posted 16 November 2003 10:45 PM
Vietnam has been a "communist" nation since the US withdrawal and subsequent collapse of the South Vietnam government in 1975. Since then Vietnam has seena growth inthe prosperity of its peoples. In 1988, just 13 years after the submissionof the pro-US South, the Absolute poverty of the nation embraced nearly 75% of the population. Since then Vietnamese policy has led to the reduction in poverty to the point wherein 1993 the population living under absolute poverty was 58% and now, ten years later, in 2003, the poverty rate is only at 37%.
With results like this it is no wonder that many developing nations look favourably toward social democracies and even outright communist governments.
From: Between 234 and 149 BCE | Registered: Nov 2003
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robbie_dee
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 195
posted 16 November 2003 11:55 PM
I'm moving this to ideas, too.
From: Iron City | Registered: Apr 2001
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DrConway
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 490
posted 17 November 2003 01:00 AM
I once read a book about setting up an export-import business dealing with Vietnam, and the book commented favorably on the fact that Vietnam's "socialist" (as they would call it, although we would probably term it "communist") policies had flattened out society so that there were no extremes of rich and poor as seen in other Asian nations.
That having been said, the book also noted that the Vietnamese government was trying to encourage foreign trade as a way of getting out of the rut of maintaining egalitarianism within such a limited economic base. Whether the Vietnamese government can avoid the problems seem in North Korea, where a psychotic nut has promoted mass starvation (akin to Stalin), remains to be seen.
From: You shall not side with the great against the powerless. | Registered: May 2001
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nonsuch
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 1402
posted 17 November 2003 01:20 AM
What are they actually doing about feeding people, education, health-care, housing, farming and old-age pension? Does anyone know?
From: coming and going | Registered: Sep 2001
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beluga2
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 3838
posted 17 November 2003 01:40 AM
I'm just wondering where you get your numbers from, Catus. Are those UN figures? World Bank? OECD?
A link would be nice.
From: vancouvergrad, BCSSR | Registered: Mar 2003
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Catus
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4656
posted 18 November 2003 02:36 AM
world bank working paper 2615 by David Dollar and Aart Kray
entitled" "trade growth and poverty"
From: Between 234 and 149 BCE | Registered: Nov 2003
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posted 16 November 2003 10:45 PM
