What is worse? The West or North Korea

[The Federation of Kendor]

Basically, this was taken from a threadjack in a thread about the death of Otto Warmbier. I created this to prevent further threadjack. So, if you think this is outlandish, given North Korea is obviously the worse, a nation involved in the debate said the West is a lot worse for being imperialist.

Anyway, my opinion is that North Korea is obviously bad. Indeed, the West have killed millions and committed some human and war crimes, but North Korea is a lot worse, given their abuse of prisoners, by forced labor and using them as experiments, imprisoning all members of the family through three generations if one committed crime, executing dissident government members and their families, and many more.

So, how do you think? Is the West or North Korea worse?

[Cuprum]

In the west (Generalization is bad, for example Switzerland, Luxemburg and Liechstenstein are nice), at least in Liberal nations like the USA, France or the Nordic countries, there is a high level of freedom compared to North Korea where you are under a monarchic juche dictatorship in which listening to the Beatles is a privilege.

[Brokpastan]

"The West" is rather diverse, especially depending on how you define this term.

Quite obviously, I'd rather live in any western country than in North Korea. But I think North Korea has good things too, like good music and talented people.

When some people think of the west, they think of USA. I do not like USA's political beliefs, or many aspects of their mainstream culture. However, when compared to North Korea and it's violation of rights, I'd rather live in USA.

But the west also includes places like Scandinavia, which seem like wonderful places to live compared to either North Korea or USA.

[Brokpastan]

In the west (Generalization is bad, for example Switzerland, Luxemburg and Liechstenstein are nice), at least in Liberal nations like the USA, France or the Nordic countries, there is a high level of freedom compared to North Korea where you are under a monarchic juche dictatorship in which listening to the Beatles is a privilege.

USA is liberal? I have the image that they are one of the more conservative western countries..

[Petrolheadia]

In the west (Generalization is bad, for example Switzerland, Luxemburg and Liechstenstein are nice), at least in Liberal nations like the USA, France or the Nordic countries, there is a high level of freedom compared to North Korea where you are under a monarchic juche dictatorship in which listening to the Beatles is a privilege.

USA is liberal? I have the image that they are one of the more conservative western countries..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_democracy

[Bombadil]

I'm currently reading The Girl With Seven Names.. let's just say no one's trying to flee to North Korea.

Tis a silly question.

[Frank Zipper]

North Korea is easily the worst; it fails to look after its people, the only point of a state.

[Victores]

North Korea is easily the worst; it fails to look after its people, the only point of a state.

Kind of hard when your dad turned the country into one giant Gulag and got sanctioned by every country, and turned your nation into a caricuture of evil.

[Risottia]

In the west (Generalization is bad, for example Switzerland, Luxemburg and Liechstenstein are nice), at least in Liberal nations like the USA, France or the Nordic countries, there is a high level of freedom compared to North Korea where you are under a monarchic juche dictatorship in which listening to the Beatles is a privilege.

The US don't look much too liberal to me, especially about the prisoners-per-capita, living conditions of inmates, rights of former convicts, police brutality, labour exploitation of inmates by private corporations, and death penalty.

Not saying that living conditions in US prisons are worse than NK's, but I wouldn't consider them to be on par with the rest of "Western" countries.

[Brokpastan]

In the west (Generalization is bad, for example Switzerland, Luxemburg and Liechstenstein are nice), at least in Liberal nations like the USA, France or the Nordic countries, there is a high level of freedom compared to North Korea where you are under a monarchic juche dictatorship in which listening to the Beatles is a privilege.

The US don't look much too liberal to me, especially about the prisoners-per-capita, living conditions of inmates, rights of former convicts, police brutality, labour exploitation of inmates by private corporations, and death penalty.

Not saying that living conditions in US prisons are worse than NK's, but I wouldn't consider them to be on par with the rest of "Western" countries.

Agree, and USA is not very culturally/socially liberal either, compared to many countries in Europe. But it depends on where in the USA, I suppose.

[Frank Zipper]

North Korea is easily the worst; it fails to look after its people, the only point of a state.

Kind of hard when your dad turned the country into one giant Gulag and got sanctioned by every country, and turned your nation into a caricuture of evil.

Not blowing most of the GDP on military toys would be a start.

[Cedoria]

Define 'The West'.

Whichever way you do it my answer's probably the same.

In terms of internal politics and policies. North Korea by a country mile...

In terms of world politics? The leading nations of the West, but only because they have far more power to screw things over. I don't for a moment think North Korea would not be worse if it occupied the position that say, the US does today.

I don't like Empires and hegemons, but I'll freely admit to preferring an American one to a hypothetical NK one...

[Yymea]

It depends of what you mean with the worst, because it can either refer to worst for the citizens of the countries involved, or for their negative influence in the world at large. If it is the first one, it is fairly clear that an average citizen of a 'western' country lives a better life than the average North Korean.

However, if it is the second one, then we must look at the state of the world, and then look at those that have power over it. Considering that the rich, western countries have been wielding a lot of power for a long time, it is safe to say that their negative influence has, in many cases, led to the suffering of peoples all over the world, usually in poor countries which can exert no influence themselves, but have potential to do it. North Korea, on the other hand, while it can influence world affairs somewhat, is nowhere near as relevant as the west, and because of that, it cannot exert as much negative influence as the west does, although it is clear that if they were powerful enough, they would.

[Struberria]

I think anything compared to N. Korea is good, i for one can say i certainly wouldn't want to live there

[Wallenburg]

This isn't even a question.

[Risottia]

Kind of hard when your dad turned the country into one giant Gulag and got sanctioned by every country, and turned your nation into a caricuture of evil.

Not blowing most of the GDP on military toys would be a start.

Then again, Trump wants NATO countries to increase military spending while cutting the budget of evil socialist stuff like public healthcare, public schooling, welfare for the poor, and environmental regulations. Because screw the poor, more money for bombs!

Maybe that's why God-Emperor Trump would be glad to meet His Juchious Majesty Kimmie the Third.

[Colbert Super PAC]

There are few places worse than North Korea. The West is not one of them.

[Randsbeik]

Well, I know I'd rather live in the West than in NK, and I'm sure most people who aren't tankies would think the same.

[Thermodolia]

How is this even a question? It's obviously NK who is worse

[Kibbutz Unions]

Living in the West in undeniably, infinitely better than in North Korea (basically a totalitarian monarchy by now) if that's what you're asking.

[Esternial]

I'm currently reading The Girl With Seven Names.. let's just say no one's trying to flee to North Korea.

Tis a silly question.

Two people are.

[The Federation of Kendor]

This isn't even a question.

How is this even a question? It's obviously NK who is worse

Because I created this in response to the threadjack on the Otto Warmbier death thread

[The Silkan]

West Korea doesn't exist, duuhhh

[The First Independent State of Croatia]

It's getting hard to tell really, hard to choose between the influx of terrorist attacks and apparent lack of common sense, or a dictatorship where even eating is a privilege. I honestly don't know.

[The Federation of Kendor]

The West

Why?

It's getting hard to tell really, hard to choose between the influx of terrorist attacks and apparent lack of common sense, or a dictatorship where even eating is a privilege. I honestly don't know.

I have the common sense. I form this to prevent a threadjack in another thread, the Otto Warmbier death thread, when a nation named Josepf Stalin accused the West of imperialism against North Korea, Syria, Vietnam, Cuba, China, and Venezuela. And make some defense on North Korea, saying things like why people responded more to the death of a single American rather than millions of Syrians