Vietnam Policy on Ethnic Affairs Term Paper

Minorities tended to live in more impoverished and less urban areas. The Hoa and ethnic Chinese were the exception to the rule however, typically living in more urban areas, and isolated from mainstream Vietnamese culture for some time. However, despite these seemingly unsolvable problems, there is ample evidence suggesting the government has continuously worked to help end discrimination and support a unified front. In recent years policies have been developed in an effort to restore relationships with the formerly isolated Hoa and Chinese; this has resulted in a better economy in Vietnam, suggesting ethnic minorities may realize a better quality of life in the coming years.

In an earlier observation of Vietnam, Mackerras (2003) suggests that discord in the country resulted in part because of the government's lack of realization as to the poor quality of life endured by many ethnic minorities especially those living in the highlands. Schrock, et al., 1966 demonstrated the changing percentages of the ethnic minority populations of Vietnam during the years leading up to its current status; Currently policies in Vietnam have been shifting to improve the living standards and quality of life especially during the last decade among ethnic minorities (Vietnam Living Standard Survey, 1993). Many infer that stronger protection policies (Keyes, 2002) are what are now necessary to ensure continued improved quality of life for ethnic minorities in Vietnam. Given the history of government policy, this seems an acceptable conclusions. Up to this point in time the government has focused primarily on unity. This, while a strong aspect of government policy, does not take into account the ethnic minorities living in the highlands that are still living in poverty, and those that may not have access to the resources available to individuals living in more urban areas.

Greater autonomy of ethnic classes may be possible even in a state where unity is emphasized if the government were to work on protecting minority classes most at risk for living under greater hardship or economic duress.

Conclusions

On reviewing Vietnamese policies toward ethnic minorities from 1975 through 2000, one clearly distinguishes a move from supporting ethnic minority group's autonomy to a move that supported greater unification of all people's living within Vietnam. This move would likely have caused upheaval in any country, as it did during the early years this policy was introduced in Vietnam. The government may have avoided some of the peasant upheavals that occurred during the early institution of these policies had it worked less toward blaming the Chinese for economic problems and inequalities, and focused its attention more on providing protections and support for minority classes that needed it most.

Many groups, including those not living in urban areas, during the early years this policy was enforced experienced a reduction in their quality of life. However, in recent years, thanks to a shifting of blame and greater acceptance of the influence the Chinese culture has had on Vietnam, the government has not moved toward a more unified state that supports autonomy without threatening the primary objectives of the government, which still support the ideological belief in Vietnam as a "people's" country, rich in diversity and culture.

References

Banister, Judith. 1992. Vietnam Population Dynamics and Prospects. Washington, D.C.,

U.S. Bureau of the Census, Center for International Researcher, CIR Staff Paper, 65.

Keyes, Charles. 2002, Nov. Presidential Address: The People's of Asia - Science and Politics in the Classification of Ethnic Groups in Thailand, China and Vietnam. The Journal of Asian Studies, 61(4): pp. 1163-1203.

Mackerras, Colin. 2005. Study Guide, PAC32: Ethnic Questions in East and Southeast

Asia. Griffith University Ins.

Mackerras, Colin. 2003. ed., Ethnicity in Asia, Routledge Curzon, New York. Chapter 7,

Vietnam," pp. 108-117; 127-35.

Schrock, Joann L., Stockton Jr., William, Murphy, Elaine M., Fromme, Marilou. 1966.

Minority Groups in the Republic of Vietnam. Ethnographic Study Series, Department of the Army Pamphlet No.…