Ideologies & Context of Vietnam

Ideologies & Context of Vietnam

• What is an ideology?• Dominant vs Counter-Ideologies• The Components of Ideologies• Democratic Ideologies• Non-Democratic Ideologies• Other Ideologies• The Ideology in context of Vietnam

Ideologies: Early Beginnings

• The French Philosopher Antoine Destrutt de Tracy coined the term ideologie to mean “the science of ideas”

• During the Enlightenment (18th Century), many philosophers in France (called philosophes), believed that the application of human reason (not adherence to faith) was needed to deal with social, economic and political challenges.

• Before the Enlightenment, most ideologies were primarily religious. It was during this period that we would see the great debate of faith vs. reason.

• Napoleon Bonaparte called his political enemies “ideologues” because they tended to hold liberal ideals and anti-religious views. This term is still used today

Eugene Delacroix’s “Liberty LeadingThe People”

What is an Ideology?• What is an ideology? Generally speaking, it is a value system through which we perceive, explain and accept the world.

• According to the political theorist Robert Dahl, all individuals are ideologues in the sense that we all map out our own interpretations of what the world is and how it should be.

What is the role of an Ideology?

• Ideologies present a simplified “cause and effect” interpretation of a complex world (e.g.“Axis of Evil” and the “coalition of the willing)

• They provide a theory of human nature that explains basic economic, social and political values.

• Ideologies appear to be moral in tone and aspire to perfect our behavior (e.g. counter laziness, or selfishness)

• They are often supported by constitutions, manifestos or writings (e.g the Communist Manifesto)

• They discuss issues such as leadership, political succession and electoral behavior

Dominant Ideologies• Dominant Ideologies support the existing social and political arrangements (e.g. Conservatism in the United States after 9/11)

• Ideologies that dominate in a society are ones that carry the message of the elites through the Agents of Socialization such as:

• Governments (Political Parties, Pressure Groups)

• The Schools• The Media• Families and Peer Groups

Dominant IdeologiesWhat is the sign that a

particular ideology is dominating the political discourse?

• The majority of the population accepts the ideology without hesitation (e.g. The Free-market system in the United States).

• The most powerful people in the country (the elites) accept the ideology.

• The existence of a dominate ideology allows a society to keep subordinate groups in check (e.g. Communists, anarchists, etc) as long as they constitute a minority in society

Anti- Globalization ProtestorsKept in check in Seattle, USA.

Counter-Ideologies• The role of counter

ideologies is to advance radical reform in society

• In Canada, groups such as the Marxist-Leninist Party serve such a role.

• They normally develop in response to a perceived inequality in society.

• There main job is to challenge the status quo.

• Feminism is certainly an example of a counter ideology in the extent that it seeks to challenge inequalities in the workplace based on gender (e.g. equal pay for work of equal value)

The impact of Counter Ideologies

• It is the stresses that exist between dominant ideologies and counter ideologies that produce real political change.

• In fact, the origin of of a dominant ideology is usually a counter ideology

• Examples:• The Russian Revolution of 1917

(Communism)• The French Revolution of 1789

(Liberalism)• The CCF’s plan for medicare• The “green” counter-ideology

of fighting Greenhouse gas emissions is now a part of mainstream political platforms

Tommy Douglas

David Suzuki

The Major Components of Ideologies

• The state of human nature

• The role of the individual in society

• The role of the state• The sources and limits of political authority

• The preferred economic and social order Iranian President Mahmoud

Ahmadinejad

Ideologies: Human Nature• Are human beings born to be basically good or basically bad (innate), or is behavior the result of social conditioning?

• For conservatives, human behavior is unchangeable. The role of government is to control the undesirable consequences of human behavior (Thomas Hobbes)

• For Liberals, humans are inherently good. As a result, we don’t need to be so tightly controlled by government

Ideologies: Role of the Individual

• Is it the role of the individual to serve the interests of the government, or the role of the government to serve the needs of the individual?

• With Communism, the welfare of the individual is subordinate to the interests of the state.

• For Liberals, the role of the government is to provide the conditions for individual freedom (e.g. Constitution guarantees individual rights). The rights of the individual in many cases takes precedence over the rights of the state (e.g. private property).

Free Trade and Economic Liberalism

Ideologies: Role of the State

• In some ideologies, the state is essentially a symbol of evil in society (e.g. Anarchism). Individual liberty is threatened by the existence of strong government control. This is the theory of “Absolute power corrupts absolutely”

• Most modern ideologies (e.g. social democracy) maintain that a strong government (with limits) is necessary in order to maintain social order and living standards (e.g. public healthcare and education)

What limits should be placed on individualFreedom?

Ideologies: Limits on Political Authority

• In some ideologies (Western democracies), political authority is derived by the consent of the governed (e.g. through elections).

• For fascists and Marxist-Leninists, political authority is derived by the will of the state or dictators. Consensus is needed in order to guarantee social order and progress

• For democrats, consent is needed by the people to justify their power. The people decide to give up their individual power to the state. This is also known as the concept of political legitimacy.

What limits were placed on their power?

Ideologies: The Preferred Economic and Social Order

• Ideologies have to deal with the fundamental question of who controls the wealth in society. Should wealth be equally shared, or should some individuals be allowed to possess more wealth than others?

• For communists, private ownership is not allowed. They are committed to providing an equitable distribution of wealth

• For capitalists, people need to compete with one another in order to have an incentive for material gain. Economic and social inequities are allowed to exist

Microsoft’sBill Gates

Wall StreetBillionaireWarrenBuffett

Democratic Ideologies• The beginnings of democracy can

be traced back to the Greeks.• Pericles (495-429 BC) declared

that ancient Athens (Greece) was a democracy because “power rested in the hands of the many instead of the few”.

• Aristotle (384-322 BC) wrote in his famous work Politics, that direct popular government would create mob rule. What was needed was majority rule with respect for individual rights. This would later be known as Constitutional Democracy.

• Socrates and Plato were both very critical of democracy since they felt that it would produce undesirable outcomes.

The Trial of Socrates

Democratic Ideologies• In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a series of political philosophers would make great contributions to our present understanding of what is democracy such as:

• Thomas Hobbes• John Locke• Jean-Jacques Rousseau• John Stuart Mill• Alexis de Tocqueville Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Democratic IdeologiesOrganizing ideologies:a) “Left vs. Right continuum” - Based on attitudes towards free market capitalism & traditional values

–“Left”: Support greater social and economic equality, oppose traditional religious values (?)

–“Right”: Support traditional values, oppose state “innovations” to promote equality

–Popular typology, but problematic• E.g. “Totalitarianism”: States that attempt to control all aspects of life

Democratic Ideologies: Liberalism

• Political Ideologies – The Big Three In Canada

• Part 1: Liberalism• Origins• In Canada, liberal ideas were

key factors in establishing the concept of responsible government (1830-1840)

• Liberal theories date back to the Enlightenment, Ancient Rome

• Early influential liberal thinkers: John Locke (life, liberty, property) and John Stuart Mill (utilitarian liberalism)

John Stuart Mill

Democratic Ideologies: Liberalism

• The 20th Century• Through two world wars in

Canada, liberalism emphasized the importance of rights (civil and human)

• Liberals emphasized representative democracy (legitimate and limited power), human rights (Charter of Rights & Freedoms), and rules of procedure (parliamentary process, judicial review)

• Most dominant ideology in this century

Queen Elizabeth signs Canada’sCharter of Rights and Freedoms

Pierre Elliott Trudeau

Democratic Ideologies: Liberalism

• What Makes A Liberal?• Liberals stress equality of opportunity, reject special treatment for those with privilege

• Equality before the law• Freedom is a leading value and it is pluralistic: freedom of association, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly

• Liberals are thought to be more permissive and open to change than Conservatives (e.g. same-sex marriage)

Barack Obama

Stephen Lewis

Democratic Ideologies: Liberalism

• Different Kinds of Liberals• The most common issue that

Liberals disagree among themselves about is how to manage the economy:– Egalitarian liberalism – welfare state, progressive taxation, equalization payments, state intervention (left of centre)

– Libertarian liberalism – rejects attempts of state to achieve social equality by manipulating the economy (right of centre)

Liberal Prime MinisterPaul Martin Jr.

Key Liberal Principles• Rule of Law: Protects citizens from

tyranny by having all people equal under the law

• Responsible Govt: All govt officials are accountable to the people (electoral process)

• Civil Liberties: The freedoms of thought, expression, religion and freedom of the press

• Constitutionalism: The establishment of a specific document that defines and limits the powers of government (e.g. the Canadian BNA Act)

• Individualism: The role of the govt is to serve the interests of the individual so that each person can maximize their individual potential

Former Prime MinisterLester B Pearson

Key Liberal Principles• Majority Rule: Govt decisions are made in response to the wishes of the majority (not the minority)

• Popular Sovereignty: The source of the govt’s power flows from the people

• International Co-operation: Liberals (economic liberals), calls for the elimination of trade barriers between nations (e.g. tariffs, quotas) in order to promote economic growth and international co-operation

Adam Smith

Democratic Ideologies: Conservatism

• Conservatism• Defined: from the Latin word “conservare” – to keep, guard, observe; a commitment to preserve tradition while recognizing there needs to be gradual improvement

• Change is not as important as respecting laws and traditions, therefore conservatives are against radicalism

Edmund Burke

Democratic Ideologies: Conservatism

• Types of Conservatism:• Cultural – wants to enshrine the

existing or “received” heritage of a nation; may reject attempts to change culture; many believe in a universal morality while others think moral codes should only apply within a nation

• Religious – most conservatives believe in some type of religion or organized faith that is established and has centuries of tradition (East and West); religious conservative values may include referring to God, opposing abortion

Democratic Ideologies: Conservatism

• Fiscal – a commitment to reducing government spending and debt; gov’t does not have the right to run up large debts and then throw the burden on the taxpayer Senator John McCain

Key Conservative Principles

• Reverence for the past: Societies obtain wisdom from their customs and traditions and must respect the accomplishments of their ancestors

• Constitutional continuity: Constitutions need to be maintained. Avoid sudden changes

• Opposition to Revolution: Conservatives reject radical change

• The Religious Basis of the State: The state has the moral, religious character. It is not just political and economic

Key Principles Cont’d• The priority of duties over rights: Conservatives recognize that individuals have personal rights and civic duties. They must not forget their duties

• Loyalty: Conservatives demonstrate loyalty to the church, family, school and the prime institutions of the nation

• Common Sense and Pragmatism: Conservative are practical George Bush

Democratic Socialism• Political Ideologies – The Big Three In Canada

• Part 2: Socialism• Origins• “Socialism” was first used in late 19th century to condemn capitalist systems

• most early socialists believed in the abolition of markets, private property, and of not treating labour as a commodity

Tommy Douglas

Socialism• Early influential socialist thinkers: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Francois Noel Babeuf (complete economic and political equality)

• Most influential thinker was arguably Karl Marx, who wrote of the class struggle between workers and the bourgeoisie

• In Canada, socialist and social democratic ideas have been expressed mainly by the old CCF (Co-Operative Commonwealth Federation) and the NDP (New Democratic Party) Karl Marx

Marxism vs Democratic Socialism

• Marxism vs. Democratic Socialism• General perspectives on class struggle and emphasis on the worker are similar

• Marxists believe that class struggle will end only if the working class controls the means of production (socialism of distribution)

• Social Democrats accept capitalist economies but believe in public ownership and state intervention in the economy (socialism of economic production)

• Where Marxist Socialists advocate for complete control of the economy, Social Democrats believe in the democratic process (elections) and accept private ownership

Socialism• A Socialist’s Values• Socialist values prioritize social equality above all else, including economic freedom (contrary to Conservatives and many Liberals)

• In Canada, the NDP has been primarily concerned with social justice issues:– Health care, Housing, Public Education, the Elderly

Bob Rae: Former Leader of theOntario NDP

Socialism Cont’d• Socialists believe in a strong central state with extensive government agencies

• Over the last several years, social democrats have also expressed concern about U.S. influence in our economy (e.g. free trade) Maude Barlow: President of

The Council of Canadians

Non-Democratic Ideologies

• Fascism in Italy: Benito Mussolini• The Beginning• Mussolini was heavily influenced

by the fascist model in Rerum Novarum, written by Pope Leo XIII in 1892

• The state was like a human body (working with one mind – no class struggle)

• In 1919, Mussolini’s fascist party participated in Italy’s elections– Initial program called for: a

democratic republic, separation of church & state, a national army, progressive taxation on inherited wealth

• As the movement grew in strength, several of these were abandoned (e.g. progressive tax)

• Mussolini exploited fears regarding both capitalism and the rise of communism; fascism became the “third way”

Mussolini

Fascism• Fascist Reign• Mussolini was appointed President of

Italy’s council by the King in 1922 to avoid further violence

• The King still controlled the army, but Mussolini operated a coalition gov’t

• Socialist Deputy Giacomo Matteotti was assassinated; shortly after Mussolini accepted responsibility for his death and proclaimed a dictatorship in which his party was identified as the state

• In the 1930’s, Italy recovered from the Great Depression by creating domestic substitutes to replace imports and this increased Mussolini’s support

• In 1935, Mussolini invaded Ethiopia (used chemical weapons, mustard gas); killed women and children; creating international sanctions Mussolini and Hitler

Fascism• Mussolini’s Fall

– Before the war started, Mussolini began an alliance with Hitler and passed anti-Semitic laws in 1938

– Allies invaded southern Italy in 1943 and captured Mussolini

– Nazis helped him escape temporarily and he set up a “gov’t” in northern Italy before being captured again and executed

• Mussolini’s Influence– The most obvious influence is nationalism

– Mussolini wanted to affirm an Italian identity and restore greatness

– Use of propaganda (believe, obey, fight)

Fascism• Fascism (fascismo)• Definition: a political philosophy or movement that promotes nation and often race above the individual; a centralized autocratic government led by a dictator of the extreme right who suppresses his opposition (by force)

Fascism• Development of Fascism

– A reaction against democratic capitalist economies and communism

– Rejected notion of social classes and class conflict

– Embraced idea of national pride

– Legitimacy through strength and power (might makes right)

– War for nationalist purposes and unification of race becomes glorified

– Had appeal for anti-communists and those upset with capitalism

Fascism• Control – Economic and Otherwise

– Regulates and controls the means of production

– Economy is run by the state and the wealthiest people

– The state is superior to the individual (unlike communism)

– Past greatness must be restored (e.g. Italy & The Roman Empire)

– System demands loyalty to a single leader

– Political support came from big business, farmers, nationalists, reactionaries, and some World War I veterans

FascismIs Fascism Still Relevant?•Although there are numerous right-wing parties throughout the world, there are no self-proclaimed fascist parties•Neo-Nazis and Mussolini sympathizers are often referred to as fascists•Some critics of right wing politics consider “corporatism” to be fascist in nature: countries with large corporations who heavily influence a state’s economy (U.S., Canada)•“We are free to believe that this is the century of authority.” •- Benito Mussolini

Neo-Nazi Movement

Communism• Developed by Karl Marx (1818-1883)

• In 1844, Marx met Friedrich Engels (social scientist). In 1847, they wrote the Communist Manifesto. The central ideas were:

• The abolition of private property

• The re-organization of society in which there would no longer be a separation of society based upon social and economic class

Communism• The root cause of the class struggle is between those who control the Means of Production (The Bourgeoisie), and those who work for them (The Proletariat).

• The Capitalist Mode of Production, produces social and economic inequities that are inevitable (e.g. 99% of the wealth is controlled by 1% of the population).

Communism• For Marx, a revolution of the workers was inevitable whereby the Proletariat would seize control of the means of production and produce a more egalitarian distribution of resources.

The Russian Revolution

Communism• Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924) was a Bolshevik revolutionary who had studied the theories of Marx and Engels.

• He developed what would later be known as Marxist-Leninism; an ideology that mixed the economic and social theories of communism with the political arrangement of an autocratic elite.

n

Lenin

Communism• Lenin’s justification for dictatorship was based on the idea that the common classes were not capable of successfully delivering the central theories of Marxism. Democracy was not embraced.

• Joseph Stalin would take this further!

Lenin and Stalin

“Feminism”: Perspective that seeks equality and independence of womenFocused on “patriarchy”: System in which power is in the hands of men and in which women’s lives are controlled by men.

Types:• “Liberal Feminism”: Focuses

on equal legal and political rights

–End legal patriarchy• E.g. the struggle for “Suffrage”

–End legal structures based on sloppy thinking about gender, sex and sexuality • E.g. the modern “Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and Transgender Movement (LGBT)”: Seeks to reform legal structures to reflect diversity in sexual and gender identities

“Feminism”:

•“Radical Feminism”: Society based fundamentally on oppression of women.

– Patriarchy is not just legal, it is also economic and personal

– Results in wider critiques of the images of women in society– “Objectification” and sexism

– Results in wider discussion of the limitations of liberal rights

“Environmentalism”:Sees need for humans to change relationship

with nature– Politics and economics must be limited

by natural constraints of ecosystem - traditional ideologies ignore this• “Anthropocentrism” vs. “Ecocentrism”

– “Sustainable Development”: Model of economic Growth that seeks to ensure that the use of resources today does not destroy the environment for those in the future

Far Left Centre- Left Centre Centre- Right Far Right

In Summary:

Political spectrum: the standard linear model

Socialists Liberal Conservatives UltraconservativesCommunists Liberals Conservatives Fascists Radicals Reactionaries

Ideas associated with different fields of political spectrum

The Right:Conservatism – preserve the status quo, oppose changeReaction – throw back the forces of change, restore the old orderFascism – mobilize the nation for war, suppress pluralism to

achieve unity through orthodoxy

The Left:Radicalism – go to the roots of problems, change the foundations of

societySocialism – advance the interests of society against the interests

of elitesCommunism – abolish private property to achieve equality and social

harmony, suppress pluralism to achieve unity through orthodoxy

The Centre:Liberalism – expand the scope of freedom, accept change, assert the

primacy of individual rights, develop market economy and political pluralism

Borrow ideas from Left and Right

Left-Right in the 20th century• A More comprehensive view of the

Modern Spectrum

Examining Political attitudes

• What should the nature of Political Authority be in any society?

Examining Economic AttitudesTo what extent should economic equality be emphasized

In practice .

..

States based on both Ideologies have established strong Gov’tscontrolled by one political party or one strong leader whosuppressed opponents, used terror and restricted rights.

Political-Economic Grid• The following grid is a more

appropriate approach to representing political and economic ideologies in relation to one another.

Ideology in context of Vietnam

Name: the Socialist Republic of VietnamIdeology: [Concepts] Collective leadership; Marxism–Leninism; Ho Chi Minh Thought

The Communist Party of Vietnam - the Vanguard of the working class, concurrently the vanguard of the laboring people and Vietnamese nation, faithfully representing the interests of the working class, laboring people and entire nation, and acting upon the Marxist-Leninist doctrine and Ho Chi Minh Thought, is the force leading the State and society.

[Constitution of Vietnam, November 23rd 2013]

Ideology in context of Vietnam

• History of ConstitutionThe Democratic Republic of Vietnam had two constitutions:• 1946 Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, adopted on

November 9, 1946• 1959 Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, adopted on

December 31, 1959

Upon political reunification of the country in 1976, the 1960 Constitution of the Democratic Republic became the constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Since then, the Vietnamese government has adopted two constitutions before the 2013 Constitution

• 1980 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, adopted on December 19, 1980

• 1992 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, adopted on April 25, 1992 and amended in 2001.

The former Republic of Vietnam also had two constitutions, adopted in 1956 and 1967. Neither of these constitutional documents is in force, as the 1967 Constitution was abrogated when the government of the Republic of Vietnam collapsed in 1975.

Ideology in context of Vietnam

Currently,

•Political Regime: Socialism stage stransitioning to

Communism

•Economic Structure: Market Economy / Socialist-Oriented Market Economy

Political spectrum: a 2-dimensional model Market

RightLeft

State

Social democracyMarket socialism

Welfare state liberalism

State socialism(Communism)

Fascism

Neoliberalism

Market authoritarianism

Traditional conservatism

Authoritarianism

Democracy

Market

State

Inequality

Equality

You may use 3 or more dimensions…

Political spectrum: the circular model, based on Clinton Rossiter

THE LEFT:

change, freedom, equality, labour

THE RIGHT:status quo, order, inequality, capital

FASCISM COMMUNISM

CONSERVATISM LIBERALISM

the state, war

the market, trade