Lecture Delivered to the Students of the Pyongyang Worker-Peasant Political School
October 3, 1945
Five months ago the German aggressors, who had unleashed the Second World War with the sinister aim of conquering the whole world, were defeated, and the Japanese imperialists, their allies, had to surrender unconditionally on August 15 last. Thus, the Second World War ended in an enormous victory for the anti-fascist democratic forces. Mankind has already embarked upon a peaceful life.
The victory of the anti-fascist democratic forces over international fascism brought about a tremendous change in the postwar international situation. The anti-democratic forces were weakened considerably all over the world, whereas the democratic forces were consolidated more than ever before. This signifies that the history of mankind has entered a new phase of development.
The present world situation has set new, great and glorious tasks before mankind. The most important post-war task is to wipe out the remnants of aggressive fascism and to work for peace and democracy. Today, in all parts of the world the people are making energetic efforts to carry out this sacred task.
The Korean people waged a prolonged, gory struggle to crush Japanese imperialist aggressors and to regain their lost country, and have finally achieved the historic cause of national liberation.
Consequently, our people threw off the yoke of colonial slavery imposed on them by the savage Japanese imperialists for nearly half a century and have been able to advance energetically along the road to independence and sovereignty. This is a great historic event for the Korean nation.
We must make every effort to build a new Korea in our homeland, regained at the cost of the precious blood of numerous revolutionaries and patriots.
1. THE BUILDING OF A NEW KOREA AND DEMOCRACY
Today our nation is confronted with the important historic task of building a free, independent and prosperous country by wiping out the survivals of Japanese imperialism and feudalism.
In order to carry out successfully this task of building the country we should first give Korea the right orientation. Otherwise, it will be impossible not only to properly organize and mobilize the masses of the people for nation-building but also to achieve the complete independence and sovereignty of the country. Moreover, our people will be forced to live in colonial slavery again. Therefore, the road our Korea should take is a matter of vital importance affecting the
destiny of the country and the people.
Our liberated people are today living with boundless joy, great hopes and excitement; they are filled with enthusiasm for nation-building. However, the masses are at a loss as to the road to take. We must show them, as soon as we can, the correct road Korea should follow.
The road Korea should take is the road to progressive democracy, true democracy. This road alone will give our people freedom, full rights and a happy life and guarantee the country complete independence and sovereignty.
At present the reactionaries are feverishly scheming to divert our people to the road of anti-democracy.
The feudal forces are making the absurd attempt to restore feudal autocracy in our country. Why should we reestablish in the new, liberated Korea that worn-out, rotten feudal autocracy which cruelly oppressed and exploited the masses of the people? It is a ridiculous, anachronistic daydream. It is only natural that our people should now unanimously condemn such a reactionary, anti-popular scheme of the feudal forces.
On the other hand, some circles advocate the establishment of a bourgeois republic in our country, clamouring for what they call “people’s rights” and “democracy.” Their “people’s rights” and “democracy” have long been advocated by the propertied classes. We know from history that as soon as they seized power by winning the masses of the people over to their side under the misleading watchwords of “people’s rights” and “democracy,” the capitalists set up a bourgeois dictatorship and began to betray the people. In the final analysis, the bourgeois republic that some people advocate means, literally, power for the landlord and capitalist classes while their “people’s rights” and “democracy” are no more than a smokescreen for a handful of privileged classes to cover up their oppression and exploitation of the masses of the people, holding all state power in their hands.
The advocates of setting up a bourgeois republic in our country are none other than comprador capitalists. They are pro-Japanese elements and traitors to the nation who, during the colonial rule of Japanese imperialism, betrayed the country and the people and worked hand in glove with the Japanese imperialists in oppressing and exploiting our people. Hardly had the US troops landed in south Korea than the pro-Japanese elements and traitors to the nation advocated pro-Americanism and, with the backing of the imperialist forces, are plotting to set up a reactionary government in our country and to lead our people along the road to anti-democracy.
We must not be deceived by their cunning moves; we must not set up a bourgeois republic in our country, embellished with the ostentatious watchwords of “people’s rights” and “democracy.”
However, we are not in a position to establish a socialist system in our country right now. Some people are claiming that we should set up “Soviet” power immediately. They do not fully understand the specific situation of Korea.
In the past the Japanese imperialists, who occupied our country for nearly half a century, pursued a barbarous colonial policy, severely restricting the development of capitalism in Korea. Therefore, our country still remains a semi-feudal society. Considerable remnants of Japanese imperialism and feudal relations still exist in our society; feudal relations of exploitation are still prevalent, especially in our countryside.
In building a new Korea we have to take this reality into consideration. Our requirements must neither be below nor above the present level of historical development in founding a state. We must, on all accounts, set ourselves the goal of nation-building which conforms to Korean reality, and correctly lead the masses to its attainment.
Today the Korean people want to take the road to progressive democracy that will, not in words but in deeds, make the masses of the people the masters of their country and make everyone free and happy. We, the 30 million Koreans, who were cruelly exploited and maltreated for long years under the feudal system and Japanese imperialist colonial rule, deprived of freedom and rights, cherish the road to progressive democracy; it is a road that holds out a promise of
grandeur and progress for the motherland and eternal prosperity for the people. Only when we follow this road, will the masses of the people devote all their efforts and talents to the foundation of a state and success be achieved in building a new country.
We must set up an independent and sovereign state based on progressive democracy. To do this we must found a democratic people’s republic. Today, in all parts of the country, people’s committees are being set up on the initiative of the masses. We must organize people’s committees as rapidly as we can in all localities and, on this basis, found the democratic people’s republic.
The democratic people’s republic is a power which accords with our people’s will and is best suited to our country’s reality and, needless to say, it is a people’s power which embodies genuine democracy. Only this power will actively protect the interests of our people and firmly ensure the prosperity and progress of the country and the people.
In order to build an independent and sovereign democratic state we must firmly rally all patriotic forces of different walks of life under the banner of democracy. The great task of building a new Korea will be accomplished only through the efforts of the masses, firmly united as one. As long as different parties and groupings tread different ways, as at present, each insisting on its own views, the task of nation-building will never be realized. Only when all fellow countrymen, who love their country and people, unite firmly in a body and set out to build the country, irrespective of political views, religious beliefs, property status and levels of learning, will the complete independence and sovereignty of the country be effected.
Particularly, the present situation in our country urgently demands a mighty struggle to rally the masses of the people closely together. Pro-Japanese elements, traitors to the nation and other reactionaries, who pretend to be patriots, are trying their utmost to draw the unawakened people into their fold by sweet words and are
desperately trying to realize their political ambitions. In this situation, if we fail to unite all the patriotic forces, we will be unable to opportunely crush the activities of the reactionaries or build a new, democratic Korea.
We must organize a national united front to represent all patriotic and democratic forces of different sections if we want to firmly unite the broad masses.
The national united front movement was necessary in our country when we fought against the colonial rule of the Japanese imperialists; it is needed in the same way today when the country is free. Of course, this movement is different now in content and form from what it was before. The former anti-Japanese national united front aimed at fighting against Japanese imperialist colonial rule over Korea and emancipating our people from colonial slavery to win freedom and independence. The movement took the form of an illegal, underground movement. However, the national united front we are going to form now is aimed at eliminating the remnants of Japanese imperialism and feudalism, and achieving the country’s complete independence and sovereignty; therefore, this movement is now legal and open.
Our united front is an out-and-out democratic united front. We must form the national united front opportunely on a democratic basis and unite the workers, peasants and the broad masses of all other strata to arouse them for actively building the country. Thus, all the people will pool their efforts to construct the new Korea, wiping out pro-Japanese elements, traitors to the nation and other reactionaries.
If we form a democratic national united front and strengthen and develop the movement in this way, we will be able eventually to build a unified and independent power, that is, a truly democratic state. This is precisely the road to progressive democracy that we should take.
2. THE CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES
OF OUR DEMOCRACY
The democracy we aspire to is fundamentally different from that of Western capitalist countries, and it is not a slavish copy of that of a socialist country. If we tried to apply uncritically the former or the latter to our country, which has just been liberated after 36 years of Japanese imperialist colonial rule, it would be a grave mistake.
Ours is a new type of democracy that is most appropriate to the reality of Korea which is now in the stage of an anti-imperialist, anti-feudal democratic revolution. Therefore, it possesses a number of characteristic features.
What, then, are the characteristic features of our democracy?
1) INDEPENDENCE–OUR DEMOCRACY
IS CHARACTERIZED BY INDEPENDENCE
The prime fundamental requirement of the whole nation now is to achieve complete independence. In the past our people lost their country to the Japanese imperialists and were forced to lead the grim life of slaves; as a people without a country they suffered dreadfully. Therefore, our people are striving to set up a completely independent state as soon as possible, now that the historic cause of national liberation has been achieved.
We must build an independent and sovereign state in order to win complete national independence. An independent stand is an indispensable requirement of genuine national independence. Unless we maintain an independent stand, it will be impossible to win complete national independence, to safeguard national dignity and interests and to achieve the prosperity of the country and the people.
If we are to have an independent and sovereign state, we must attain progressive democracy. Our democracy opposes dependence on and submission to other countries and requires adhering to an independent stand and a creative attitude, which means resolving any problem arising in the building of our country by our own efforts, according to our own judgement. Therefore, only a state based on genuine democracy can become a powerful, dignified sovereign state, a fully independent state.
Certain people today wait for national independence to come by itself and place their hopes on foreigners building an independent state in our country. This is quite absurd. How can any foreigner build our country for us? That is absolutely out of the question.
Trying to bring about national independence through the efforts of others is the flunkeyist mentality to live at the expense of others. If we expect other people to build a new Korea, instead of believing in our own people’s ability, complete national independence will never be effected; Korea will again be reduced to an imperialist colony.
In order to build a truly democratic state we must rely on ourselves. When we strive to solve all problems arising in the building of a state in conformity with our country’s specific situation with the attitude of a master, and to overcome all hardships through our own efforts, we will succeed in building a new, democratic Korea and achieve complete and lasting national independence.
We must tax our energies to build a new country by adhering strictly to an independent stand. Thus, we will eliminate the remnants of the colonial rule of Japanese imperialism and feudalism so that our country will become a truly independent and sovereign state based on progressive democracy.
A sovereign state which meets the essential requirement of our democracy, characterized by independence, will not tolerate foreign interference and will not be subjected by others.
Our democracy is against our being subjected by others and of subjecting others. An independent and sovereign state that embodies progressive democracy does not meddle in the internal affairs of other countries but respects their sovereignty.
It is because of their intrinsic nature that imperialist states invade and subject others. Imperialist states trample grossly on the sovereignty of other countries and interfere in their internal affairs; they use all sorts of conspiratorial activities to invade and subject small and weak nations. No matter how strong it is, an independent and sovereign democratic state must never act like the imperialist states.
The democratic state to be built in our country in the future should conclude diplomatic relations, and endeavour to promote friendship with the countries and peoples that respect our national sovereignty on principles of equality and mutual benefit.
2) COALITION–OUR DEMOCRACY
IS CHARACTERIZED BY COALITION
Our democracy is not a democracy for one class alone, one political party, one organization or one religion; it is a democracy for the broad masses of the people. Therefore, this democracy demands the formation of a national united front to represent all anti-imperialist and patriotic classes, political parties and organizations and a coalition of broad sections of patriotic people, for our democracy applies the principle of attaching the greatest importance to the interests of the whole nation and subordinating everything to them.
At present, some people do not duly understand this requirement of our democracy and are making erroneous claims. Some try to form a united front even with enemies of the people under the slogan of unconditional unity, while others are coming out with “Leftist” slogans, even opposing those whom we can win over to our side. This is hindering the coalition of all patriotic forces. We must organize the national united front properly in accordance with the essential requirements of progressive democracy and rally the broad masses resolutely.
Today all the people want to carry out an anti-imperialist, anti-feudal democratic revolution and build an independent and sovereign democratic state in our country. People of all walks of life, except the enemies of the people, such as pro-Japanese elements and traitors to the nation, long for the establishment of an independent and sovereign democratic state in liberated Korea.
Our working class and peasant masses in the past were deprived of elementary freedoms and rights under Japanese imperialist colonial rule; they experienced cruel oppression and exploitation and suffered from starvation and lack of rights. Therefore, they are now enthusiastic about wiping out the remnants of Japanese imperialism and feudalism and building a new, democratic Korea. Korea’s intellectuals, youths and students, who also experienced national oppression and maltreatment under the brutal colonial rule of Japanese imperialism, demand the building of a new Korea which will ensure them freedom of action and enable them to develop a democratic national culture and national education. As for the petty tra
desmen and handicraftsmen, as well as conscientious non-comprador capitalists, their freedom of business was suppressed under Japanese imperialist colonial rule and they were made bankrupt economically by Japanese monopoly capital. That is why they also hope to see the remnants of Japanese imperialism wiped out and a new Korea built which will warrant the development of private enterprise. Patriotic religious communities keenly realize that unless national independence is achieved there will be no freedom of religious belief; they, too, are willing to participate actively in the building of a new country.
Seeing as people of all walks of life have a vital interest in building a new, democratic Korea, the task for the whole nation now is to set up an independent and sovereign democratic state. Because of this identity of interests, all the people can form a united front on a democratic basis and effect a firm alliance and solidarity.
Our democracy reflects precisely these interests of the whole nation and the demands of the masses. Therefore, it is characterized by coalition in the form of a united front and constitutes progressive democracy that serves the broa
dest masses of the people.
We must bear in mind, however, that our democracy assures the independence of the different strata, while at the same time requiring the coalition of all the patriotic forces.
Our united front is a coalition of people of all sections of life based on the interests of the nation as a whole. However, this general coalition involves specific independence for each section. While firmly united under the single banner of democracy, all classes, political parties and organizations retain their respective freedom to exist and develop independently with due regard to politics and ideology, organization and information.
We must not ignore the independence of each stratum under the pretext of a nationwide coalition. If we only stress the coalition of people of all sections of life and do not recognize the independence of each section, they will not be interested in the affairs of the united front nor will they display creativity and activity in the building of a state; this will be a great obstacle to the formation of the national united front and to the fulfilment of the task of the whole nation. Hence, we democrats must respect the independence of each section, while, at the same time, striving for the coalition of the entire nation.
But we must not lay too much stress on the independence of each section. This independence must neither exceed permitted limits in the light of nationwide unity nor go beyond the interests of the nation as a whole. If we allow separate classes, political parties and organizations to have excessive independence, we will not be able to achieve national unity or to properly organize and mobilize the efforts of all the people for the work of building a state. If things proceed in this way, it will be impossible, in the long run, to secure the interests of the people of each section, to say nothing of the fundamental interests of the nation as a whole.
It is a major requirement of our democracy to achieve a general coalition while ensuring independence for the various sections. Only when we form a coalition on a nationwide scale, giving full consideration to the independence of each section, will we be able to set up a truly solid united front and rapidly build a new society where the whole of our people will enjoy a happy life.
Thoroughly embodying progressive democracy we must establish a national united front and materialize the unity and cohesion of the whole nation as soon as possible, so that we can vigorously organize and mobilize the efforts of all the people for the building of a new Korea.
3) FREEDOM–OUR DEMOCRACY GUARANTEES
THE MASSES OF THE PEOPLE FREEDOM AND EQUALITY.
THIS IS ONE OF THE MAJOR CHARACTERISTIC
FEATURES OF PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRACY
Bourgeois democracy guarantees freedom and rights to a handful of privileged classes and leaves the broad masses of the people without any. The “freedom” and “equality” advocated by bourgeois democracy is merely a cover-up for a cruel exercise of power by the propertied classes.
Our democracy is fundamentally different from bourgeois democracy. It is resolutely opposed to a lack of rights and inequality and pledges equal rights to the people in all spheres of politics, the economy and culture and allows the masses to exercise their freedom and equality in practice.
Therefore, our democracy rules out privileged circles and ensures all equal political rights. Citizens of both sexes over 20 years of age, with the exception of quislings and traitors to the nation, regardless of class, nationality, religious beliefs, profession, property status and education, have the right to elect and to be elected. Special people are not appointed to serve in the organs of power at all levels, but those who are elected by the people of their own free will, that is, true servants of the people who enjoy the profound trust of the masses. It is they who carry out the national policies. Thus, the masses of the people directly exercise their political rights and actually take part in running state affairs.
A genuine democratic state embodying our democracy is to vouch for the people having freedom of speech, the press, assembly, association, religious belief, and residence and to reliably support the freedom and equality of the masses politically and economically.
Democratic freedom must be linked with unity based on centralism.
Democracy and centralism cannot be separated from each other; they form an integral whole. Unless democracy is guaranteed, we cannot expect genuine centralism and vice versa. Therefore, it is a matter of great importance to strictly combine democracy with centralism.
Only centralist unity firmly guarantees democractic freedom and equality. Only with centralist guidance and discipline is it possible to opportunely eliminate violations of democratic freedom and equality and bring democracy into full play among the masses, and to actually realize freedom and equality along truly democratic lines. If there was no centralist guidance and discipline, we could not ensure democratic freedom and equality; a state of anarchy could result. In the final analysis, democratic freedom and equality will be meaningless, unless they are combined with centralist unity. Therefore, guaranteeing unity based on centralism is an indispensable prerequisite for realizing democratic freedom and equality for the masses of the people.
However, we must not put a one-sided stress on centralist unity. If we attach importance only to centralist guidance and discipline and neglect democratic freedom, it will lead to the undermining of centralist unity itself.
Centralist unity can be durable only when based on democratic freedom and equality. Centralist discipline is strengthened with the increase of the political awareness of the masses of the people, and as they take an active part in the nation’s political life by exercising their democratic freedoms and equal rights expediently. Hence, in order to consolidate centralist unity we must guarantee the people democratic freedom and equality and give full play to democracy among them, so that they can take an active, conscious part in the nation’s political life.
Therefore, democratic freedom must rely on centralist guidance and the latter must be based on the former. Only democratic freedom relying on centralist guidance is genuine democracy and only centralist guidance based on democratic freedom is genuine centralism.
By combining democracy and centralism in an expedient way we must effect genuine democratic freedom and equality in order that the masses of the people can become full-fledged masters of the country and dedicate all their efforts and zeal to nation-building.
4) PROSPERITY–OUR DEMOCRACY AIMS NOT ONLY
AT INDEPENDENCE AND SOVEREIGNTY, NATIONAL UNITY AND DEMOCRATIC FREEDOM BUT ALSO AT THE BUILDING OF A PROSPEROUS COUNTRY
Unlike bourgeois democracy that serves the wealth and pomp of a handful of privileged classes, our democracy serves the well-being and prosperity of all the people. Therefore, it is an indispensable requirement of our democracy to build a prosperous country. This alone will raise the people’s material and cultural standards, substantially ensure them a happy life, and further, consolidate the sovereignty of the country and enable it to enter the international arena on an equal footing with other countries.
The building of a prosperous nation is also a voucher for developing progressive democracy. When the country prospers our democracy will be consolidated on a sound basis and will display its vitality more fully.
After establishing a people’s power, in order to build a prosperous country, we must rehabilitate the national economy, strengthen the country’s economic foundation and develop a flourishing national culture. Unless the economy and culture are developed, we cannot expect the country and people to prosper and advance or to achieve complete independence. Therefore, we must first strive to rehabilitate and develop the country’s economy that was
destroyed by the Japanese imperialists and revive and develop the national culture they had trampled.
The construction of the country’s economy and culture should strictly conform with the interests of all sections of the people. While working hard to develop the country’s economy and culture as a whole, we must take into account the interests of people of different strata and provide them with adequate conditions for improving their standard of living.
We must ensure jobs for the workers, free them from all vestiges of imperialist and colonial oppression and exploitation, and steadily improve their working conditions. As for the peasants, we must abolish high farm rents and usury and, further, carry out an agrarian reform to put the principle of “land only for the tillers” into effect. The small and medium tra
desmen and manufacturers should be given freedom of enterprise within limits that will not conflict with national interests. We must abolish miscellaneous taxes and levies, set up a fair and uniform system of taxation and fix a reasonable income tax system, to free the working masses from the heavy burden of taxation. At the same time, we must give our intellectuals the opportunity to engage freely in scientific and technological pursuits and bring their talents into full play; we must enable the sons and daughters of poor families to go to school and the students to study to their heart’s content. We must also see to it that patriotic people of all walks of life work according to their mental aptitude and abilities and bring their talents to full display.
It is a matter of great significance in building a new Korea to improve the conditions of people of different walks of life. Only by doing this, will it be definitively possible to make the building of a new Korea a task for the masses of the people and bring their creativeness and activeness into play in order to set up a prosperous country.
We must organize and mobilize all the people to push ahead energetically with the building of a new nation. Thus, we will establish a prosperous democratic state where everybody will be provided with clothing, food, employment and education.
5) REVOLUTION–ONE OF THE MAJOR CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF OUR DEMOCRACY IS THAT IT AIMS AT REVOLUTION
The course of development of the history of mankind is precisely the course of revolution in which the legacies of the old society are eradicated. Without revolution it is impossible to develop society or to build an independent, sovereign state.
Our democracy demands that the remnants of the wicked colonial rule of Japanese imperialism be eliminated completely and the remnants of feudalism inimical to the democratic movement be mercilessly eradicated in all spheres of politics, the economy, culture and ideology. This emanates from the nature of our democracy that opposes reformism, in general, and aims at revolution.
In order to build a democratic, independent and sovereign state we must carry out an anti-imperialist, anti-feudal democratic revolution. But in the beginning we must wipe out the remnants of the forces of Japanese imperialism and the feudal forces and completely eliminate the legacy of the fascist colonial ruling machinery of Japanese imperialism; we must establish a genuine people’s government, and root out the ideas of Japanese imperialism and feudalism remaining in the minds of the people. In addition, we must carry out an agrarian reform and the nationalization of key industries and effect various other democratic reforms such as sex equality and the democratization of education and the judiciary.
Only by carrying through an anti-imperialist, anti-feudal democratic revolution is it possible to prevent the Japanese and other imperialists from stretching out their tentacles of aggression to our country again. And only by doing this, is it possible to achieve independence and sovereignty, national reunification and democratic freedom and to build a prosperous, strong country.
Certain people, however, are not willing to fight against the remnants of Japanese imperialism and feudalism. Some of them claim: “The remnants of Japanese imperialism have already completely disappeared from Korea.” There are even people who preach that only by collaborating with pro-Japanese elements and traitors to the nation will we be able to build an independent and sovereign state. When we say that pro-Japanese elements and traitors to the nation should be wiped out and that the property of the Japanese imperialists and their stooges should be confiscated and nationalized, some people wrongly sympathize with and defend the enemies of the nation, saying, “It’s too harsh,” and “Everybody must join hands in building a state.”
Such irresolute ideas and political opinions that reject the revolution and claim unprincipled unity are a great obstacle to achieving national unity and solidarity, and are very detrimental to the building of a state.
Our democracy demands that we struggle uncompromisingly against the enemies of the people, while working hand in hand with anti-imperialist democrats. Of course, if we are to build our country well, it is necessary to rally the broad masses and unite with people of different walks of life. However, we must not unite unconditionally. We should work jointly with all the patriots of different sections who love their country and people but should never do so with pro-Japanese elements and traitors to the nation. How can we join hands with the “Messrs. Politicians” who, in the past, betrayed the country and the people and worked together with Koiso and Abe, governor-generals of Japanese imperialism, clamouring for “national autonomy” and what not? Needless to say, cooperating with them is not a step that would benefit the homeland and the people.
At present, pro-Japanese elements and traitors to the nation are
desperately trying to recover their old position. Alleging that our country “should be placed under a mandate” they are simultaneously engaged in acts of treachery that run counter to the fundamental interests of the whole nation. In the past these fellows actively supported the colonial policy of Japanese imperialism and, taking advantage of the aggressive “Greater East Asian War,” freely plundered our people of lives and property, working hand in glove with the Japanese imperialists. We cannot build a new Korea if we do not eliminate them.
The broad masses of the people in Korea want us not to ally ourselves with bogus democrats pretending to be patriots but to wipe them out and achieve true cohesion with the anti-imperialist, patriotic and democratic political parties as well as people of various strata in order to actually carry out our revolution. Only when we resolutely oppose the reactionaries, including pro-Japanese elements and traitors to the nation, bring about the genuine cohesion of people of all strata who love their country and nation and push energetically ahead with the building of a state, will it be possible to build a new, democratic Korea, unified, prosperous and strong, removing the differences between north and south Korea.
We must wage an energetic struggle to carry our revolution into effect substantially by getting the better of all the wrong tendencies to boycott revolution and closely uniting the broad masses of the people. Thus, we will successfully bring to a close an anti-imperialist, anti-feudal democratic revolution and accelerate the building of a democratic, independent and sovereign state.
6) PEACE–OUR DEMOCRACY AIMS AT PEACE
Bourgeois democracy is used as a means to create discord among the people and to unleash a war of aggression against and plunder others. Our democracy, however, serves to promote harmony and friendship among the people and to maintain and consolidate peace.
Our democracy, a democracy for the broad masses of the people, aims at building a new society where people can lead a free and happy life. Therefore, it considers it a major task to struggle to secure domestic and world peace, resolutely opposing antagonism and enmity among nations. Hence, if we struggle resolutely to realize our democracy, it will contribute positively to ensuring domestic peace and to establishing world peace.
We must direct our efforts to maintaining and consolidating peace in our country to meet the requirements of progressive democracy. In order to ensure peace in our country, we must make sure, first and foremost, that people of all strata and democratic political parties maintain good relations and press forward with the work of building a state, helping each other.
There are people at present who take objectionable steps that might obstruct the harmony and cohesion among the population. Some communists frankly oppose the Democratic Party. If among the Democrats there are individuals who oppose the people, democracy and the Communist Party, then, of course, we must fight them resolutely. However, it is wrong to oppose the Democratic Party as such because of a few bad elements. Likewise, some Democrats categorically oppose the Communist Party. This is a very dangerous tendency.
If this unprincipled tendency of rejecting and opposing other parties increases, it will run counter to the interests and requirements of the broad working masses and hamper our democratic movement and the cohesion of the masses of the people immensely. The wrong practice of opposing other parties, which is manifested among certain people at present, might have grave consequences–the raising of conflicts among people of different strata and the undermining of peace at home.
We must pay special attention to eliminating such unsuitable tendencies to disrupt peace in the country. We must fight irrevocably against practices of all kinds that might provoke enmity and discord among different sections of the people and parties, while, at the same time, smashing the activities of the reactionaries wholly to
destroy domestic peace. So, we will ensure that all patriots, whether members of a political party or not, unite firmly and work together under the banner of democracy for carrying out their duty in building the country.
We must strive for world peace while fighting for domestic peace.
Peace does not come of itself; it must be won through struggle. The forces of world reaction are seeking for a chance to invade other countries, and are hell-bent on disturbing peace and driving the people into the holocaust of war. Unless we struggle against such aggressive forces, we cannot maintain and consolidate the peace of the world. Only when peace-loving people throughout the world join their efforts and expose the schemes of international reaction at every step to
destroy peace and intensify their struggle against them, can a lasting world peace be attained.
We must promote friendship with peace-loving people the world over and, in solidarity with them, struggle vigorously against imperialism and the forces of war, thus contributing greatly to the cause of world peace.
We would say that these are, in general, the characteristic features of our democracy.
3. LET US STEP UP THE WORK OF ESTABLISHING
A PEOPLE’S POWER
The Korean people, who have embarked on the building of a new Korea with the joy of freedom and liberation, are fighting to smash the colonial ruling machinery of Japanese imperialism and to set up a genuine people’s power. We must organize and mobilize fittingly the enthusiasm of the masses to build their country in order to energetically step up the work of establishing a people’s power.
It is necessary to convene people’s congresses at all levels for establishing a people’s power. The people’s congresses we are going to hold are aimed not at cajoling the masses of the people to secure certain authority but at electing people’s representatives reflecting the will of the masses.
The holding of people’s congresses will be an outstanding event in our people’s political life. Through the congresses our people will participate directly in the establishment of power for the first time in our history, and they will realize fully that they are the masters who are wielding that power. The people’s congresses will not only be a magnificent opportunity to test our people’s preparedness; they will also be a great political school that will help to rouse the masses of the people politically and heighten their eagerness for building the country.
The people’s congresses at all levels must elect representatives who are able to serve the people faithfully in the organs of power at all levels, from the ri up to the centre, in accordance with the unanimous will of the people, so that people’s committees can be formed at all levels and a central government set up.
This power alone, created by the unanimous will of the people, can become a genuine people’s power that will serve their interests. Only that power, composed of people’s representatives elected at people’s congresses, can represent all the Korean people and become a fully qualified state power to organize and mobilize the masses of the people to build a unified, prosperous and strong country.
Anti-popular, anti-democratic elements are now opposing the convocation of people’s congresses and are trying to rig up a government at will. They are working to empower the
leaders of some political parties to appoint or dismiss Cabinet ministers as they please. This is not a genuine political movement for the benefit of the people but absurd anti-popular activity emanating entirely from their thirst for power.
We must smash all the conspiratorial activities of the anti-popular, anti-democratic elements and wage a vigorous struggle to establish a democratic central government through the people’s congresses. In order to lay the firm foundations for a democratic central government, we must primarily step up the work of establishing a people’s power in north Korea where favourable conditions have been created for building a new country.
Correctly understanding the essence of progressive democracy and fully realizing it, we must found a democratic people’s republic, a genuine people’s power, and build a new, flourishing and democratic Korea.