Vietnamese Model of Neoliberalism: Accumulation by Dispossession

Authors

  • Thanatda Pongprathum Faculty of Economics, Khon Kaen University
  • Anchayarat Suwan Faculty of Economics, Khon Kaen University
  • Norachit Jirasatthumb Faculty of Economics, Khon Kaen University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.69598/artssu.2022.489.

Keywords:

neoliberalism, Vietnamese economy, accumulation by dispossession

Abstract

This article aims to criticize the Vietnamese model of neoliberalism. An analysis reveals that Doi Moi policy drove the Vietnamese economy in a neoliberal fashion by engaging its economy with international trade and investment.This transition resulted in remarkable economic growth, but at the expense of accumulation by dispossession. The accumulation exposes environmental degradation which could pose a fatal risk. In addition, the profitability of the economy is characterized by appropriation of absolute surplus value which relies on a relatively high degree of forced overtime work and other kinds of work violation. The accumulation manifests its class contradiction through frequently unorganized or wildcat protests. This struggle continues within the structure of weak labour containing unions and a health system which places the financial burden on individuals. 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

References

Baum, A. (2020). Vietnam’s Development Success Story and the Unfinished SDG Agenda. IMF Working Paper WP/20/31. International Monetary Fund.

Belser, P. (2000). Vietnam: On the Road to Labor-Intensive Growth?. Policy Research Working Paper 2389, World Bank East Asia and Pacific Region, Vietnam Country Office, Hanoi.

Benjamin, D., Brandt, B & McCaig, B. (2016). Growth with Equity: Income Inequality in Vietnam, 2002–14. IZA Discussion Paper No. 10392. IZA Institute for Labor Economics.

Buckley, J. (16 August 2018). No Union, No Problem: Anatomy of a Vietnamese Wildcat. Notes from below. Retrieved 10 November, from https://notesfrombelow.org/article/no-union-no-problem

CEIC data (2019). Average Monthly Income: Overall, Vietnam [Data file].

Dang, T.N., Thuy, C.T., Van, Y.T., and Thanh, T.N. (2018). Sets of Sustainable Development Indicators in Vietnam: Status and Solutions. Economies, 6(1): 1-15.

Do, Q. C. & Schweisshelm, E. (2018). Trade Unions in Transition – from Command to Market Economies. Berlin: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.

Fair Labor Association. (2019). Toward Fair Compensation in Vietnam: Insights on Reaching a Living Wage. Vietnam: Fair Labor Association.

Federal Reserve Economic Data (2020a). Consumer Price Index for Vietnam [Data file].

Federal Reserve Economic Data (2020b). Employment to Population Ratio for Vietnam [Data file].

Federal Reserve Economic Data (2020c). Population, Total for Vietnam [Data file].

Federal Reserve Economic Data (2020d). Real GDP at Constant National Prices for Vietnam [Data file].

Hanh, D.H. (2010). Trade and Investment Policies for Competitiveness – The Vietnam Experience. UNESCAP Workshop on Strengthening the Response to the Global Financial Crisis in the Asia-Pacific: The Role of Macroeconomic Policies. Phnom Penh, 22-24 June.

Harvey, D. (2002). The Art of Rent: Globalization, Monopoly and the Commodification of Culture. Socialist Register, 38: 93-110.

Harvey, D. (2003). The New Imperialism. New York: Oxford University Press.

Harvey, D. (2005). A Brief History of Neoliberalism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Harvey, D. (2006). Neo-liberalism as creative destruction. Georg. Ann., 88B(2), 145–158.

Herr, H., Schweisshelm, E. & Vu, T. (2016). Vietnam in the Global Economy Development through Integration or Middle-income Trap?. Hanoi, Vietnam: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.

Hoang, V. M. et al. (2013). Financial burden of household out-of pocket health expenditure in Viet Nam: Findings from the National Living Standard Survey 2002-2010. Social Science & Medicine, 258-263.

Hoang, V. M. et al. (2015). Patterns of Health Expenditures and Financial Protections in Vietnam 1992-2012. J Korean Med Sci, 134-138.

Koplitz, Shannon. et al. (2017). Burden of disease from rising coal-fired power plant emissions in Southeast Asia. Environmental Science and Technology 51, 1467-1476.

Le Thi, T. V. (2009). Vietnam’s policy response to the financial crisis. EAI Background Brief No.147. Singapore: NUS

Melanie, B. & Chris, N. (1998). The Labour Movement of Vietnam. Australian Society for the Study of Labour History, 75, 57-80.

Mohun, S. (2003). The Australian Rate of Profit, 1965 – 2001. Journal of Australian Political Economy. 52(2), 90-93.

Nguyen, D. T. (2014). Vietnam’s labour productivity in asean economic community. Vietnam university of commerce.

Nguyen, M. H. & Pham, S. A. (2011). Impacts of the global economic crisis on foreign trade in lower-income economies in the Greater Mekong Sub-region and policy responses: the case of Vietnam and its implications for Lao PDR and Cambodia. Working Papers 10211, Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade (ARTNeT), an initiative of UNESCAP and IDRC, Canada.

Nguyen, N. A., Nguyen, D. N. & Nguyen T. (2010). Current Global Crisis, Fiscal Stimulus Package and Implication for Vietnam. Working Papers 10, Development and Policies Research Center (DEPOCEN), Vietnam.

OXFAM. (2017). Even it up: how to tackle inequality in Vietnam. Hanoi: Labor -Social Publishing House.

Panitpongsri, T. & Jaroonpipatkul, N. (2020). Focus on Competitive strategy in Vietnam. Focused and Quick, 178(October), 1-12. (In Thai)

Paton, J. (2008). What's left of sustainable development. Journal of Australian Political Economy, 62, 94-115.

Schuler, P. J., Malesky, E. J., & Huyen, D. T. (6 June 2018). Poverty and economic inequality from Vietnamese citizens’ perspective in 2018. Vietnam Law and Legal Forum. Retrieved 18 November 2019, from https://vietnamlawmagazine.vn/poverty-and-economic-inequality-from-vietnamese-citizens-perspective-in-2018-16719.html#_ftn1

Siriphon, A. (7 March 2013). Chinese influence in Vietnam: looking through bauxite mining concessions. Bangkok Bizz News. Retrieved 29 May 2019, from https://www.bangkokbiznews.com/blog/detail/493663?fbclid. (In Thai)

Thanaphonphan, R. (2005). Washington Consensus. Bangkok: Kobfai Publishing. (In Thai)

The World Bank, World Development Indicators. (2019). GDP per capita [Data file]. Retrieved from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.KD

Tin, V.T. (2019). Assessing Vietnam’s Environmental Laws and Direction for Improvement. Vietnamese Journal of Legal Sciences, 1(1), 64-76.

Tsuboi, Y. (2007). Twenty Years after the Adoption of Doi Moi Policy. Tokyo: Waseda University.

Tran, Van Tho. (1999). “Long-term economic statistics of Vietnam before reunification: 1955-1975” in J-P Bassiono, J-D Giacometti and K. Odaka. Quantitative Economic History of Vietnam: 1900-1990. Tokyo: Hitotsubashi University.

Van A. (2019). Local trend of sustainable development may threat H&M and Zara. Vietnam Investment Review.

Whong, Eugene. (18 November 2020). Vietnam Revises Environmental Protection Law But Enforcement a Concern. RFA’s Vietnamese Service. Retrieved 30 July 2021, from https://www.rfa.org/english/news/vietnam/environment-11182020123525.html#:~:text=Vietnam%20Revises%20Environmental%20Protection%20Law%20But%20Enforcement%20a%20Concern,-2020%2D11%2D18&text=1%2C%202022%2C%20requires%20owners%20of,the%20environment%20to%20be%20protected

World Bank, World Development Indicators. (2021a). GDP per capita growth (annual %) [Data file].

World Bank, World Development Indicators. (2021b). Total natural resources rents (% of GDP) [Data file].

World Bank Group. (2016). Vietnam 2035 Toward Prosperity, Creativity, Equity, and Democracy. Washington: World Bank Publications.

Xu, K. et al. (2003). Household catastrophic health expenditure: a multicountry analysis. Evidence and Information for Policy (EIP), World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland.

Downloads

Published

01-08-2022

How to Cite

Pongprathum, T. ., Suwan, A. ., & Jirasatthumb, N. (2022). Vietnamese Model of Neoliberalism: Accumulation by Dispossession. Journal of Arts and Thai Studies, 44(2), 179–192. https://doi.org/10.69598/artssu.2022.489.

Issue

Section

Articles