RES: a trip to North Korea

Alexandre Fenelon afenelon at zaz.com.br
Fri Apr 21 08:52:40 PDT 2000


-----Mensagem original----- De: owner-lbo-talk at lists.panix.com [mailto:owner-lbo-talk at lists.panix.com]Em nome de Chris Doss Enviada em: quinta-feira, 20 de abril de 2000 11:07 Para: lbo-talk at lists.panix.com Assunto: Re: a trip to North Korea

Speaking of North Korea, I have a question for ya. I was under the impression that the country is a textbook example of squalor. However, perusing the WHO health statistics pages, I discovered that North Korea has just about the lowest infant mortality rate in the region (22 out of 1,000).

What gives?

Before 1990, N Korea has very good indexes in life expectancy, infant mortality, literacy (it would had a high Human developing index if it was caculated before 1990). But 10 years of economic regression and famine changed it. I think the statistics you read were older. We don't have reliable recent data from NK, but I think conditions worsened a lot during the last ten years. The Stalinist government of NK is a completely degenerated government, being closest to Ancient despotism than contemporary socialism. The absurd doctrine o self suficiency in a 20 million inhabitants country and the massive military spendings ruined the North Korean economy.

Alexandre



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