What Does it Mean that Independence is the Life and Soul of Man?

This means independence is the most valuable for a social being.

Kim Jong Il said:

Independence is the life and soul of man, the social being. When independence is referred to as man’s life and soul, it means social and political integrity.

Independence is the basic quality of a social being and it is the most valuable life and soul for man, the social being.

When independence is referred to as man’s life and soul, it means social and political integrity. Man is a social being. Therefore, it is inconceivable about independence if man is subjugated socially and politically. Therefore, socio-political integrity becomes the most valuable life and soul of man that can not be compared with other things.

When man loses socio-political integrity he should give up himself as a social being and he would be a simple biological being. Therefore, man struggles against the oppressors of independence, the socio-political integrity, although he loses his life.

Of course physical life is also important for man. So people wish good health and develop social activities like public health and sports for the good health. But it can not be fundamental purpose of life to simply maintain physical life of man, the social being.

The physical life is needed to glorify socio-political integrity and only then, it has its value.

Man’s socio-political integrity is maintained and glorified through the struggle to defend and realize independence. If one lives only for his indolence and pleasure without embarking on the struggle for independence of the country, nation and popular masses, he can not possess socio-political integrity nor be an independent social being nor enjoy a life worthy of a human being.

Like this, independence is the fundamental quality of man and the first life of man, the social being.