Banner of Independence, a Beacon of Humanity (10)

Law-governed Process of Development of Socio-historical Movement

The Juche idea provides a scientific clarification of the law-governed process of development of socio-historical movement.

The socio-historical movement, above all, develops as social wealth increases and social relations improve in direct proportion to the development of the masses of the people.

This movement is developed by the masses as its motive force. Therefore, society develops as their ideological consciousness of independence and creative ability are increased.

Social development is ensured in unified relationship of components of society, that is, through the law-governed process of accumulating social wealth and developing social relations in accordance with the development of the masses, the masters of society and motive force of social history.

First of all, social wealth is increased in proportion to the improvement of independent ideological consciousness and creative ability of the masses.

True, man’s development is affected by the development of social wealth. However, the development of social wealth does not define man’s development; the latter defines the former. If a new social wealth is to be created, man who wants it and has ability to create it is in need. However developed social assets are, it is the man who created them, and they are no more than a manifestation of his ideology and ability, wisdom and strength.

Material wealth and spiritual and cultural wealth of society including science and technology and art and literature grow and develop in keeping with the development of the people’s ideological consciousness of independence and creative ability, and the intensification of their creative activities.

Also, social relations improve in conformity with the enhancement of the people’s ideological consciousness of independence and creative ability.

Development of social relations constitutes the main content of social development. The level of social development finds intensive expression in the level of development of social relations and social system. Although man develops and social wealth is increased, the fundamental development of society cannot be achieved, unless social system is changed.

Social relations are transformed by revolutionary struggle of the masses, and this struggle is waged in conformity with the development of their ideological consciousness of independence and creative ability. The level of their ideological consciousness of independence and creative ability defines what social relations they aspire after and how positively they strive to achieve them.

When their ideological consciousness of independence and creative ability are enhanced, they aspire after progressive social relations and social system, and strive for their establishment more positively. And this will lead to the establishment and consolidation of progressive social system.

As such, socio-historical movement is developed as the masses develop, social wealth is increased and social relations are improved.

Second, socio-historical movement is developed by transforming nature, society and man.

Natural transformation is an undertaking to create material conditions for human existence and social development; whereas social transformation is the process of changing social relations and social system so as to enhance the position and role of the masses; and transformation of man constitutes the most important realm of social development as a matter of bringing up people to be more powerful social beings.

Transformation of nature, society and man forms the main realms of social development and is conducted in close relationship. It is not carried out en masse in all stages of social development, but in a certain historical order.

In the society of hostile classes the transformation of society for realizing socio-political independence comes to the fore. Conversely, in socialist society where socio-political independence of the masses is fully realized, the transformation of nature and man presents itself as an urgent and important matter.

History of human society has been the history of social revolution for realizing the people’s socio-political independence, since society is divided into hostile classes. The popular masses have carved out their own destiny and developed society by making social revolutions.

Likewise, socio-historical movement develops through the process of transforming nature, society and man.

Third, socio-historical movement develops as the scope of spontaneity of social movement decreases and the scope of purposeful and conscious occurrence expands.

All social laws, contrary to the law of nature which acts spontaneously, are enforced only by man’s activity. Social laws can be enforced smoothly, curbed or restricted according to man’s activity in parallel with the increase in the level of leading role of the motive force of social movement, the enforcement of social laws runs a smooth course and social movement is conducted on an increasingly wide scale. The level of the leading role of the popular masses, who are conscious of and enforce objective social laws is determined by the development level of their independence, creativity and consciousness—essential attributes of man—and the progressive nature of social system. Society further develops by purposeful and conscious activity of the masses in accordance with the increase in the level of essential attributes and the establishment of progressive social system.