Juche roughly means “self-reliance”, although it can also mean “subject”. The word itself tells in many ways the story of North Korea. Although it does originate with early translations of German philosophical writings, particularly Marxism, however, it appeared in the Korean lexicon through Japanese influence during the age of the Empire. In many ways, the ideology that came to be associated with the term is a product of the Korean War and the rise of the Kim dynasty, which holds complete Soviet-style totalitarian state control over the entire population. The North Korean government utilizes its education system as a tool for ideological indoctrination and control of the masses from an early age, particularly in developing the Juche ideology, which emphasizes obedience to the Kim family and justifies isolationism through the gaze of self-reliance and personal responsibility. Although it is presented as a path of self-reliance, Juche is a combination of self-blame and cult-like obedience to the Kim family.