The term hermit kingdom is an epithet used to refer to any country, organization or society that willfully isolates itself off, either metaphorically or physically, from the rest of the world. North Korea is the most commonly cited example of a hermit kingdom-like country due to its Juche state ideology which is heavily focused on isolationist and self-sufficient internal politics. Other less prominent quoted examples are Turkmenistan, Eritrea, and Bhutan.
Korea The first country to be described as a "hermit kingdom" was Korea during the Joseon dynasty, in William Elliot Griffis's 1882 book Korea: The Hermit Nation. Korea, which had become increasingly isolationist since the 17th century, was frequently described as a hermit kingdom until 1905, when it became a protectorate of Japan. Today, historical Korea is split into South Korea and North Korea, two states with starkly contrasting economic ideologies. Whereas South Korea is a major developed economy and trade-dependent economy as well as a major importer of overseas goods, North Korea pursues a largely isolationist state ideology known as Juche with a planned economy.
Cold War uses During the Cold War, Enver Hoxha's Albania was widely considered a "hermit kingdom" as it was a Stalinist regime, did not allow its ordinary citizens out of the country, and pursued autarky to become entirely self-sufficient. Unlike North Korea, Hoxha's regime, after the Sino-Albanian split, refused to ally with anyone and was hostile towards the entire world, which made it more isolationist than North Korea, which was then Stalinist but was allied with other Eastern Bloc states and did not become isolationist until after the end of the Cold War.
Modern use Today, the term is often applied to North Korea in news and social media, and in 2009, it was used by Hillary Clinton, then the United States Secretary of State. Other current countries considered isolationist "hermit kingdoms" include Turkmenistan, Belarus, Eritrea, and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Historically, the term has been applied to Nepal, Ladakh, and Bhutan in the Himalayas.
Other uses The term "hermit kingdom" has also been used to describe Western Australia when it closed its borders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
See also Haijin – Isolationist policy in early modern China Sakoku – Japanese isolationist policy from 1633–1853 Kim Il Sung – Leader of North Korea from 1948 to 1994 Isolationism – Policy against engaging in international relations
References
Further reading Fischer, David Hackett (1970). Historians' Fallacies: Toward a Logic of Historical Thought. Harper Perennial. ISBN 0-06-131545-1. Seth, Michael J. (Fall 2008). "Korea: From Hermit Kingdom to Colony". Association for Asian Studies. 13 (2: Asia in World History: 1750-1914): 28–33. Retrieved October 8, 2024.
