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This is my favorite argument against economic sanctions. Ruining the economy of a country only pushes society into dependence of the political clique that controls the state. On the other hand, economic growth and an abundance of goods breeds individualism and that is one of the incubators of democracy.

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I see your point, but in the case of North Korea exactly the opposite is happening. For decades the political elite had an iron grip on the country. But then sanctions help push the country into more of a free enterprise system, and that is weakening the government's power.

KJI was pushed (by the famine). KJU actually likes the idea of growing a parallel market based economy. He could just as easily have decided to clamp down on it.

It seems speculative. How do you know that, should there have been no sanctions, these free enterprise systems would not have been introduced anyway? Or even know that would not have been developed more than they are now?

With so many huge changes both inside and outside DPRK during the past decades, to credit the gradual introduction free market systems to sanctions seems tendentious.

Sanctions are always better than war. People adapt. Or negotiate their way out. Just look at Iran.

Free market in NK? Maybe free as in the state is too busy caring right now and market as in flea market.

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