This article deals with the workers, who were the most important participants during the Ch’ŏllima Work-group Movement in late 1950's, in an attempt to reveal a historical image of the people in North Korea. By the end of war, the North Korean society faced a severe shortage of resources. Nevertheless, it explicitly relied upon the ardent of workers and of its spontaneity when it attempted to rebuild the devastated economic foundations. The refinement of thought, which appeared as a form of movement, was a typical example on how the Ch’ŏllima Work-group Movement promoted of the transformation of society. This movement was initiated in March of 1959. It had developed as a combination of the competition of productivity with an emphasis of the refinement of the people's consciousness. Most critical importance lays in various responses of the workers. As a part of the responses, it lead an appearance of ardent workers. In addition, a majority of common workers, who were responded with 'public-line' of the party, were willing to participated in the project. New workers, mostly female and peasants, were recruited as a next generation of working class during and after the Korean War. The new workers were treated by a strict disciplines of labor and strong intensity of labor. In one hand, they displeased by the treatment they had received. In other hand, they also became aware themselves as a type of workers who realized advantages of the value of working for reconstruction of the society and the distinguish status of worker. Especially, the ardent workers put extra effort in realization of the goal of movement as a core-subject among workers. The ardent workers took new method of refinement thoughts by displaying and setting affirmative examples in an attempt to reformatory education of common workers. The intention of affirmative examples was to draw a mutual-cooperation between the ardent workers and the common workers by fully aware of the common workers' private life and fulfill their demands if possible. Affirmative examples were quite effective because between the worker's private life and the labor itself had integrated as one realms in North Korean society. This particular method was effective on the ground of tremendous casualties and the destruction of war. The ardent workers treated their workers as if they were a member of one's family member. By working in one of the work-groups, the common workers developed a sense of belonging in the society and what it means to be a member of an organization. The workers themselves thought as members of the community of sentiments. As a result, the workers might have conceived themselves as 'collective subject' on the limited base. Nevertheless, the workers had gradually lost their dynamism and degenerated in the name of 'Patriotic production' under the continuation of top down systemization by the party and the state and the discourse of sacrifice for the nation.
카카오톡
페이스북
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