greatness - to protect and fill in for the flaws of a fellow man and to form a just society.

Juche is like a family, a household where everyone chips in - where if the grandmother for example cannot work as she did once the grandchildren may take up whilst she can still play her part in caring and teaching. No one has a useless place, everyone has a role that is strong and respected. Juche is about extending this natural compassion and family nature to your fellow man and treating them as you would a brother.

So for me, Juche is not a narrow view of self reliance. It is a living, breathing, and inspiring world view that informs us all of what we can do and how we can do it. It teaches us power and responsibility. It lets us see everyone as we should as our family. Juche is our right, our justification, our responsibility. Juche is compassion.

Nathan Warren