RE: North Korean policy?
July 30, 2014 at 7:26 pm
(This post was last modified: July 30, 2014 at 7:27 pm by Thumpalumpacus.)
(July 30, 2014 at 6:07 pm)Chuck Wrote:(July 30, 2014 at 5:37 pm)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: I get the idea of opening up trade in order to increase the inflow of ideas into the country, but it seems to me possible, if not likely, that the regime would have control over the disbursement of aid, and devote it to its military. Or, as has happened in East Africa, use that aid disbursement in order to reward loyalists and punish those who appear to be wavering, or falling short of the Five Year Plan, etc.
Kim family is too closely tied to too many atrocities, and has too few real accomplishments benefiting North Koreans to show for it, that there is no possible way this family can remain safe without having truly, as oppose to rethorically, totalitarian powers to crush dissent at all levels. Any substantial liberalization of economy must erode the actual totalitarian control of the kim family. So as long as the Kim family remains in independent charge, things will not be allowed to improve much.
Pretty much what I'm thinking. I also think that the only possible mechanism for controlled change would be China putting the squeeze on them by using border access as the lever -- that would put the Kims 'tween the Devil and the deep blue.
Of course, that won't happen until and unless China itself experiences some political change of its own. It's not China's style.
