Date post: | 16-Jul-2015 |
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Government & Nonprofit |
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Background
Internal economic crisis in the 1980s
Concurrent intensification of external problem
Vietnam’s invasion of Cambodia
Relations with China, and members of ASEAN
Embargo by U.S.
Soviet Union’s disintegration
New conception of national security
Domestic Doi Moi reforms must continue
Reassessment of Old Policies and
Doctrines
The turmoil in the communist world prompted
many long-time revolutionaries to reassess their
understanding of the ideology
Marxism came to Vietnam through the
interpretation of Stalin and Mao Zhedong.
It was simplified to a great extent. Yet those
principles were not interpreted precisely correctly.
The nationalist halo still protected the party, but
the leadership was increasingly forced to draw
on this past legacy of accumulated credit, rather
than renew their prestige with positive current
accomplishment.
Changing World View
Changes in the Soviet Union had a major impact
on Vietnam’s reassessment of its foreign policy.
Resolution 32 (1986): the external mission of
Vietnam is to . . . proactively create a condition of
stability for economic construction.
Resolution 13 (1988): the diplomatic mission was
to serve political stabilization, and that first priority
would be given to economic development. the
landmark document that previewed Vietnam post
Cold-War foreign policy and embodied Vietnam’s
final decision to withdraw from Cambodia (1991)
New Conception of Security
Vietnam’s withdrawal from Cambodia was
decided in 1988, and implemented in 1989.
(Soviet decision to pull out of Afghanistan, China
and Soviet both agreed to suspend military
support for Cambodia in 1990).
The armed forces would need to sustained at a
level “just enough” to assure Vietnam’s defense.
“Weakness in the economy and defense and
political instability are great dangers to the
independence and security of the country”.
economic factor in international relations had
become the key to national security.
Leadership Uncertainty in the Face of
Crisis
In the past, the party used to make decisions on
everything.
Now, the party’s policy merely set the guidelines.
The rest is left to the National Assembly the
biggest crisis in the socialist camp since 1917
Trends of ‘adoring capitalism’, ‘suspecting
socialism’ and ‘denying the revolutionary fruits’
“beat back the viewpoints attempting to lower the
prestige of socialism and refute Marxism and
Leninism”, and “democracy must be accompanied
by discipline and obedience to law”.
Pressure for Change
Talk of “Democracy”
Underline the importance of greater
responsiveness and accountability to economic
and social problems
Not to undermine the control of the party
Growing frustration at the slow pace of change
Criticism was directed again Nguyen Van Linh
Inflation was reduced from 400% (1986-88) to
30% (1989)
Vietnam became a net exporter of rice for the
first time
A fork in the road
Occupation of Cambodia
Jobs and Western investment
were blocked
Economic consequences of a
draining and costly war
Vietnam had not derived clear
security benefits from the
occupation of Cambodia.
troops withdrawal from
Cambodia.
“Old Thinking” about the Two-World
International System
December 1988: Mikhail Gorbachev’s
speech:
Declared an end to the two-worlds
conception of international politics
Common civilization and common
humanity was central.
Gorbachev had destroyed the
foundation of Vietnamese’s leaders’
world view.
September 1989: Nguyen Van Linh
laid out uncompromising view of
Marxism as a total ideology and
capitalism as a dead end.
Difficult Foreign Policy Choices
Diplomatic strategy: mixture of old and new
Solidarity with the socialist countries
Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON)
Improve relations with China
Improve relations with India and Third World countries
ASEAN and the United States.
Formulation of Vietnam’s approach:
The idea of comprehensive security,
The importance of diversification of external ties
Engaging in the life of the international system
The primacy of economic development over military spending