China, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, and North Korea still name Communism as their form of government. With most of its economy state-controlled, Belarus, although it doesn’t declare its government to be Communmist, is the only European country left with remnants of Communism predominant in its governmental structure. Belarus, China, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, and North Korea are all dictatorships, each with its own peculiar arrangement for choosing a leader. When the dictator in any of these countries dies or is otherwise deposed, the world waits with bated breath to discover what will happen next... Who will the new dictator be and how will he rule? The wait is especially uncomfortable when a temporarily leaderless country maintains an arsenal of nuclear weapons.

Clearly the oddest of the Communist countries is North Korea. With the death of Leader Kim Jung Il this week, the world waits to see who will take charge of the nuclear arsenal. Kim Jong Un, the twenty-something son of Kim Jong Il is the heir apparent. The Rodong Sinmum, the official newspaper, described Kim Jong Un as “the spiritual pillar and the lighthouse of hope” for the military and the people. Ri Ho Il, a lecturer at the Korean Revolutionary History Museum spoke apparently for the leadership committee today. He said, “The Korean people have been coming to Mansu Hill in deep sorrow at the loss of the benevolent father of our nation with the infinite feeling of longing. Our General (Kim Jong Il) is our people’s benevolent father. He defended our people’s happiness, carrying on his forced march both night and day.” In reality, Kim Jong Il, was a hermit in his hermit nation. Little is know about how he spent his time. Even less is known about the son and successor. If the son turns out to be a nutty as his father, the poor North Korean people are in for a continuing rough ride. Will he be a puppet under the control of the a council of generals? The world waits.