Vietnamese Politics

Vietnam's government had been primarily based on Confucianism and institutions were based on those in China.  This changed after the French invasion with the emperor being such in name only.  When the country divided in 1954, the North became Communist with the South following the example of Western countries.  With reunification in 1976, there were attempts to convert South Vietnam to Communism.  Although Communism has spread throughout the South, it also caused a great exodus of people from Vietnam to other countries.  

In 1980, the constitution, similar to the Soviets' but with some democratic ideals was promulgated.  There were to be secret ballot elections, but overall the Communist party would dictate what would be considered the best for everyone overall.  It was revised slightly in 1992 to show economic reforms that had occurred in 1986 as well as decreasing the party's role in governing.  With this amendment, the president is the head of the state and is elected to a five-year term by the National Assembly.  He has several advisors and assistants, among them the National Defense and Security Council.

Vietnam's political party is the Vietnamese Communist Party, with about 2.2 million members and according to a 1992 constitutional amendment, the Communist Party is "the force leading the State and society," thus giving it exclusive power.  Although the people want civil freedom, it doesn't mean they want to copy the West's way of thinking, which is contrary to Confucian traditions.  The younger generation have  influenced the Party and the government's action, causing them to be more lenient in resolving economic questions, because of their increased education and foreign experiences, with another factor being Vietnamese who are returning home from around the world.    

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