In a perplexing display of thought, it turns out 62% of our younger generation in America have a ‘favorable view’ of socialism. Their naivety brings into question our education system’s ability to impart historical lessons. Numerous countries have dabbled in socialism, and the result has consistently been catastrophic. Even China, which has achieved a certain level of economic success, did so only after accepting the necessity of private enterprise.
How can the younger generation be so gripped by this misguided appreciation for socialism? Potentially, it harkens back to being spared from witnessing the disintegration of the Soviet Union. A visit to the ultimate socialist paradise on earth, North Korea, could give them some much-needed insight.
Consider the case of Charles Ryu, a North Korean defector who managed to escape to China. His experience is on par with a ride in a time machine where he fast-forwarded 50 years in terms of living conditions. Access to electricity around the clock and sufficient food was not merely an upgrade, but ‘life changing’ for him.
Perhaps it strikes us as unusual to equate China, notorious for its surveillance state and censorship, with freedom. Nevertheless, for Ryu, the comparison was stark: ‘In North Korea, it’s 100 times worse’.
North Koreans are subjected to such extreme isolation that they buy into even the absurd propaganda. To quote Ryu’s experience: ‘(Dictator) Kim Jong Il … got mad when he learned what Japan had done to North Korea. He grabbed a calligraphy pen … and painted over Japan. As soon as he did, Japan started getting hurricanes and storms…’. Thus, they are coerced into believing their dictator has godly powers.
Unfortunately, Ryu’s stay in China was short-lived. Once his North Korean origin was disclosed to the authorities, he was promptly deported back. The ‘punishment for escape’ in North Korea is as horrendous as it sounds. Subjected to brutal physical abuse and starved with a ration of only 150 kernels of corn, Ryu’s tale describes a world most of us could scarcely imagine.
Ryu’s dreadful ordeal didn’t end there. Once, while scavenging for food, he was so desperate that he found himself eating rice grains from dry vomit on the road. The cruel beating from the guards forcibly ended this grim meal. This is the reality of socialism, a grim reminder of a system’s capability to dehumanize its people.
After nine months, he got out of prison labor as ‘I lost so much weight that I was a worthless worker’. It’s a bitter irony to think that under a socialist governance, human value is reduced to work efficiency. Still, Ryu braved another treacherous escape, this time attempting to cross the Yalu River while pretending to fetch water.
In Rodriguez’s experience, bold determination at the brink of death earned him another, precarious chance at freedom. Despite being warned that he would be shot, he waded deeper into the river, propelled by pure desperation. He was spot lit by a searchlight, but his relentless resolve pushed him to continue despite the mortal danger.
His second venture in China was successful as he managed to evade capture. Via a broker, he made it to Thailand where the U.N. officials granted him political asylum, which finally led him to safety in America.
Currently, Ryu is using his personal experiences as a compelling lesson to educate Americans about the true nature of North Korea and the lurking perils of socialism. Ryu’s message is stark: ‘Just go to North Korea for 10 days and you’ll know how bad it is … You don’t really know you have it good.’ Clearly, his grim past serves a noble purpose.
The story becomes even more eerie when Ryu admits that he can openly discuss his North Korean experiences only because he has no immediate family left in the homeland. One of the stark realities of the despot’s rule is that any denouncement of the regime can cost not only your life, but doom ‘three generations of your family’ to political prison camps, with no chance of survival.
Despite his grim past, Ryu is ecstatic about his life in America, a capitalist country offering him boundless opportunities. After attending school, finding a job that he enjoys, and getting married, Ryu now perceives his life as complete. His story emphasizes the distinction between life in North Korea and America, spotlighting the inherent dangers and deprivations of socialism.
For those who continue to romanticize and idealize socialism in America, Ryu’s story should serve as a chilling heat-check. America, a beacon of capitalism, offers a life of choices and opportunities unthinkable in North Korea. This certainly puts into perspective the illusion that socialism could be a viable system for any society, let alone one as diverse and success-driven as ours.