They are not that different. They are both slightly different takes on ML influenced by the situation of each country. Korea was a colonized land for most of its recent history and much smaller compared to the USSR.
Stalin didn’t mind helping socialist revolutions in other countries. The Soviet Union was particularly helpful towards Mao’s movement and the establishment of the DPRK. He just didn’t think it should be a priority right away.
He attempted (successfully) to strengthen the Soviet Union first so it could precisely be able to survive the attempts of the capitalist world to destroy it, and then they could start thinking about bringing the revolution to other countries (which they did after WW2 was over). Stalin’s idea is simply a counterpoint to Trotsky’s idea of “permanent revolution” which basically argued that the Soviet Union should militarily intervene in Europe and elsewhere right after the Russian Civil War. Stalin instead wanted the Soviet Union to be a beacon and support mechanism for other revolutions to allow for world socialism to be achieved in the long-term vs Trotsky’s short-term plans.
NK was never in a position to support revolution elsewhere. Thus, for them Juche isn’t a priority. It’s the ONLY path forward. Juche focuses on the idea that “man should make his own history”. So they are all about focusing on defending and strengthening their socialist system without interfering elsewhere or allowing interference from others in their country. Their goal is to not allow Korea to be colonized again.
As @SovereignState mentioned though, it’s not about internationalism vs nationalism. It’s an attempt to fix perceived errors by other movements before NK and an approach more suited to NK’s situation.
They are not that different. They are both slightly different takes on ML influenced by the situation of each country. Korea was a colonized land for most of its recent history and much smaller compared to the USSR.
Stalin didn’t mind helping socialist revolutions in other countries. The Soviet Union was particularly helpful towards Mao’s movement and the establishment of the DPRK. He just didn’t think it should be a priority right away.
He attempted (successfully) to strengthen the Soviet Union first so it could precisely be able to survive the attempts of the capitalist world to destroy it, and then they could start thinking about bringing the revolution to other countries (which they did after WW2 was over). Stalin’s idea is simply a counterpoint to Trotsky’s idea of “permanent revolution” which basically argued that the Soviet Union should militarily intervene in Europe and elsewhere right after the Russian Civil War. Stalin instead wanted the Soviet Union to be a beacon and support mechanism for other revolutions to allow for world socialism to be achieved in the long-term vs Trotsky’s short-term plans.
NK was never in a position to support revolution elsewhere. Thus, for them Juche isn’t a priority. It’s the ONLY path forward. Juche focuses on the idea that “man should make his own history”. So they are all about focusing on defending and strengthening their socialist system without interfering elsewhere or allowing interference from others in their country. Their goal is to not allow Korea to be colonized again.
As @SovereignState mentioned though, it’s not about internationalism vs nationalism. It’s an attempt to fix perceived errors by other movements before NK and an approach more suited to NK’s situation.
Thank you