Posted by Ilya Somin:
North Korea - A Real-Life 1984:
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2009_03_15-2009_03_21.shtml#1237352487
On a more serious note than my last North Korea post, it is worth
noting that North Korea's social structure more closely approximates
that of George Orwell's 1984 than even the Stalin-era Soviet Union.
For example, [1]the entire North Korean population is rigorously
sorted into three categories: "Core" (trusted supporters of the
regime), "wavering," and "hostile." The "hostiles" make up some 25%
percent of the population and are ruthless discriminated against in
every aspect of life, as North Korea expert Kongdan Oh explains at the
above link:
An individual's political loyalty is likely to be re-examined
anytime he or she comes to the attention of the authorities, for
example when being considered for a job, housing, or travel permit.
One's political classification is not a matter of public knowledge,
nor is it known to the individual, but it is recorded in the
personal record that follows every North Korean throughout life,
and of course becomes part of the record of that person's children
and relatives as well.
Only people classified as politically loyal can hope to obtain
responsible positions in North Korean society. People classified as
members of the wavering class are unlikely to be considered for
membership in the Korean Workers Party. People who fall into the
hostile class are discriminated against in terms of employment,
food, housing, medical care, and place of residence.
[2]Belonging to a minority religious group or being a relative of an
"enemy of the people" automatically puts you in the "hostile"
category.
This tripartite division of the population is very similar to that of
1984, where the population was divided into the Inner Party, the Outer
Party, and the downtrodden Proles. Of course, this is no coincidence.
After all, Orwell's fictional Oceania was modeled on Stalin's USSR,
and the same can be said of today's North Korean regime. However, even
the Soviet government never classified the entire population quite as
rigidly as North Korea does.
References
1. http://www.brookings.edu/testimony/2003/0605northkorea_oh.aspx?rssid=ohk
2.
http://civilliberty.about.com/od/internationalhumanrights/p/northkorea101.htm
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