From what my parents told me, during the communist Bulgaria people have been quite happy with the "jobs assignment" process.<p>After graduation from college and if they are not going to continue their education they were given a list of available positions so they can pick few and they are placed according to their grades if there is a competition for a given position.<p>On the other hand, the less meritocratic positions(like blue collar jobs in factories) were often subject to placement-by-bribery. Many would like a position where they can steal stuff for themselves.<p>The seemingly meritocratic system gave them feeling of security but obviously the system was not working that well so the communist state collapsed and when it did, my parents lack of sense of the capitalist system left them in a limbo state. Those stealing, bribing folks did quite well in the communism-to-capitalism transformation period but many well educated people could not adopt and moved to well established capitalist economies where the meritocracy existed(at least they were finding jobs based on their credentials). However, at least my parents, never grasped the idea of entrepreneurship. They just don't have the basic instincts for doing a business and they failed miserably when they tried to start one. They are still working for other people.<p>If the North Korean government fails, probably the turmoil will last for generations, until new culture emerges through a new generation of young people who can have an idea about how a capitalist society works.<p>PS: We were from a discriminated minority, so maybe it was easier for the native Bulgarians however the North Korea seems to be much worse even than the last days of the communist Bulgaria.
I'm an american currently teaching Undergrad level CS in pyongyang.<p>Most of the students here know that they want to work at one of the two government research labs: Korean Computing Center, or Pyongyang Information Center. One of the Seniors told me he thinks he has an 80% chance of getting a job where he has access to the internet and an email address for communication.<p>Many of the anecdotes in the article fit with what I've seen here. I've been told that the going rate to get in to the top high school in pyongyang is about $5000US. One of the government liaisons working at the university studied Malaysian in college, and got told that there were too many Malaysian speakers when he graduated and was assigned to our university instead.<p>I think the main takeaway is that everything here is based on connections and who you know.
Fascinating. This article (esp the part about young people not even thinking about their future knowing its already decided for them) reminds me of the novel 'Never Let Me Go' by Kazuo Ishiguro. Great novel but one of the criticism directed at the novel is "why are certain characters so passive towards their condition", "why don't they do something about it"? An instilled sense of duty is indeed a very powerful motivator.
Having just watched <I>Catching Fire</I> last night (I read the novels a couple years ago), and reading this piece this morning, I can't help notice the similarities between DPRK and Panem. Careers that are decided for you, fear-based policies, total control of the press and communication..<p>The difference is that in the movie, there's a sub-plot of all-out revolution, but in real life, the only thing we hear about that are in the dreams of North Korean ex-pats. I wonder how realistic revolution is, and how it would play out if it actually happened.
>Basically, people in North Korea do not have the freedom to choose their occupations. Once you’re assigned a job from the government, it is your lifelong job.<p>The tour guide I had described in some detail the previous job he'd had - just weeks before becoming a tour guide. He worked at the zoo and was tasked with coordinating the exchange of animals with other countries.<p>He gave me the impression that he requested to become a tour guide too, in order to improve his English.
Not so much different than in some periods of old USSR - depending on time and place/sub-SSR, at times it was much more liberal, at times it was exactly like that.
I can't help but sing the article title (which, in case it changes, is "How do you get a job in North Korea?") to the song from <i>The Sound of Music</i>, "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?".