[TigerLikesRooster]

The result of Chia Fruit's wonderful wisdom: women entrepreneurship emerging out of massive famine.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Ping!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Sounds like Japan in the early 1950s. Women did the grunt work.

[68skylark]

Until around 1990 . . . most people were content with what they were officially allocated through the elaborate public distribution system, and did not want to look for more opportunities.

The article says "most people were content" being slaves in a communist dictatorship. Weird.

[Forgiven_Sinner]

Heh. Good article. I see the invisible hand of Adam Smith conquering NK one free marketer at a time.

I believe China has always had an underground capitalist economy, despite 60 years of Communism. Sounds like NK was more successful at stomping it out.

Once people have income independent of the state, they are independent--and more likely to rebel.

[Katya]

"Until around 1990, the markets and private trade of all kinds played a very moderate role in North Korean society. Most people were content with what they were officially allocated through the elaborate public distribution system, and did not want to look for more opportunities."

No one starved under the Soviet system either. The Soviets turned a blind eye for years to the black market, but since five yr plans typically fell short...the public would have revolted had not the black market vendors filled the gaps.

This story claims that the North Koreans had "enough" for years and therefore did not put their energies into the black market. Bull....while the government produced "enough" for the people, they also had the will to clamp down on private production. Once they could no longer provide for the people..they allowed the black market to burgeon out of fear of reprisals.

[Katya]

"Until around 1990, the markets and private trade of all kinds played a very moderate role in North Korean society. Most people were content with what they were officially allocated through the elaborate public distribution system, and did not want to look for more opportunities."

No one starved under the Soviet system either. The Soviets turned a blind eye for years to the black market, but since five yr plans typically fell short...the public would have revolted had not the black market vendors filled the gaps.

This story claims that the North Koreans had "enough" for years and therefore did not put their energies into the black market. Bull....while the government produced "enough" for the people, they also had the will to clamp down on private production. Once they could no longer provide for the people..they allowed the black market to burgeon out of fear of reprisals.