"There's no reason why it could not have recovered...except for their policy of "Self reliance" and (it goes without saying) Communism."
That phrase should read:
"There's no reason why it could not have recovered...except for their policy of Communism."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1131421.stm
After the Korean War, Kim Il-sung introduced the personal philosophy of Juche, or self-reliance, which became a guiding light for North Korea's development.