Leader Makes the People Independent Subject of History

In order to understand the development from the subject to independent subject, it is necessary to know what is the independent subject of history.

In a new higher stage, the independent subject of history are the masses of the people who shape their destiny in an independent and creative way. In other words, it is the people who shape their destiny according to their will and demand.

Since the inception of human society, the people have made history and developed society as the subject of history. But after division of society into hostile classes and after the emergence of exploiter society, the people have suffered severe exploitation and oppression.

As a result, the people could not hold due position as the subject of history nor played the role as makers of history.

In exploiter society, the people had to take the burden of making history according to the will of the reactionary ruling class. They have created all the social wealth in pain and poverty but could not enjoy them.

It is the known fact that the 7 Wonders of the ancient period including Pyramid in Egypt and magnificent palaces, temples and edifices were all created by the people, but all of them were not for the people but for the ruling exploiting class.

The people have witnessed a lot of sacrifice in the struggle to overthrow the old society but at last were deprived of their achievements by the exploiting class.

Spartacus and Sicily Slaves’ Rebellions in the ancient times, Kabo Peasant War in Korea, Taipingtianguo Peasant War in China and Sipai Rebellion in India tell that the people had fought bloody struggle against exploitation and oppression but the people gained only different forms of chains.

In the exploiter society, the people could not be masters of history but became the object of history. The people in this stage could not be called the independent subject of history that makes history and shapes its destiny in an independent and creative way.

Why, then, could the people not become the independent subject of history for a long time?

That is because the people were not awaken of their class status and strength, failing to unite into one political force.

Although the people have inexhaustible strength, they cannot display it, if they were not awakened to their status and strength. And if they are not united into one, they become powerless beings.

But the people are not awakened and organized of their own accord.

They are not awakened or united only because they suffer from exploitation and oppression.

Only through correct leadership, can they become conscious and organized.

Leader Kim Jong Il said:

“How the masses are awakened to consciousness and organized in a revolutionary way, and how they perform their revolutionary duties and historical mission, depend on whether or not they are given correct leadership by the party and the leader.”

There has been a certain leadership this or that way in all socio-historical movements. This is well proved by the fact that the socio-historical movements that contributed to the whole process of historical development have been associated with the names of leaders.

But this does not mean that all the past socio-historical movements have been correctly led.

The correct leadership over the masses could not be possible until the emergence of the working class and outstanding leaders of the revolution.

The emergence of the working class provided socio-class condition for the people to be an independent subject of history.

The working class was born in history when capitalist society began to rise after the fall of feudal society.

As the core elements of the people, the working class has led the people in the revolutionary struggle. This provided socio-class foundation for the people to develop into independent subject of history.

But this does not mean that only with the emergence of the working class, can the people become independent subject of history.

The decisive factor that enables the people to become independent subject of history is the leadership of an outstanding leader. In other words, the people can be the independent subject of history only by the outstanding leader.

Why is it so, then?

That is because the leader creates scientific guiding ideology that reflects demand for independence, interests and the law of social development and revolutionary struggle and arms the people with it, giving light to their way.

The people can know the way of shaping their destiny by the scientific guiding ideology created by the leader and thus rise in the struggle to create a new independent and fair world, overthrowing the old world of domination and subjugation.

The leader also forms revolutionary political organizations such as working-class party to unite the people organizationally to make them powerful force of the revolution. As a result, the people could usher in a new era of victory and glory, putting an end to the painful history full of bitter setbacks and frustration.

Herein lies another reason why the leader is the decisive factor in making the people the independent subject of history.

With the emergence of Marx, the first leader of the working class, the people could be aware of their class status and historical mission and rose in shaping their destiny, and thus became the independent subject of history in Europe. In Russia, the working class and the people became conscious and organized to be the independent subject of history only under the leadership of an outstanding leader such as Lenin.

The Korean people became the independent subject of history that shape its destiny in an independent and creative way, putting an end to the history of sufferings and subordination only under the wise leadership of President Kim Il Sung. And today they demonstrate the might of the independent subject of history and the might of single-hearted unity under the wise leadership of Leader Kim Jong Il.