The concept of Social-Political Integrity can only be found in the terminology associated with the Juche Idea. No other system of philosophical inquiry has developed a specific conception dealing with the role of social-political integrity in the evolution of human society. In Marxism and other progressive ideologies, one cannot find the notion of social-political integrity. The Juche Idea initiated the awareness of social-political integrity as a philosophical category for the first time in the history of ideological thought.
Past philosophical systems only considered the political role of the human being from a limited and superficial position. Most famously, Aristotle (384-322 BC) stated in his works that man is a political animal. To be truly human, Aristotle asserted, man had to be involved in the affairs of
the Polis (The City-States of Ancient Greece). Looking at Aristotle’s concepts regarding politics, are coloured by the prejudices of his time, in other words by the ideological justifications for slavery and elitism found in Aristotle’s writings.
A view of human existence is a notion of an outlook on life and the purpose of it. How the life of an individual or a community is viewed depends on the whole content of a genuine and fulfilling existence. There have been many schools of philosophy on what is the nature and purpose of life. Some currents of thought were steeped in mysticism and idealism, while others saw human beings as primarily biological entities. The Juche Idea overcame the deficiencies of the previous ideologies on the role of man with the novel concept of political integrity. Kim IL Sung and Kim Jong IL during the Korean Revolution and the struggle to build up the Democratic People's Republic of Korea conceptualized the idea of political integrity from practical experience.
Social-political integrity is an essential attribute of humans which distinguishes them from animals. Man, the social being (in the non-gender sense) has two life forms, according to the Juche Idea, one is physical existence and the other is social-political life. With the establishment
of the Juche view on the purpose of life within the community the scientific approach to the essence of man, the social being whose essence is determined by his/her social-political integrity.
Social-political integrity is a historically constructed notion, that develops with the needs of the era. The path to attain independence from all natural and social fetters can be realized through the agency of ideological consciousness and creativity. Having these qualities, can man, the
social being, achieve the position of master of the world. In class based societies, such as the feudal and capitalist social systems, the embodiments of social-political integrity are actively suppressed by the ruling class employing various means. Aswell, by coercive methods, the
governing elites in capitalist societies use ideological means such as individualism, hedonism,consumerism and disillusionment. The political apathy experienced among the population in countries like Britain is the antithesis of the empowering value of social-political integrity. As can
be noted by the decadence and dysfunctionality of bourgeois society in its stages of decay,social-political integrity can be the key to the enlightenment of a better future worthy of the working masses. Only in socialist and communist societies can political integrity be fully realized, where social wealth and social relations serves the interests of the community.
A physical existence is what keeps human beings functioning as a living organism alongside other biological creatures. Of course, it is necessary for a human being to maintain a healthy lifestyle and to be kept nourished. In common with animals, humans maintain their physical well-being and have the instinct of self-preservation and procreation. Man, the social being, has
risen historically and technologically beyond the confines of the physical environment. In other words, humans are not just biological entities but social connections and interests. In establishing an understanding of human life as an effort for independence, to accomplish the
goal of agency over the world, the Juche Idea proposes the premise that man should have social-political integrity and conduct a struggle to live in mastery over nature and society. If a man or woman does know nothing about politics and the fight for social progress and lives as a slave, willingly accepts oppression and exploitation, he or she is virtually non-existent in society. A billionaire can enjoy all the material benefits of life without worrying about financial issues and yet live an utterly banal and useless existence. Man is not just the sum total of material-economic relations however he/she is the creator of social-political-moral values. To
become truly human one must have independence, consciousness and creativity.
Social-political integrity is acquired by those who devote their lives to the good of their community. It is only when an individual joins the social-political community that he or she attains social-political integrity. Each person is a part of the social-political organism; nobody, in
reality, lives apart from society. An individual is linked to a social class community and a national-historical community, from which independence is to be achieved. Social-political integrity manifests in members of a national or class community who have an organisational life. The highest form of political integrity is having an organisational mode of existence in the interests of social progress. The more loyal and devoted one is to the
community, the greater the trust one enjoys in having social-political integrity.
History has recorded the names of many people who made outstanding contributions to the cause of human emancipation by joining the struggle of the popular masses for independence. Ever since the revolutionary struggle of the working class started, the masses’ aspirations for
independence have developed onto a higher plane. People can have a high standard of social-political integrity when they live and struggle to hold their leader in esteem as members of the working class party and working people’s organisations. To strive for social progress, for independence, is conceptualised in the fight for socialism and communism, against imperialism.The many heroes and heroines who sacrificed their physical existence for the good of the class, the nation and the revolution are well remembered by countless generations in the future, as they obtain immortal social-political integrity. Those who have travelled to the DPRK, may have gone to the Revolutionary Martyrs' Cemetery on Mount Taesong, Pyongyang, and seen the graves of the Anti-Japanese Fighters (National Liberation Struggle Against Japan, 1925-1945). The Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery, built in October 1975, embodies the legacy of the forerunners of the Korean Revolution overlooking Pyongyang, the capital city of the DPRK.During the Anti-Japanese Liberation War, many guerrilla fighters of the Korean PeoplesRevolutionary Army sacrificed their lives on the battlefields and in enemy captivity. Among the many Anti-Japanese Revolutionary Fighters who were captured by the Japanese Imperialists and even severely tortured by the colonizers, the KPRA guerrillas such as Kim Kum Sun, Ryu Kwan, Ri Sun Hu and Pak Kil Song, never gave up their revolutionary ideals and achieving political immorality. Ri In Mo, was imprisoned for well over 34 years by the south Korean regime from the time of the Fatherland Liberation War (Korean War 1950-53) upheld his loyalty to the revolutionary cause of Juche and became an incarnation of faith and will-defying the torturous
imprisonment. In British history, we have the examples of the Chartists and the Suffragettes who forego their well-being to advance their cause. Social-political integrity will disappear but will exist as long as the political-social-community with the attributes of independence and
ideological consciousness carries on. Thanks to Kim IL Sung, Kim Jong IL, and Kim Jong Un,the truth has been revealed that social-political integrity guarantees the immortality of man, the social being, and that it is more valuable than physical existence.
It is the practice of organisational life, that social-political integrity is manifested. Only in the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, that organisational existence, is at its most developed stage.. Everyone in the DPRK is actively involved in the running of social-political-economic
affairs, displaying their role as the masters of society. Political life is a universal and daily routine of every citizen of the DPRK. Organisational life in Socialist Korea consists of being members of the Workers’ Party of Korea, the Socialist Patriotic Youth League, the General Confederation of
Trade Unions, the Socialist Women’s Union, the Korean Social Democratic Party and other mass organisations. Democratic supervision in the DPRK of social-political relations and of the means of production is made possible through the Chongsan-ri method and the Taean work system. Under the leadership of Kim Jong Un, the people of the DPRK experience having the
highest form of social-political integrity.
Social-political integrity is expressed in capitalist societies like Britain in the fight for economic and political rights, and in the class struggle for social emancipation. Examples of social-political integrity are displayed by Trade Unionists, Peace Campaigners and Anti-imperialist activists in the conditions prevailing in British society. Recently there have been instances where Pro-Palestinian activists have been detained by the authorities for daring to show solidarity with a just cause of an oppressed nation, despite being imprisoned these activists keep to their beliefs. Closer to home the activists of the UK Korean Friendship Association carry out their solidarity work despite facing many obstacles and a lack of resources, on an almost daily basis.So social-political integrity can be interpreted in different ways according to the circumstances.
The Juche Idea brought to philosophical attention the concept of social-political integrity. Where other ideologies have neglected this category, the Juche philosophy has brought the conception
of social-political integrity to the forefront of revolutionary ideology. Having social-political integrity has a philosophical category, the Juche Idea once again demonstrates its creativity. So lets increase our studies of the Juche Idea.
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