Publication: Making Difficult Choices: Vietnam in Transition
Date
2008
ISSN
Published
2008
Author(s)
Abstract
After decades of war, with a dilapidated
infrastructure and millions of people dead, wounded or
displaced, Vietnam could have been considered a hopeless
case in economic development. Yet, it is now about to enter
the ranks of middle-income countries. The obvious question
is: How did this happen? This paper goes one step further,
asking not which policies were adopted, but rather why they
were adopted. This question is all the more intriguing
because the process did not involve one group of individuals
displacing another within the structure of power. To answer
this question, the paper relies on the insights of those who
were actually involved in the economic experiments,
conceptual discussions, and political maneuvering that led
to the adoption of key reforms. Especially, it builds on a
series of long and regular conversations with H. E. the late
Vo Van Kiet, one of Vietnam's leading figures. In doing
so, it brings into the open the inside story of Doi Moi, a
process that is not known by outsiders and remains opaque to
most Vietnamese. The relevance of this exercise is not
merely historical. Understanding how reforms were engineered
may yield valuable lessons for other developing countries.
It is also relevant for Vietnam, as two decades of rapid
economic growth have resulted in dramatic changes in its
economy and society. While praising the decision-making
processes that allowed Vietnam to successfully emerge from
poverty, the paper also explores the adjustments that could
be needed for it to become an industrial country.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“Rama, Martin. 2008. Making Difficult Choices: Vietnam in Transition. Commission on Growth and Development Working Paper;No. 40. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/28014 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”