Pedersen, Benedikte Borg

Rasmussen, Frederik Schnoor

Skov, Sven Helms

Skov-Amundsen, Simon Mikkel

A global revolution has affected many countries through the past century and has turned these countries into democratic governments. Even though this has happened to many of its neighbouring citizens, the citizens of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) haven’t felt these changes of events. This paper will explore how the leaders of the DPRK have been able to legitimize its non-democratic management to its population. It will attempt to do so through the examination of the management’s maintenance of legitimacy through propaganda, discipline with, inspection and supervision of its own people. Moreover, this paper will investigate how the making of a personality cult around the Kim-dynasty (Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un) have helped them in securing the legitimacy every leader needs to maintain their position of power. Through the involvement of theorists such as Max Weber, Michel Foucault, and Antonio Gramsci, a further explanation of the legitimacy of the DPRK’s rule will be possible. The paper reaches the conclusion that support of the population of the DPRK only is approachable through constant and severe influence and manipulation of mentioned. Because of the government’s regular inspections and control with the media it is possible for them to determine and amend all parts of the population’s knowledge and life in general. Through an effective punishment system it is impossible for the country’s citizens to act against its leaders’ wishes without some sort of penalty. Furthermore, this has made it possible for the leader in the DPRK to achieve, and retain, legitimacy and support from the its oppressed citizens.A global revolution has affected many countries through the past century and has turned these countries into democratic governments. Even though this has happened to many of its neighbouring citizens, the citizens of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) haven’t felt these changes of events. This paper will explore how the leaders of the DPRK have been able to legitimize its non-democratic management to its population. It will attempt to do so through the examination of the management’s maintenance of legitimacy through propaganda, discipline with, inspection and supervision of its own people. Moreover, this paper will investigate how the making of a personality cult around the Kim-dynasty (Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un) have helped them in securing the legitimacy every leader needs to maintain their position of power. Through the involvement of theorists such as Max Weber, Michel Foucault, and Antonio Gramsci, a further explanation of the legitimacy of the DPRK’s rule will be possible. The paper reaches the conclusion that support of the population of the DPRK only is approachable through constant and severe influence and manipulation of mentioned. Because of the government’s regular inspections and control with the media it is possible for them to determine and amend all parts of the population’s knowledge and life in general. Through an effective punishment system it is impossible for the country’s citizens to act against its leaders’ wishes without some sort of penalty. Furthermore, this has made it possible for the leader in the DPRK to achieve, and retain, legitimacy and support from the its oppressed citizens

Legitimering af det nordkoreanske regime: Legitimization of the North Korean regime

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Roskilde Universitet