Background Information
Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic of North Korea in 1948, the country has been ruled by one family in an authoritarian style designed to exert political control to the maximum degree. In 1984, the seminal novel by George Orwell of the same name premiered, in which a man named Winston Smith tries to rebel against an incredibly oppressive regime with few successes and ultimately fails. The book is a chilling example of the potential outcome of authoritarian government, and its subsequent adaption can be seen in many aspects of North Korea’s current rule.
North Korea is considered to be a “totalitarian state” by many organizations such as Human Rights Watch and the United Nations, due to its single-party system; its severe media, thought, and economic censorship; and its leaders’ demonstrated willingness to use psychological manipulation and active violence to maintain power. While North Korea’s government claims to operate through a cult of personality, it is clear that the Supreme Leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, is the ultimate authority and any attempts to overturn his authority could encounter consequences.
Relevant Data
The similarities between 1984 and North Korea, though often dismissed for their exaggerative nature, are striking. North Korea is a state with an army of around one million (nearly 10%) of its population, constantly purging its citizens of thoughts and ideas, and maintains the only totalitarian government in the world. Surveillance and control over the population is extreme – from required ‘spy’ badges to monitor citizens activities and movements, to a repressive press and public entertainment, heavily monitored individual and communications, and an extreme codifying of ‘crimes’ that can bring about harsh sentencing.
The North Korean penal code is modeled very closely on many aspects of the ‘Junior Anti-Sex League’ in 1984; and much publication has suggested that a certain level of ‘brainwashing’ occurs in the country, leaving citizens with little opportunity to express any opinions or feelings against the Supreme Leader and the state. This is not without consequence, as expressions or opinions against the state are considered ‘thoughtcrimes’ and punishable by imprisonment or execution.
Perspectives From Experts
Experts in the field of human rights and totalitarian governments have long established a comparison between Orwell’s 1984 and North Korea. Dr. Maria Fyfe, a renowned specialist in communism and totalitarianism, states that North Korea is “absolute control by one individual, usually through the use of indirect forms of psychological manipulation”, echoing the themes and messages in Orwell’s book perfectly. However, Fyfe does note that the North Korean government is more extreme even than Orwell’s world: “In North Korea, there are far more consequences to any behavior not deemed in line with the system, even from birth”.
The New York Times conducted a study of the parallels between North Korea and 1984, further detailing the fear and paranoia that the government perpetuates in its citizens. Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un is seen in a very similar way to Big Brother, in that both are portrayed as perfect, supreme leaders. Insturctions, or ‘texts’ as they are known, seemingly issued by his father, Kim Jong-il, find their way into the hands of the citizens of North Korea, creating the groundwork for a cult of personality. The Kim dynasty is similar to the Party in 1984, where success isn’t measured on merit but instead, ‘loyalty’.
Analysis & Insights
By analysing the data available, it is clear that the comparison between 1984 and North Korea extends far beyond the superficial. The pervasive level of surveillance and control exhibited by North Korean officials to monitor the populace, and its use of traditional thought control and psychological manipulation, belong to a level of dystopia on par with Orwell’s creation.
The comparison goes further than that, however. North Korea and 1984 also share key similarities in the structure of their systems of government. American academics such as Bruce Cumings and Tony Saich draw direct comparisons to the system in which power is retained in the leadership, and that any challenges to this system are usually quickly extinguished. This is also seen in North Korea’s system, where loyalty is seen as far more important than any other qualification, and any challenges to Kim Jong-un’s authority are severely punished.
The psychological structure and control imposed on the citizens of North Korea is often inexorably linked to their sense of cultural identity, further drawing a comparison with Orwell’s 1984. Ultimately, this control structures society, very similar in terms of its effects to Big Brother’s Party in the novel.
Norms & Social Values
The norms and social values of North Korea are interesting, as they demonstrate the level of control and manipulation that shapes the lives of its citizens, which is a key component of 1984. For example, North Koreans are told to refer to Kim Jong-un as their “Supreme Leader”, while simultaneously having to dress in the same style of clothing prescribed by the government or face punishment. This effectively creates a sense of uniformity and control.
Another example of the North Korean government’s control of social values can be seen in its use of propaganda. By maintaining an easy and clear line of communication from the government to the people, the North Korean government can control information and media access, allowing only content deemed appropriate by the government to be widely consumed.
Furthermore, in 1984, state-sanctioned propaganda was a key tool in maintaining control, with the Ministry of Truth brainwashing its citizens into believing the inconceivable. Similarly, the North Korean government’s use of propaganda is designed to convince the people that the Kim Dynasty are infallible, and in some cases, untouchable.
Censorship & Media
One of the most entrenched examples of control in North Korea is that of media and censorship. All media access is regulated by the government, with newspapers and television shows containing only government-approved material. Orwell’s 1984 also includes a vast and comprehensive censorship system, with any dissent or differing opinions quickly becoming “unpersons”.
The internet, a tool of communication that is rarely accessible to North Korea, is also closely watched and monitored, with any perceived dissention leading to harsh punishments. In 1984, Big Brother’s goal was to monitor the incoming and outgoing information at all times, effectively eliminating any potential oppositional messages from being disseminated throughout the population. This is also seen in North Korea, which closely monitors all potential information that could encourage dissent.
Surveillance
The relationship between citizens and surveillance in North Korea resembles that of 1984, due to their extreme use of surveillance to control the populace. In North Korea, citizens are required to carry “spy” badges, which records their activities and movements. The Ministry of Love in 1984, also known as the Thought Police, employed similar tactics to monitor dissidence or thoughtcrime, although with much less modern technology.
Government surveillance in North Korea is also used to keep citizens “in line”, with the punishments for even small infractions typically resulting in a severe loss of freedom and even imprisonment. Similar tactics of fear and control are used in 1984, where members of the public are literally watched at all times.
The parallels between North Korea and Orwell’s 1984 are even more obvious given that North Korea’s government claims to operate through a cult of personality, just like the Party of Big Brother. This has allowed much of North Korea’s power to be built through the extreme control of its citizens, and is one of the reasons why North Korea has been able to retain its authoritarian rule. The power dynamics between the State, Party and its members are very similar to that of 1984, with the only major difference being a lack of opposing forces.
