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Communism Part 3 of 3: Future for Vietnam

© Shawn Nicholls

Communism was once thought to be the challenger to West. However it has since fallen out of style. But many countries around the world refuse to abandon the principles modeled after the former Soviet Union. As time elapses, more people emerge from communist rule, however the numbers are still high. Aside from Cuba, the majority of communism’s domination lies in Asia, where China, North Korea, and Vietnam were hit hardest by the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, today, China has moved forward, leaving Korea and Vietnam in her shadow.

Specifically, social and economic conditions continue to struggle in these countries as a result of their political and economic structures. The United States, as well as other powerful countries around the world continues to apply pressure to communist regimes, especially North Korea and Vietnam. Recently, Madeline Albright made an important visit to North Korea to address social conditions, most importantly human rights violations. Also, in November of 2000, former President Bill Clinton made an historic trip to Vietnam to lobby for a rise up against communism and a push towards capitalism. Perhaps seeing that they are unlikely to move away from communism in the near future, the United States and Russia are making efforts to better incorporate Vietnam in the global market. In July of 2000, Vietnam and the United States signed a trade deal that lowered export tariffs from close to 40% to 3%.

Additionally, in March of 2001, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Hanoi to announce a strategic partnership between the two countries, which involved reduced prices on Russian made weapons to help improve Vietnam’s depleted military presence and a reduction in their debt payments.

While these efforts may help Vietnam improve their lagging economy in the present, unless they make permanent changes to their political system, they will continue to fall behind the rest of the world and will remain over dependent on other countries, which resulted in their last major fall from promising economic growth. However, the leaders of Vietnam are persistent in speaking out against that economic form, and are content with communism.

Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, Vietnam truly showed signs of long-term growth. Although the Vietnam War interrupted them, the EOI strategies enacted in the late 1950’s were paying off economically. Additionally, a reform strategy in the late 1980’s showed promise, however it was interrupted and abandoned. It is unfortunate that each time Vietnam appears to be moving towards better times, they face a roadblock. The reliance on the Soviet Union for economic and political stability cost them in the long run when communism collapsed in that country, leaving Vietnam helpless.

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