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Coreia do Norte - Estado de Paranoia
Que segredos esconde um dos países mais reservados e perigosos do mundo?
A Coreia do Norte sempre foi objeto de fascínio e preocupação por parte de todo o mundo. Um país reservado, misterioso e inacessível, uma potência nuclear com campos de prisioneiros ao estilo gulag, que bloqueia o acesso à Internet e proíbe os seus cidadãos de falar com estrangeiros sem prévia autorização.
Nesta detalhada investigação, baseada numa série impressionante de fontes e de arquivos até agora inacessíveis, Paul French analisa a história e a política da Coreia do Norte, as complexas relações de Pyongyang com a Coreia do Sul, o Japão, a China e os Estados Unidos, e as implicações de uma liderança que antagoniza de igual forma inimigos e aliados.
Direto e realista, este livro apresenta um retrato de uma nação assustadoramente instável, um país cujo súbito colapso pode ter consequências perigosas a nível mundial.
A Coreia do Norte sempre foi objeto de fascínio e preocupação por parte de todo o mundo. Um país reservado, misterioso e inacessível, uma potência nuclear com campos de prisioneiros ao estilo gulag, que bloqueia o acesso à Internet e proíbe os seus cidadãos de falar com estrangeiros sem prévia autorização.
Nesta detalhada investigação, baseada numa série impressionante de fontes e de arquivos até agora inacessíveis, Paul French analisa a história e a política da Coreia do Norte, as complexas relações de Pyongyang com a Coreia do Sul, o Japão, a China e os Estados Unidos, e as implicações de uma liderança que antagoniza de igual forma inimigos e aliados.
Direto e realista, este livro apresenta um retrato de uma nação assustadoramente instável, um país cujo súbito colapso pode ter consequências perigosas a nível mundial.
448 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
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1103 people want to read
About the author
Paul French
31 books171 followersPaul French has been based in Shanghai for many years as Chief China Representative of research and analysis consultancy Access Asia. He is a regular commentator of China and North East Asia on the international media. He is the author of a number of previous books including the well-received North Korea: The Paranoid Pensinsula for Zed Books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
April 13, 2014
North Korea: A Hot Mess …
This book was reviewed as part of Amazon's Vine program which included a free advance copy of the book.
While the world focuses on the on-going instability in the Middle East, Russia’s apparent desire to return to the good old expansionist days of the Soviet Union, the free-falling US economy and China’s looming economic and military presence, it might consider paying closer attention to the country that is busy stirring-up a lethal concoction of famine, totalitarianism and nuclear weapons. The news may present North Korea as an afterthought, an ugly benign mole on the world’s back or simply joke-fodder for late night comedians, but Paul French is waving the big red flag. NORTH KOREA: STATE OF PARANOIA provides eye-opening and thought-provoking insight as to how decades of steady economic decay and autocratic rule have formed a combustible and unpredictable mess on the Korean Peninsula … with nuclear consequences.
French provides a timely and totally immersive wealth of information about a nation that has been in a state of war since the START of the Korean War almost 63 years ago. Ironically, aside from the routine (but skimpy) media coverage of odd behavior from the North Korean leaders, President Bush’s “Axis of Evil” speech or the mental imagery conjured up by the dark blotch that is North Korea (DPRK) in the “world at night” satellite photo, the country remains an enigma. Thankfully, French peeks under North Korea’s veil of secrecy to provide powerfully, shocking information and a much clearer understanding of how and why the country is somewhat of a ticking time bomb that the world will eventually have to deal with … one way or another.
Before delving into the nuts and bolts of what makes the DPRK so unpredictable and dangerous, French offers readers an introduction to the ruling ideology (“Juche”) and an intriguing view of what life is like for the “average” citizen in Pyongyang (DPRK’s capital and most “modern” city). I found these chapters to be the most valuable parts of the entire book in that they really convey how the country’s populace has suffered under an oppressive, cult-of-personality socialist regime. What we see is how decades of economic decline have ravaged the city’s citizens by offering little in terms of employment, food, heat and entertainment … leaving them with a life not worth living. Contrarily, as life deteriorates for the masses, North Korea’s leaders (French refers to them as the “3 Kims”: Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-Il and Kim Jong-un) live in excess (Kim Jong-Il’s reported affinity for Hennessy cognac cost him some $650,000+ each year … the average annual salary in North Korea is less than $1,000). If anything, these first few chapters serve as a meaty appetizer for the rest of the book.
After reading the beginning of the book, it is hard to envision that a country facing what appears to be imminent collapse can present a tangible threat, but that is exactly what French does with the following chapters. He further explains how Kim Il-sung’s “Juche” system (an amalgamation of Marxism, state atheism and Confucianism) has served as the root of all of North Korea’s economic problems and the main reason why it remains so isolated in world community. Although the details of DPRK’s economic woes are thorough and scholarly, it is unavoidably a tedious read. French does a good job explaining why the DPRK economy is so important to world affairs and how dealing with the struggling nuclear state is tricky business, even for its ally, China. I liked the chapter devoted to how American administrations (dating back to Nixon) have dealt with the difficulties presented by North Korea. Furthermore, I liked how the book touches on every angle imaginable: the idea of unification and the plethora of problems it would/could present, the large but relatively untested military and, of course, the nuclear weapons issue.
The book provides as thorough an understanding of the “situation” in North Korea as anything I’ve read before. French lays everything out and presents several possible paths North Korea’s future … and all present major problems. He makes the point that only a regime change can free the citizens of North Korea from oppression and bring the country out of despair, but French makes it abundantly clear how little hope there is for that because no living North Korean has ever experienced anything but oppressive rule (going back to the Japanese occupation). In the meantime, the world tensely endures and even tolerates DPRK’s threats of war, the in-your-face missile testing and war-games … presenting itself with the only trump card in its deck: the nuclear tripwire.
I found this book to be fascinating and extremely educational. It conjured up a real-life version of Leonard Wibberley’s “The Mouse that Roared”. Paul French takes on the subject of North Korea with a tremendous amount of gusto and offers a book that clearly illustrates why the DPRK is the way it is and why there is really nothing we can do about it.
This book was reviewed as part of Amazon's Vine program which included a free advance copy of the book.
While the world focuses on the on-going instability in the Middle East, Russia’s apparent desire to return to the good old expansionist days of the Soviet Union, the free-falling US economy and China’s looming economic and military presence, it might consider paying closer attention to the country that is busy stirring-up a lethal concoction of famine, totalitarianism and nuclear weapons. The news may present North Korea as an afterthought, an ugly benign mole on the world’s back or simply joke-fodder for late night comedians, but Paul French is waving the big red flag. NORTH KOREA: STATE OF PARANOIA provides eye-opening and thought-provoking insight as to how decades of steady economic decay and autocratic rule have formed a combustible and unpredictable mess on the Korean Peninsula … with nuclear consequences.
French provides a timely and totally immersive wealth of information about a nation that has been in a state of war since the START of the Korean War almost 63 years ago. Ironically, aside from the routine (but skimpy) media coverage of odd behavior from the North Korean leaders, President Bush’s “Axis of Evil” speech or the mental imagery conjured up by the dark blotch that is North Korea (DPRK) in the “world at night” satellite photo, the country remains an enigma. Thankfully, French peeks under North Korea’s veil of secrecy to provide powerfully, shocking information and a much clearer understanding of how and why the country is somewhat of a ticking time bomb that the world will eventually have to deal with … one way or another.
Before delving into the nuts and bolts of what makes the DPRK so unpredictable and dangerous, French offers readers an introduction to the ruling ideology (“Juche”) and an intriguing view of what life is like for the “average” citizen in Pyongyang (DPRK’s capital and most “modern” city). I found these chapters to be the most valuable parts of the entire book in that they really convey how the country’s populace has suffered under an oppressive, cult-of-personality socialist regime. What we see is how decades of economic decline have ravaged the city’s citizens by offering little in terms of employment, food, heat and entertainment … leaving them with a life not worth living. Contrarily, as life deteriorates for the masses, North Korea’s leaders (French refers to them as the “3 Kims”: Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-Il and Kim Jong-un) live in excess (Kim Jong-Il’s reported affinity for Hennessy cognac cost him some $650,000+ each year … the average annual salary in North Korea is less than $1,000). If anything, these first few chapters serve as a meaty appetizer for the rest of the book.
After reading the beginning of the book, it is hard to envision that a country facing what appears to be imminent collapse can present a tangible threat, but that is exactly what French does with the following chapters. He further explains how Kim Il-sung’s “Juche” system (an amalgamation of Marxism, state atheism and Confucianism) has served as the root of all of North Korea’s economic problems and the main reason why it remains so isolated in world community. Although the details of DPRK’s economic woes are thorough and scholarly, it is unavoidably a tedious read. French does a good job explaining why the DPRK economy is so important to world affairs and how dealing with the struggling nuclear state is tricky business, even for its ally, China. I liked the chapter devoted to how American administrations (dating back to Nixon) have dealt with the difficulties presented by North Korea. Furthermore, I liked how the book touches on every angle imaginable: the idea of unification and the plethora of problems it would/could present, the large but relatively untested military and, of course, the nuclear weapons issue.
The book provides as thorough an understanding of the “situation” in North Korea as anything I’ve read before. French lays everything out and presents several possible paths North Korea’s future … and all present major problems. He makes the point that only a regime change can free the citizens of North Korea from oppression and bring the country out of despair, but French makes it abundantly clear how little hope there is for that because no living North Korean has ever experienced anything but oppressive rule (going back to the Japanese occupation). In the meantime, the world tensely endures and even tolerates DPRK’s threats of war, the in-your-face missile testing and war-games … presenting itself with the only trump card in its deck: the nuclear tripwire.
I found this book to be fascinating and extremely educational. It conjured up a real-life version of Leonard Wibberley’s “The Mouse that Roared”. Paul French takes on the subject of North Korea with a tremendous amount of gusto and offers a book that clearly illustrates why the DPRK is the way it is and why there is really nothing we can do about it.
May 7, 2014
North Korea: State of Paranoia: A Modern History by Paul French is truly a compressive cultural, economic, and political history. It starts from the time when Kim IL Jong took control the country after WW II with Stalin’s Approval to the present.
This little country, the size of New York is a powder keg of trouble. The theory that the Kims have used to govern their country is Juche, a strange mixture of Chinese, Russian and Korean political theory. The author goes into great detail about Juche. After reading that you begin to understand how the DPRK got into this mess and the corner that it has backed itself into.
Reading this book is like taking a short intensive course on modern North Korea. I have sixteen pages of notes that I took. Did you know that the average worker’s salary is $13 a month? Pyongyang has old dilapidated high rises with elevators that don’t work. The diet is very basic rationed and scarce. People are malnourished. Socks and underwear are difficult to buy because they are hard to find. People keep the socks for special occasions, sticking to foot wrappings for every day. You have to register to have telephone service and the registration fee is so high that most people cannot afford it. They substitute phones with walkie talkies. Only a few have bicycles, not to speak of cars. It is a different world with a country still on food rations, even soy sauce is difficult to find. Yet the leaders are the objects of personality cults. This is perpetuated by the schooling. Children learn myths surrounding the Kim family. After reading this book, I know much more than I did about the DPRK but I also realize that there is a tremendous amount that we as outsiders still don’t know.
The personality cult is what is prevents the DPRK from falling apart. If change finally comes, what are the different possibilities? The author goes into possibilities and the consequences of the different paths that it could take.
I highly recommend this book on North Korea for all who want to learn about this mysterious country.
Even though I received this Advance Reading Copy as a win from First Reads, none of my thoughts or feeliings were influenced by that in this review.
This little country, the size of New York is a powder keg of trouble. The theory that the Kims have used to govern their country is Juche, a strange mixture of Chinese, Russian and Korean political theory. The author goes into great detail about Juche. After reading that you begin to understand how the DPRK got into this mess and the corner that it has backed itself into.
Reading this book is like taking a short intensive course on modern North Korea. I have sixteen pages of notes that I took. Did you know that the average worker’s salary is $13 a month? Pyongyang has old dilapidated high rises with elevators that don’t work. The diet is very basic rationed and scarce. People are malnourished. Socks and underwear are difficult to buy because they are hard to find. People keep the socks for special occasions, sticking to foot wrappings for every day. You have to register to have telephone service and the registration fee is so high that most people cannot afford it. They substitute phones with walkie talkies. Only a few have bicycles, not to speak of cars. It is a different world with a country still on food rations, even soy sauce is difficult to find. Yet the leaders are the objects of personality cults. This is perpetuated by the schooling. Children learn myths surrounding the Kim family. After reading this book, I know much more than I did about the DPRK but I also realize that there is a tremendous amount that we as outsiders still don’t know.
The personality cult is what is prevents the DPRK from falling apart. If change finally comes, what are the different possibilities? The author goes into possibilities and the consequences of the different paths that it could take.
I highly recommend this book on North Korea for all who want to learn about this mysterious country.
Even though I received this Advance Reading Copy as a win from First Reads, none of my thoughts or feeliings were influenced by that in this review.
October 28, 2015
A bewitching first chapter which describes day to day life in the hermit nation gives way to a thorough study of the politics and economics of North Korea. The economics is, quite frankly, a slog and yet another example of a semi-trade publisher being hoodwinked into releasing an academic tome on to the general market.
My prejudices were subverted in places though. Having entered into my reading feeling that the North Koreans are justified in maintaining a nuclear arsenal in order to deter its enemies, I had not realised the degree to which the country has gone back on agreements with the US, Japan and South Korea, pocketing huge packets of aid on the one hand while remaining belligerent on the other.
I felt it was a mistake on the part of the author to direct readers to other sources on the Korean War and would have liked a chapter to be devoted to that conflict early on as a scene setter. Still, good in parts, and the sheer barminess of North Korean society is a wonder to consider.
My prejudices were subverted in places though. Having entered into my reading feeling that the North Koreans are justified in maintaining a nuclear arsenal in order to deter its enemies, I had not realised the degree to which the country has gone back on agreements with the US, Japan and South Korea, pocketing huge packets of aid on the one hand while remaining belligerent on the other.
I felt it was a mistake on the part of the author to direct readers to other sources on the Korean War and would have liked a chapter to be devoted to that conflict early on as a scene setter. Still, good in parts, and the sheer barminess of North Korean society is a wonder to consider.
October 5, 2017
Although repititive at times, but gives a good understanding of North Korean domestic and foreign policy, troubled command economy, leading elite and people's mindset.
Author like most political observers agrees that DPRK will collapse and any possible scenario would be at best a humanitarian disaster for North Korean people. Obviously military conflict would be most disasterous one, author even doesn't consider it as a seriouse option but now thanks to INSANE Donald Trump it seems to be on top of the table!
Author like most political observers agrees that DPRK will collapse and any possible scenario would be at best a humanitarian disaster for North Korean people. Obviously military conflict would be most disasterous one, author even doesn't consider it as a seriouse option but now thanks to INSANE Donald Trump it seems to be on top of the table!
April 28, 2014
Comprehensive, readable, and manageable in length at about 400 pages, North Korea: State of Paranoia tells the story of this post World War II country. Author Paul French has organized the politics, diplomacy, and everyday life of North Korea into a handy guide for those of us who have limited knowledge of The Hermit Kingdom.
After reading Barbara Demick's excellent Nothing to Envy, I wanted to learn a bit more about this isolated nation. It was fortunate (or perhaps cleverly planned) that French's book starts with a fascinating description of what life is like for average North Koreans -- their schooling, their cuisine, their entertainment. Then it gets into meatier fare, such as the political philosophy of North Korea, the development of nuclear weapons, the diplomacy surrounding North Korea's nuclear ambitions, and internal politics.
I feel as if I took a crash course in North Korea, and to be honest, I wouldn't have started the book if I had realized how much diplomatic and political history it contained. But having been drawn in by the descriptions of everyday life, I stuck around for the main course, and it was quite revealing. It's hard to believe that North Korea has been able to remain so isolated this long and unlikely that it can remain so.
My review copy of North Korea arrived in early April, but still contains references to the continuing influence of Chang Song-taek, Kim Jong-un's uncle who was de facto second in command right up until Kim Jong-un had him executed last December. Here's hoping this, as well as the inconsistent spelling of Chang's name, will be cleaned up before final publication in May.
After reading Barbara Demick's excellent Nothing to Envy, I wanted to learn a bit more about this isolated nation. It was fortunate (or perhaps cleverly planned) that French's book starts with a fascinating description of what life is like for average North Koreans -- their schooling, their cuisine, their entertainment. Then it gets into meatier fare, such as the political philosophy of North Korea, the development of nuclear weapons, the diplomacy surrounding North Korea's nuclear ambitions, and internal politics.
I feel as if I took a crash course in North Korea, and to be honest, I wouldn't have started the book if I had realized how much diplomatic and political history it contained. But having been drawn in by the descriptions of everyday life, I stuck around for the main course, and it was quite revealing. It's hard to believe that North Korea has been able to remain so isolated this long and unlikely that it can remain so.
My review copy of North Korea arrived in early April, but still contains references to the continuing influence of Chang Song-taek, Kim Jong-un's uncle who was de facto second in command right up until Kim Jong-un had him executed last December. Here's hoping this, as well as the inconsistent spelling of Chang's name, will be cleaned up before final publication in May.
May 17, 2015
This book is more economics than history. French is not American, so he does offer a more critical view of the role of the United States engagement with North Korea than say Victor Cha (director for Asian Affairs at the National Security Council under George W. Bush and Barack Obama) in North Korea The Impossible State who tends to be more apologetic. So their criticisms come from different places, and I would recommend reading both together for the different opinions about US engagement. French is an expert on China, so he does weigh Sino-DPRK relations more heavily than Japan-DPRK relations or ROK-DPRK relations.
French also assumes that the reader knows about current and historical events and ideologies from the Korean peninsula, which he references without explaining. So this is not a very good book for a reader who is unfamiliar with current Korean events and is just beginning to inform themselves about North Korea. So read up on the Chollima Movement, the Six-Party Talks, and the Kaesong Industrial Region, and know what the KCNA and juche are before starting this tome.
French also assumes that the reader knows about current and historical events and ideologies from the Korean peninsula, which he references without explaining. So this is not a very good book for a reader who is unfamiliar with current Korean events and is just beginning to inform themselves about North Korea. So read up on the Chollima Movement, the Six-Party Talks, and the Kaesong Industrial Region, and know what the KCNA and juche are before starting this tome.
April 11, 2016
Interesting overview although the history can be slightly overwhelming to a lay person. Although this is a pretty new book it feels like it will date quickly and as we are often reminded a lot of it is best guess presumptions based on patchy hard facts. Some maps and photos wouldn't have hurt.
September 19, 2023
Fascinating opening sections about what daily life is like in North Korea. I could read a whole book on that. Maybe even one for every country. What's daily life like in Azerbaijan? In Palau? In Andorra? I'd love to know.
Kim Il-sung's rise to power is similarly compelling, and learning more about the unique philosophu of Juche that governs North Korea was interesting, but a lot of this book got bogged down in dry discussions of how Stalinism + Confucianism + a cult of personality doesn't make for reliable economic policy. French is more clear-eyed about the reasons that the socialist world did not meet its proponents' expectations than some, but he still makes some remarks that suggest an underlying distaste. The reasons for Cuba and North Korea's respective economic challenges are vastly dissimilar, but he doesn't linger on this long.
This book also suffered a bit on my reading because it was published in 2014, shortly after the ascension of Kim Jong-un, who French clearly knew little about at the time. Easy to forget, but Kim Jong-un was largely a mystery up until all the reasons he wasn't. Would love to read an updated edition to get French's thoughts on the years since, especially the Trump summit; he seems to have viewed the aborted Clinton summit in the 90s as a potential inflection point in North Korean history -- obviously the Trump summit had baked-in reasons for its limited success, but the mere fact of the meeting is significant.
Anyway, I'm rambling. Book's alright. Country's fascinating, but this is most about the economics of Juche, with a bit of daily life in the foreground and nuclear negotiation at the end.
Kim Il-sung's rise to power is similarly compelling, and learning more about the unique philosophu of Juche that governs North Korea was interesting, but a lot of this book got bogged down in dry discussions of how Stalinism + Confucianism + a cult of personality doesn't make for reliable economic policy. French is more clear-eyed about the reasons that the socialist world did not meet its proponents' expectations than some, but he still makes some remarks that suggest an underlying distaste. The reasons for Cuba and North Korea's respective economic challenges are vastly dissimilar, but he doesn't linger on this long.
This book also suffered a bit on my reading because it was published in 2014, shortly after the ascension of Kim Jong-un, who French clearly knew little about at the time. Easy to forget, but Kim Jong-un was largely a mystery up until all the reasons he wasn't. Would love to read an updated edition to get French's thoughts on the years since, especially the Trump summit; he seems to have viewed the aborted Clinton summit in the 90s as a potential inflection point in North Korean history -- obviously the Trump summit had baked-in reasons for its limited success, but the mere fact of the meeting is significant.
Anyway, I'm rambling. Book's alright. Country's fascinating, but this is most about the economics of Juche, with a bit of daily life in the foreground and nuclear negotiation at the end.
September 20, 2024
I must admit I struggled with this one.
The upshot is that it's a marvellously comprehensive study of North Korea under Kim 1, 2 and 3 including:
- Day-to-day life for North Korean citizens. This section could have warranted a very interesting full-length book, and was a bit brief and superficial, though arguably there is only limited information available on life in NK. Credit to the author for including it though.
- North Korean economics. I generally enjoy economics but found this section very trying. I enjoyed the author's comparison of the NK economy with the economy of China (a country the author clearly knows a lot about) but overall the section was too repetitive. The famine is covered but more as an abstraction.
- North Korean international relations and the nuclear threat. Again, a lot of repetition.
- Where next for North Korea. More repetition still. If you are looking to gain some insight into the Kims as people then you won't find an awful lot of depth here.
The book somehow managed the unfortunate combination of labouring its points and at the same time rushing through subjects at breakneck speed. Prior knowledge of subjects such as the Korean War were assumed. It was also quite a dry read - the odd spark of wit or an interesting paragraph here and there would have been welcome.
I suspect that having read this book, I will have anxious dreams about how to develop policy around failing state-owned businesses and the shortcomings of the command economy. However, I did learn quite a bit about economic policy and NK's neighbours, China and South Korea. Altogether, it was educational though not necessarily entertaining.
The upshot is that it's a marvellously comprehensive study of North Korea under Kim 1, 2 and 3 including:
- Day-to-day life for North Korean citizens. This section could have warranted a very interesting full-length book, and was a bit brief and superficial, though arguably there is only limited information available on life in NK. Credit to the author for including it though.
- North Korean economics. I generally enjoy economics but found this section very trying. I enjoyed the author's comparison of the NK economy with the economy of China (a country the author clearly knows a lot about) but overall the section was too repetitive. The famine is covered but more as an abstraction.
- North Korean international relations and the nuclear threat. Again, a lot of repetition.
- Where next for North Korea. More repetition still. If you are looking to gain some insight into the Kims as people then you won't find an awful lot of depth here.
The book somehow managed the unfortunate combination of labouring its points and at the same time rushing through subjects at breakneck speed. Prior knowledge of subjects such as the Korean War were assumed. It was also quite a dry read - the odd spark of wit or an interesting paragraph here and there would have been welcome.
I suspect that having read this book, I will have anxious dreams about how to develop policy around failing state-owned businesses and the shortcomings of the command economy. However, I did learn quite a bit about economic policy and NK's neighbours, China and South Korea. Altogether, it was educational though not necessarily entertaining.
March 10, 2020
(PT) A Coreia do Norte é uma das nações menos conhecidas do mundo, e paradoxalmente, das mais estudadas. Tentando compreender o que é aquilo, verifica-se que, mais do que comunismo, é essencialmente uma economia planificada misturada com as tradições orientais do confucionismo e um extremo nacionalismo, com o exercito a ser o pilar principal, capaz de assegurar a sobrevivência do único regime dinástico comunista do mundo.
"Estado de Paranoia" explica bem o que é aquele país, as suas táticas para que os americanos reconheçam a sua existência, a bem ou a mal, e o seu maior desafio de todos: sobreviver. Primeiro, à queda da União Sovietica, depois à morte de Kim il-sung, à fome e aos milhares de mortos, e as várias vezes onde deixou que a ajuda externa entrasse, e como tentou manipular os seus vizinhos para ter mais dinheiro, alimentos e armas, para prolongar o mais possível esse regime.
E mesmo a ideia de uma reforma à chinesa, apesar de existir, muitas das vezes levou ao fracasso pela simples razão de que não sabem o básico do capitalismo. Em suma, é um livro interessante de se ler, apesar de estar algo datado.
"Estado de Paranoia" explica bem o que é aquele país, as suas táticas para que os americanos reconheçam a sua existência, a bem ou a mal, e o seu maior desafio de todos: sobreviver. Primeiro, à queda da União Sovietica, depois à morte de Kim il-sung, à fome e aos milhares de mortos, e as várias vezes onde deixou que a ajuda externa entrasse, e como tentou manipular os seus vizinhos para ter mais dinheiro, alimentos e armas, para prolongar o mais possível esse regime.
E mesmo a ideia de uma reforma à chinesa, apesar de existir, muitas das vezes levou ao fracasso pela simples razão de que não sabem o básico do capitalismo. Em suma, é um livro interessante de se ler, apesar de estar algo datado.
April 12, 2024
I found this in my local library - and decided to give this a whirl. I have watched a fair few North Korean documentaries as well as read a few books from those who have escaped the regime, and so a political in-depth study sounded like a good read.
I did learn a fair amount from this book, especially around the dire economical situation that led to a prolonged famine as well as the Juche philosophy and more on the leaders of this secretive state.
However, whilst the beginning was incredibly strong, I did get frustrated with the repetition.
Each section is divided into specific themes; economy, daily life, miltary etc. However, each section you learn something new - but it does repeat concepts from the previous section. This is incredibly annoying and feels as though rather than illustrating the point, and instead it was almost like the author had a word count to hit.
Overall, incredibly researched - however is now dated (the version I read was published in 2015 so almost 10 years old) and would love to read an updated section in regards to the countries dealing with nuclear tensions, and handing of the Covid epidemic.
I did learn a fair amount from this book, especially around the dire economical situation that led to a prolonged famine as well as the Juche philosophy and more on the leaders of this secretive state.
However, whilst the beginning was incredibly strong, I did get frustrated with the repetition.
Each section is divided into specific themes; economy, daily life, miltary etc. However, each section you learn something new - but it does repeat concepts from the previous section. This is incredibly annoying and feels as though rather than illustrating the point, and instead it was almost like the author had a word count to hit.
Overall, incredibly researched - however is now dated (the version I read was published in 2015 so almost 10 years old) and would love to read an updated section in regards to the countries dealing with nuclear tensions, and handing of the Covid epidemic.
August 21, 2024
A reference for those who want to be educated about the living conditions in North Korea since there are unfavourable narratives about the family of Kim Jong-un being spoon-fed by the media.
The author might be found a bit off-putting because he discusses his points repeatedly.
Also, this should be read with caution. Some information the author provided is highly unreliable and patchy at best since NK has been an impenetrable pariah. I guess you need another book more objective than this.
The author might be found a bit off-putting because he discusses his points repeatedly.
Also, this should be read with caution. Some information the author provided is highly unreliable and patchy at best since NK has been an impenetrable pariah. I guess you need another book more objective than this.
August 7, 2019
A good attempt at examining the North Korean state and the underlying processes which underpin the secretive country. However, on publication it became out of date very quickly. The book puts a large emphasis on the importance of Kim Jong Un's uncle in the running of the country, but he was executed just after publication. An updated version would be great.
December 20, 2018
The author said the same things over and over again in different ways. This book could have been more concise. I would have expected a less simplified overview from a book with such a specific focus. More economic history than anything else.
May 18, 2021
Unbeatable story of NK iron-clad regime which not solely attributed by its 3 dynastic Kims. Foreign powers played huge influence in shaping what we see in NK today. A must for readers eager to learn the history and development behind NK’s repressive government.
June 17, 2017
Detailed insight into the hermit kingdom
September 1, 2022
A tradução deixa um pouco a desejar. Contudo mostra a realidade de um país que vive num regime de planeamento central ditatorial.
May 8, 2023
Very good.
March 9, 2017
Puts in one place the news information, seemed America's view of North Korea via some one who's looking at it while America looks away.
March 29, 2014
I found “North Korea: State Of Paranoia” by Paul French to be a very interesting read. Even though I've lived in South Korea in the 80s with the military, and the 90s studying martial arts, and continue to go back and forth, I've never really known much about North Korea. I've been to the border, and even across the border at Panmunjom, but never learned anything else. I've very glad I read this, and found it very informative.
The author covers a lot about the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in a well researched book. However, he even admits that there is still so much we don't know about this closed off “Hermit Kingdom.” In the first few chapters, French looks at the idea of Juche and its impact on the country, how things are in Pyongyang and elsewhere, and the leadership of North Korea. He then examines the economics of North Korea which includes looking at the famine and hard times the North Korean people have endured for decades now. The third part of the book focuses on the military and relationships between North Korea and other countries. This includes looking at the nuclear issues. And finally, the author explores the possibilities of reunification and what that would mean and entail, as well as a guess as to how the current leader, Kim3 (Kim Jong-un), will lead the country and where the country will go from here.
I believe North Korea will continue to make headlines, but I don't know just what will happen on that small peninsula. While I hope for the best, the reality may end up being quite frightening. I think Paul French did a fine job researching and writing about this important, but little known about, country.
The author covers a lot about the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in a well researched book. However, he even admits that there is still so much we don't know about this closed off “Hermit Kingdom.” In the first few chapters, French looks at the idea of Juche and its impact on the country, how things are in Pyongyang and elsewhere, and the leadership of North Korea. He then examines the economics of North Korea which includes looking at the famine and hard times the North Korean people have endured for decades now. The third part of the book focuses on the military and relationships between North Korea and other countries. This includes looking at the nuclear issues. And finally, the author explores the possibilities of reunification and what that would mean and entail, as well as a guess as to how the current leader, Kim3 (Kim Jong-un), will lead the country and where the country will go from here.
I believe North Korea will continue to make headlines, but I don't know just what will happen on that small peninsula. While I hope for the best, the reality may end up being quite frightening. I think Paul French did a fine job researching and writing about this important, but little known about, country.
March 11, 2014
North Korea: State of Paranoia provides a realistic look on the state of affairs inside one of the most reclusive countries in the world. Using accounts from defectors, NGO reports and journalistic investigation Paul French puts together a riveting account of North Korea. From economic collapse to famine to a cult of personality dictatorship it is amazing that North Korea has not collapsed yet. French makes several comparisons to scenarios including East and West German reunification, eastern European communist bloc reintegration and others to talk about what will happen when the regime in North Korea falters. History is also well covered in this book without being exhaustive and focuses mostly on the cult of personality built up around all three Kim’s that have ruled North Korea. This includes the philosophy of Juche which stresses self-reliance and is used to explain the world view in North Korea. International relations also plays a big role in the book with a focus on North Korean interactions with South Korea, China, Japan and the United States. The most important part of the book though is the focus on economics which is ultimately what is causing the lack of development in North Korea according to French. An in-depth economic analysis is done here with results that are devastating focusing on not only the consumer goods market but food, labor and high use of heavy industry/military investment. If you are looking for a good book on North Korea in the 21st century then this is a great place to start.
August 14, 2014
North Korea is a fascinating place. I say fascinating, but what I mean is a morbidly curious oddity, almost like watching in a zoo an earlier rendition of man exist in paradox: North Korea is ideologically opposed to the West yet relies on its handouts, and these handouts in themselves are bribes to temper the leadership's nuclear proliferation. Thus is propped up an intransigent regime whose industrial centralising outlook mires the country in dire poverty. This placated alternative is preferable to the sabre-rattling, belligerent one, however, and French reminds us just how much of a tinder box the Korean peninsula could be if the warped leadership grew desperate (or is nearly toppled).
The leadership is shrouded in secrecy, but testimony from high-ranking dseserters gives an insight into the ranks, most of all outlining how much the North is stuck in the empty rhetoric of the cold war, at its most extreme the belief that North Korea is the only remaining true communist country as compared to the more capitalist and revisionist China or Cuba. As despicable as the regime is, there is something slightly admirable in this defiance, but which affects the millions of normal people who just want to live normal lives.
Backing accounts of real life in the north are mountains of figures, a more technical aspect which detracts from my enjoyment, and is confusing. However, as an academic dissection of the country this is a profound work, but not suitable for the casual reader who might be better advised to read 'Nothing to Envy'.
The leadership is shrouded in secrecy, but testimony from high-ranking dseserters gives an insight into the ranks, most of all outlining how much the North is stuck in the empty rhetoric of the cold war, at its most extreme the belief that North Korea is the only remaining true communist country as compared to the more capitalist and revisionist China or Cuba. As despicable as the regime is, there is something slightly admirable in this defiance, but which affects the millions of normal people who just want to live normal lives.
Backing accounts of real life in the north are mountains of figures, a more technical aspect which detracts from my enjoyment, and is confusing. However, as an academic dissection of the country this is a profound work, but not suitable for the casual reader who might be better advised to read 'Nothing to Envy'.
August 2, 2019
Paul French leads us through the history of an unknown country about which little is known yet. Based on what he saw in his numerous visits, he explains what motivates them, the rules governing them, but mainly the way of thinking of a people subjugated to a "communist monarchy" that continues to be governed by Marxism Leninism to which they join Confucianism inherited from the Chinese. A family that will always be in power in a country where people live below poverty levels. A country where, according to the author it is urgent to send emissaries to inspect the greatest risk we all face, which is not the launching of nuclear warheads, but the danger of an explosion of the Yongbyon reactor that nobody has ever seen and about which little is known, with the possibility of becoming a new Chernobyl. A constantly changing book that I strongly advise.
July 24, 2016
Gives a political and historical view of many of the normal day to day activities of a hidden nation from the rest of the world. I like the fact that it covers how the rise to power came to be and what was used to brainwash people into accepting and maintaining that power.
Wish it came with an index to relate information back and forth easier in the book, while it would also allow easier access for future or further discussions on the subject.
Wish it came with an index to relate information back and forth easier in the book, while it would also allow easier access for future or further discussions on the subject.
December 26, 2014
a comprehensive overview - though sometimes too repetitive, and in need of a good edit
I was looking for more of a daily account of life in North Korea. This is not it, but it is a very comprehensive account of the history, economics, and politics of the state. The book is quite repetitive at times and could use a good edit - I was distracted by the grammatical and spelling errors - but overall enjoyed reading this rich and insightful overview.
I was looking for more of a daily account of life in North Korea. This is not it, but it is a very comprehensive account of the history, economics, and politics of the state. The book is quite repetitive at times and could use a good edit - I was distracted by the grammatical and spelling errors - but overall enjoyed reading this rich and insightful overview.
February 4, 2017
Well organized book and very interesting input.
April 6, 2015
This book is a terrific read in terms of how North Korea became this pariah state that frustrates international politics and economics. The author decidedly focuses on the economic causes and effects of NK's unique "Juche" ideology, and builds up this idea throughout the book: to understand the DPRK, you cannot divorce its politics from its economy. Loved it!
July 25, 2016
It can get a little bit dry as it delves in detail the history and specifics of the North Korean philosophy and economy. If you're looking for a book that talks more about the social activities engaged by the average North Korean or stories from defectors; seek elsewhere. If you're interested in learning about how North Korea sustains itself and how it came to be, this is a pretty solid book.
April 25, 2014
This work explores the relationship between North Korea and the rest of the world, especially the United States of America. A brief history of North Korea is discussed as well as an overview of life within its boundaries. This was a free review copy.
April 14, 2015
Enjoyed this book. Although it's difficult to get information on life inside North Korea, this book manages to do just that. Interesting look at the ideology that makes up the culture and people of N. Korea.
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