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by boxed 774 days ago
The problem there was never imperialism per se. It was that evil was supported.

On the other hand, look at what happened to North Korea after the US abandoned it. Not a pretty picture. South Korea is the victim of US imperialism, while the North is not.
2 comments
spencerflem 774 days ago
I don't think its at all clear that North Korea's problems are from a lack of imperialism.

"Almost every substantial building in North Korea was destroyed as a result.[369][370] The war's highest-ranking U.S. POW, Major General William F. Dean,[371] reported that the majority of North Korean cities and villages he saw were either rubble or snow-covered wasteland.[372][373] North Korean factories, schools, hospitals, and government offices were forced to move underground, and air defenses were "non-existent".[374] North Korea ranks as among the most heavily bombed countries in history,[375] and the U.S. dropped a total of 635,000 tons of bombs (including 32,557 tons of napalm) on Korea, more than during the entire Pacific War."

I cannot imagine how a functional democracy was ever expected to emerge from this

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boxed 773 days ago
> I don't think its at all clear that North Korea's problems are from a lack of imperialism.

It's certainly a result of communism/Juche, and the war saved half the country from it. South Koreas massive growth and success since then is easily seen from satellite images.

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thrance 774 days ago
Couldn't Korea have benefited from not being split up? Not being invaded by Japan? Wouldn't the North be in a better place if it hadn't been taken over by the Soviets? And bombed by the US to smithereens?

The first ruler of South Korea after the war, Syngman Rhee, was not known for his respect of democratic processes, and had the approval of the US. He maintained an authoritarian regime and didn't contribute much to the country's economic growth.

South Korea's economic success happened in spite of American imperialism, not because of it.

Imperialism as an ideology is evil, no matter who is the oppressor.

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boxed 773 days ago
> South Korea's economic success happened in spite of American imperialism, not because of it.

Tails I win, heads you lose. Classic.

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