Question

what are the similarities and differences between the North Korean state and the Chinese state in terms of how the state governs it policies, economy, and society?

Answer 1

Note: This response is in UK English, please paste the response to MS Word and you should be able to spot discrepancies easily. You may elaborate the answer based on personal views or your classwork if necessary.

(Answer) China has a typical communist style government that is currently led by president Xi Jinping and North Korea subscribes to a communist ideology, under a dictatorship that is headed by the “supreme leader” Kim Jong-Un.

Both of these countries have had different histories and different relationships with their neighbouring countries. However, both governments share many similarities. Even though both countries claim to have a communist style of government, it is nothing short of a dictatorship. The Chinese president has passed a new law that essentially removes the time limit to his term as President. This means that he can preside over China for as long as he likes. Similarly, the South Korean leader has a position that seems to know no bounds.

The people of both these countries do not have a valued vote, opinion and certainly do not have the right to protest. Incidents like the Tiananmen Square and any other protests are easily thwarted by the government.

There is no free press in both countries and anyone with a negative opinion about the leaders, the government or anyone in power might eventually bear the brunt of their “misdoings.”

China, for instance, does not have services like Google, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc. Instead of these, they have their own apps and services that are controlled by the government. The government has the right to monitor communication channels without a valid cause. In North Korea, internet facilities are a privilege only to a few members of society with permits or clearance.

Both these governments might be against capitalist governments because they claim that the money is concentrated only in the hands of the “owners” of the society and not the working class. However, in these countries, the capital is also concentrated in the hands of the “owners” and those who hold a high place in support of the government.

They dislike democracy because the power is given to the people and effective decisions are taken slowly as compared to their nations. However, complex issues do require discourse, votes and a logical consensus that is considerate of all sections of society. Such decisions are generally not affected in hours or just a few days.