By: Stephany Grant

North Korea Kim Jong-Il

North Korea Government Their government type, is a communist state, which is a one man dictatorship. Their Chief of State is also their Chairman of National Defense Commission. He is Kim Jong- Il. North Korea’s government says that the political power lies within the people but the actual power is in the hands of the countries communist party, called the Korean Workers Party. The party makes the countries laws, chooses election candidates, and approves people appointed to public office. This country does have other parties but they are not allowed to object to the policies of the Working Party. North Korean constitution promises freedom of speech, religion and press, but the citizens actually have little freedom. The government maintains strict control over all aspects of life to ensure the countries dominance. Their judicial system is dependant on the communist party. The Central Court is the highest court in North Korea. Its members are chosen by the party and elected by the Supreme People’s Assembly Rejection of Liberalism: Competition is rejected in their government because they have one party ruling everything. The Koreans are not allowed to have another party which opposes the Workers Party, which is rejecting competition of government officials. Also people chosen for legislative or judicial duty are picked by the Workers Party. It is not dependant on the persons skills or how educated or experienced they are. This removes any competition from them. Self Interest is also rejected by the communists. They have an interest in the countries dominance in the world and that is all. Interest of the individual is not an important feature in North Korea.

North Korean Economy North Korea has an entirely government planned, state owned economy. International trade is highly restricted. Food rations, housing, healthcare, and education is offered from the state for free. “North Korea is one of the world's most centrally directed and least open economies. Large-scale military spending draws off resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. Industrial and power output have declined in parallel from pre-1990 levels. Large-scale international food aid deliveries have allowed the people of North Korea to escape widespread starvation since famine threatened in 1995, but the population continues to suffer from prolonged malnutrition and poor living conditions. Since 2002, the government has allowed private "farmers' markets" to begin selling a wider range of goods. It also permitted some private farming - on an experimental basis - in an effort to boost agricultural output. In October 2005, the government tried to reverse some of these policies by forbidding private sales of grains and reinstituting a centralized food rationing system. Firm political control remains the Communist government's overriding concern, which will likely inhibit the loosening of economic regulations. In December 2009, North Korea revalued its currency, capped the amount of North Korean won that could be exchanged for the new notes, and limited the exchange to a one-week window.” (CIA factbook) Rejection of Liberalism Limits Economic freedom, by monitoring what is being grown by farmers, and the type of markets North Korea can have. The whole economic system is owned and operated by the state, which limits economic freedom to an extreme. Rejects private property by having only experimental private farms. Most farms are run by the state and heavily regulated. Housing is offered free from the state, but in turn is state property. Rejects competition by not letting the people have private markets or having their own run farm. Also restricting international trade rejects competition between countries

Bibliography world-factbook/geos/kn.html The CIA world factbook, North Korea Retrieved February 25, 2010 from internet world-factbook/geos/kn.html Wikipedia, North Korea Retrieved February 25, 2010 from internet North Korea (2010) “The World Fact Book Encyclopedia”. Pages Book J-K. Michigan, IL: World Book Inc.