--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The North Korean state was born at about…" description: "\"“The North Korean state was born at about the same time that Nineteen Eighty-Four was published, and one could almost believe that the holy father of t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/christopher-hitchens-117_kim-il-sung_the-north-korean-state-was-born-at-about_2694964.jpg" --- # The North Korean state was born at about the same time… ![“The North Korean state was born at about the same time that Nineteen Eighty-Four was published, and one could almost believe that the holy father of the state, Kim Il Sung, was given a copy of the novel and asked if he could make it work in practice. Yet even Orwell did not dare to have it said…” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/christopher-hitchens-117_kim-il-sung_the-north-korean-state-was-born-at-about_2694964.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/christopher-hitchens-117_kim-il-sung_the-north-korean-state-was-born-at-about_2694964.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/christopher-hitchens-117_kim-il-sung_the-north-korean-state-was-born-at-about_2694964.jpg) > ““The North Korean state was born at about the same time that Nineteen Eighty-Four was published, and one could almost believe that the holy father of the state, Kim Il Sung, was given a copy of the novel and asked if he could make it work in practice. Yet even Orwell did not dare to have it said that "Big Brother's" birth was attended by miraculous signs and portents - such as birds hailing the glorious event by singing in human words.”” [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Orwell's novel and North Korean state origins are linked, suggesting a prophetic narrative. **In simple terms:** Orwell's book parallels North Korean origins. Key Takeaway Recognize how literature can reflect political realities. Themes politics literature prophecy Mood critical analytical Type philosophical scholarly When to use this quote - academic essays - political commentary - media studies Key Concepts historical analysis cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - How reliable are literary analogies? - What dangers arise from such comparisons? A Different Perspective Literary parallels may oversimplify complex histories. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Il Sung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/il-sung-456520/) [Kim il sung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kim-il-sung/) [Korean State](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/korean-state-2688743/) [North korean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/north-korean/) [Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orwell/) [Orwell Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orwell-did-1562778/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [State Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state-kim-2688744/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Nobody knows how many North Koreans have died or are dying in the famine—some estimates by foreign-aid groups run as high as three million…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/nobody-knows-how-many-north-koreans-have-died-or-are-dying-in-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“The fervor and single-mindedness of this deification probably have no precedent in history. It's not like Duvalier or Assad passing the torch to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-fervor-and-single-mindedness-of-this-deification-probably-have-no/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Obviously, there must be some connection between the subordination of actual individuals and the grotesque exaltation of symbolic ones like Kim Il Sung.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/obviously-there-must-be-some-connection-between-the-subordination-of/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ North Korea is a necrocracy, or a mauselocracy or a thanatocracy in which the one \[Kim Il-sung\] is diffused into being with the other… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/north-korea-is-a-necrocracy-or-a-mauselocracy-or-a-thanatocracy-in/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Huxley grasped, as Orwell did not, that it is not necessary to conceal anything from a public insensible to contradiction and narcotized by technological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-postman/huxley-grasped-as-orwell-did-not-that-it-is-not-necessary-to-conceal/) [Neil Postman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-postman/) > [I think that the basement where Orwell washed dishes in Paris was his first lesson in anti-humbug - and part of the lesson is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-gessen/i-think-that-the-basement-where-orwell-washed-dishes-in-paris-was-his/) [Keith Gessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-gessen/) > [The great Comrades Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, putting forward the development of sports as a matter that has an important bearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-jong-un/the-great-comrades-kim-il-sung-and-kim-jong-il-putting-forward-the/) [Kim Jong-un](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-jong-un/) > [“Stalin has died. The ardent heart of the great leader of progressive mankind has ceased to beat. This sad news has spread over Korean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stalin-has-died-the-ardent-heart-of-the-great-leader-of-progressive/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The great Comrade Kim Jong Il provided energetic guidance to defend and honour Comrade Kim Il Sung's idea of and exploits in socialist rural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-jong-un/the-great-comrade-kim-jong-il-provided-energetic-guidance-to-defend/) [Kim Jong-un](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-jong-un/) > [Comrade Kim Jong Il energetically led the work of defending and honouring Comrade Kim Il Sung's ideas of and exploits in the Juche-oriented women's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-jong-un/comrade-kim-jong-il-energetically-led-the-work-of-defending-and/) [Kim Jong-un](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-jong-un/) > [“To identify and isolate his perceived political enemies, Kim Il Sung created a neofeudal, blood-based pecking order in 1957. The government classified and, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaine-harden/to-identify-and-isolate-his-perceived-political-enemies-kim-il-sung/) [Blaine Harden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaine-harden/) > [Kim Il Sung prepared Kim Jong Il for decades to be his successor and made it very clear from the beginning, 'This is my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/kim-il-sung-prepared-kim-jong-il-for-decades-to-be-his-successor-and/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [Comrade Kim Jong Il, who was faithful to Comrade Kim Il Sung's ideas and cause, led our revolution along the glorious road of victory,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-jong-un/comrade-kim-jong-il-who-was-faithful-to-comrade-kim-il-sung-s-ideas/) [Kim Jong-un](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-jong-un/) > [We considered the Dear Leader our god. That's huge. He's more than our parents. I thought all of the world respected Kim Il Sung.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/we-considered-the-dear-leader-our-god-that-s-huge-he-s-more-than-our/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [“If you took some North Korean songs and replaced Kim Il Sung with God or Jesus it would sound exactly like a Christian hymn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-kim/if-you-took-some-north-korean-songs-and-replaced-kim-il-sung-with-god/) [Mike Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-kim/) ## More by Christopher Hitchens > [“The spirit of our accurate and exact philosophy is outraged by conclusions that contradict each other so glaringly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-spirit-of-our-accurate-and-exact-philosophy-is-outraged-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Many governments employ torture but this was the first time that the element of Saturnalia and pornography in the process had been made so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/many-governments-employ-torture-but-this-was-the-first-time-that-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ It's \[Los Angeles\] mostly full of nonsense and delusion and egomania. They think they'll be young and beautiful forever, even though most of them… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-los-angeles-mostly-full-of-nonsense-and-delusion-and-egomania/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [To be against rationalization is not the same as to be opposed to reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/to-be-against-rationalization-is-not-the-same-as-to-be-opposed-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ \[Religion\] attacks us in our deepest integrity - the core of our self-respect. Religion says that we would not know right from wrong, we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/religion-attacks-us-in-our-deepest-integrity-the-core-of-our-self/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“In the very recent past, we have seen the Church of Rome befouled by its complicity with the unpardonable sin of child rape, or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/in-the-very-recent-past-we-have-seen-the-church-of-rome-befouled-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's surprising to me how many of my friends send Christmas cards, or holiday cards, including my atheist and secular friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-surprising-to-me-how-many-of-my-friends-send-christmas-cards-or/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Suppose there were groups of secularists at hospitals who went round the terminally ill and urged them to adopt atheism: 'Don't be a mug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/suppose-there-were-groups-of-secularists-at-hospitals-who-went-round/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [There are, after all, atheists who say they wish the fable were true but are unable to suspend the requisite disbelief, or who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/there-are-after-all-atheists-who-say-they-wish-the-fable-were-true/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“It isn’t so long since a test of Anglican orthodoxy was applied to anyone seeking to study or teach at Oxford and Cambridge universities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-isn-t-so-long-since-a-test-of-anglican-orthodoxy-was-applied-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Gullibility and credulity are considered undesireable qualities in every department of human life - except religion ... Why are we praised by godly men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/gullibility-and-credulity-are-considered-undesireable-qualities-in/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's much worse to see a woman drunk than a man: I don't know quite why this is true but it just is. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-much-worse-to-see-a-woman-drunk-than-a-man-i-don-t-know-quite/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's true that obscenity is a matter of taste and in the eye of the beholder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-true-that-obscenity-is-a-matter-of-taste-and-in-the-eye-of-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I worked out early on to give up things I couldn't do well at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-worked-out-early-on-to-give-up-things-i-couldn-t-do-well-at-all/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Writing is what's important to me, and anything that helps me do that - or enhances and prolongs and deepens and sometimes intensifies argument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/writing-is-what-s-important-to-me-and-anything-that-helps-me-do-that/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) [Explore all 1,241 Christopher Hitchens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## More Kim il sung quotes > [“If you took some North Korean songs and replaced Kim Il Sung with God or Jesus it would sound exactly like a Christian hymn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-kim/if-you-took-some-north-korean-songs-and-replaced-kim-il-sung-with-god/) [Mike Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-kim/) > [“Even in former days, Korea was known as the 'hermit kingdom' for its stubborn resistance to outsiders. And if you wanted to create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/even-in-former-days-korea-was-known-as-the-hermit-kingdom-for-its/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“The fervor and single-mindedness of this deification probably have no precedent in history. It's not like Duvalier or Assad passing the torch to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-fervor-and-single-mindedness-of-this-deification-probably-have-no/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [We considered the Dear Leader our god. That's huge. He's more than our parents. I thought all of the world respected Kim Il Sung.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-hyeon-seo/we-considered-the-dear-leader-our-god-that-s-huge-he-s-more-than-our/) [Lee Hyeon-seo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-hyeon-seo/) > [Comrade Kim Jong Il, who was faithful to Comrade Kim Il Sung's ideas and cause, led our revolution along the glorious road of victory,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-jong-un/comrade-kim-jong-il-who-was-faithful-to-comrade-kim-il-sung-s-ideas/) [Kim Jong-un](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-jong-un/) > [There is no force in the world that can block the powerful march of our army and people, who are holding high the banner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-jong-un/there-is-no-force-in-the-world-that-can-block-the-powerful-march-of/) [Kim Jong-un](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-jong-un/) > [The heroic working class of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il, holding aloft the banner of modelling the whole society on Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism, should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-jong-un/the-heroic-working-class-of-kim-il-sung-and-kim-jong-il-holding-aloft/) [Kim Jong-un](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-jong-un/) > [“The North Korean capital, Pyongyang, is a city consecrated to the worship of a father-son dynasty. (I came to think of them, with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-north-korean-capital-pyongyang-is-a-city-consecrated-to-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Obviously, there must be some connection between the subordination of actual individuals and the grotesque exaltation of symbolic ones like Kim Il Sung.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/obviously-there-must-be-some-connection-between-the-subordination-of/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Kim Il Sung prepared Kim Jong Il for decades to be his successor and made it very clear from the beginning, 'This is my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-yeon-mi/kim-il-sung-prepared-kim-jong-il-for-decades-to-be-his-successor-and/) [Park Yeon-mi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-yeon-mi/) > [“To identify and isolate his perceived political enemies, Kim Il Sung created a neofeudal, blood-based pecking order in 1957. The government classified and, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaine-harden/to-identify-and-isolate-his-perceived-political-enemies-kim-il-sung/) [Blaine Harden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaine-harden/) > [Amid the historic struggle to accomplish the cause of the Juche revolution in this long period after its founding, it has developed into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-jong-un/amid-the-historic-struggle-to-accomplish-the-cause-of-the-juche/) [Kim Jong-un](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-jong-un/) > [ North Korea is a necrocracy, or a mauselocracy or a thanatocracy in which the one \[Kim Il-sung\] is diffused into being with the other… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/north-korea-is-a-necrocracy-or-a-mauselocracy-or-a-thanatocracy-in/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Comrade Kim Jong Il energetically led the work of defending and honouring Comrade Kim Il Sung's ideas of and exploits in the Juche-oriented women's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-jong-un/comrade-kim-jong-il-energetically-led-the-work-of-defending-and/) [Kim Jong-un](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-jong-un/) > [“Kim Jong Il, incidentally, has been made head of the party and of the army, but the office of the presidency is still 'eternally'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/kim-jong-il-incidentally-has-been-made-head-of-the-party-and-of-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) [Browse all 41 Kim il sung quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kim-il-sung/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The North Korean state was born at about the same time that Nineteen Eighty-Four was published, and one could almost believe that the holy father of the state, Kim Il Sung, was given a copy of the novel and asked if he could make it work in practice. Yet even Orwell did not dare to have it said that \"Big Brother's\" birth was attended by miraculous signs and portents - such as birds hailing the glorious event by singing in human words.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Hitchens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-north-korean-state-was-born-at-about-the-same-time-that-nineteen/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Kim il sung" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-north-korean-state-was-born-at-about-the-same-time-that-nineteen/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/christopher-hitchens-117_kim-il-sung_the-north-korean-state-was-born-at-about_2694964.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/christopher-hitchens-117_kim-il-sung_the-north-korean-state-was-born-at-about_2694964.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbb/christopher-hitchens-117_kim-il-sung_the-north-korean-state-was-born-at-about_2694964.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The North Korean state was born at about the same time that Nineteen Eighty-Four was published, and one…” — Christopher Hitchens", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Christopher Hitchens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The North Korean state was born...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-north-korean-state-was-born-at-about-the-same-time-that-nineteen/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-north-korean-state-was-born-at-about-the-same-time-that-nineteen/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```