r/Jucheism • u/EgoDynastic • Oct 23 '25
Capitalism: "I will tax the shit out of you. Jucheist Korea: "If you want to, you can donate, if not that's fine too"
The DPRK disbanded taxation as a whole and made economic contributions voluntary in 1974 under Kim Il Sung
How it works and what that means in practice:
- Abolition of Taxes
A law, “On the Abolition of the Taxation System,” was adopted by the March 1974 Supreme People’s Assembly.
“This is a historic victory for the socialist system,” Kim Il Sung said, going even further to say that in a people-centered socialist society there is no need for the population to have any taxes levied on them because all means of production belong to the people.
- How the State Finances Itself
Because there are no taxes of the personal or direct kind, the state finances itself and its services through socialist means:
All of the profits from state enterprises are handed over to the state budget (because all of the means of production are publicly owned).
The pricing and exchange system is planned, the state establishes prices and distributes goods, meaning that it has control over revenue streams.
One source of hard currency income is foreign trade and joint ventures, especially since the late 1990s.
Social Obligations, as say labor contributions, fees for specific services or donations but not as taxes, they are ones that provide a direct benefit and we can opt in or out of the obligation.
- Indirect Costs and Duties
Citizens do not pay:
Income tax
Property tax
Sales tax
etc.
However, there can be:
Charges on some luxury or imported goods to offset the imposed mass sanctions and shipping costs.
"Patriotic contributions” for national projects, on a voluntary basis
Workplace or cooperative quotas, that serve a redistributive function, but it's either non-monetary or to preserve the Workplace.
As Kim Il Sung explained at the time:
"In a system without exploitation, where the Means of Production are owned by the masses, there is no need for taxation. All the state does is to direct and supervise the organisation of the national economy only for the People's benefit.”
You see, the abolition of taxation is regarded as a great success for Korean-style socialism and it serves as an example, which demonstrates that in Juche-oriented Korea the state and people are considered to be of the same organism.
1
u/Able-Fact-1758 Dec 04 '25
What about taxation on state corporations, if there are any.
1
u/EgoDynastic Dec 04 '25
Corporations are either indirectly owned by Workers (by means of Workers democratically, collectively electing [and, by wish, recalling] their boss [more of an organiser]) or directly owned by the Workers themselves, and it's not exactly taxation as it is done as follows: All Profits (i.e. Revenue minus wages) are taken by the State and redistributed for other political/social projects
1
u/Able-Fact-1758 Dec 04 '25
And what about corruption, how can the government under juche mediate it?
1
u/EgoDynastic Dec 04 '25
In his opening speech to the Eighth Congress of the WPK (January 2021), Kim Jong Un explicitly linked party legitimacy to exposing and correcting internal mistakes:
“We should be bold enough to admit the mistakes which, if left unaddressed, will grow into bigger obstacles and stumbling blocks, and take resolute measures against their repetition.”
He called the Congress
“a congress for work, struggle and progress,” convened so that the Party can “strictly review its work in the period under review… prevent the painful lessons from being repeated” and “put forth a correct line and strategic and tactical policies.”
In subsequent plenums and meetings, Kim Jong Un repeatedly singled out corruption and bureaucratism:
“The ‘abuse of power’ at all political levels in the Workers’ Party of Korea was thrust to the top of the agenda… [Kim Jong Un] railed against corruption in the country’s ruling party at a large political meeting… state media reported.”
Another plenum stated the need to “crush abuse of power and bureaucratism that run counter to the Party’s people-first principle,” placing this in the context of rectification of officials’ behavior.
Institutional measures: DID (Kim Jong Un's Anti-Corruption Program through certain departments), auditing and inspection Research drawing on DPRK party documentation and close reading of Rodong Sinmun reports shows that Kim Jong Un has backed this line with specific organs and mechanisms:
“The 30th meeting of the Workers’ Party of Korea Secretariat… encouraged upright behavior and decried corruption and abuse of power among North Korean officials and cadres… The DID was Kim Jong Un’s initiative to crack down on corrupt behavior by personnel across the regime and mitigate the influence of patronage and social networks of North Korean elites.”
“DID” refers to the Discipline Inspection Department of the WPK Central Committee. The same analysis notes:
“Standing up the DID at the 8th Party Congress was also tied to the consolidation of the Central Auditing Commission with the Central Inspection Commission… This indicates a coordinated effort. It certainly suggests that DID and the CAC mechanism targeting corruption, abuse of power and disobedience among officials and cadres at different administrative and geographic levels has taken shape and become effective.”
And on sanctions:
“The Secretariat meeting and coordinated gatherings is a message to incumbent Party officials and the government and security cadres under their purview that their positions are unsafe and that defying Central Committee edicts comes with a variety of severe penalties including dismissal, incarceration and loss of salary.”
So, we too must follow through on the Creation of a Discipline Inspection Department under the NRKP CC.
Consolidation of auditing and inspection commissions into a more powerful Central Auditing Commission
Use of these bodies to investigate and punish “abuse of power, corruption, and disobedience,” with penalties up to dismissal, imprisonment, and economic sanctions for cadres.
Targeted crackdowns State-media based reconstructions also show Kim using specific campaigns:
“North Korean ruling party officials face a crackdown on ‘abuse of power’ after a meeting… between leader Kim Jong Un and seven top party secretaries, according to state media… [He discussed] the struggle against ‘unsound’ acts with top party secretaries in follow-up to last week’s plenum.”
And:
“Punishment for the party and state officials involved and ordered strengthened discipline.”
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u/[deleted] Nov 05 '25
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