Suchergebnisse

The concept of civil society is not familiar in the Vietnamese context, which is based on Marxist-Leninist concepts in the official political terminology of the one-party state maintained by the Communist Party. However, the term is increasingly being employed by scholars and practitioners, and even the state is beginning to open up to its use. The reasons for the change in the way the concept is perceived are partly due to international debates, the increasing role played by non-profit organisations and the change in Party policy, accepting the necessity of social work and education by organisations outside the state administration. The Civil Society Index Project (CSI) is based on a common methodology developed by CIVICUS, a research NGO. This type of project has been carried out in almost 50 countries since 2004. The article presents the rationalities and methodology behind the project and the outcomes in Vietnam. The analysis is based on a combination of research using secondary sources and intensive assessments by the Stakeholder Assessment Group (SAG), which consists of members of civil society and a few representatives of the state. Civil society in Vietnam is felt to be of considerable size, with a multitude of organisations working at all levels. On the other hand, the organisations are limited by the rules and regulations in society, and in spite of their broad bases, the dedication they show is more pronounced in poverty-relieving efforts than in more challenging advocacy. The SAG pointed out limitations for the organisations, but by and large found that they had a reasonable amount of space in which to work in Vietnam. It was more negative as regards the broader impact of civil society.

The study makes the following findings: In mid-1980s, in both Vietnam and the Philippines, 85 to 90 percent of textile workers are women. In both Vietnam and the Philippines, wages are higher and social conditions are better in factories than in small-time production units. The political systems are, of course, different in the two countries. In the Philippines, there are labor laws outlining general minimum conditions. Also, trade unions make special agreements in various factories to improve income and working conditions. In Vietnam, there are also certain regulations carried out at a national level. The functions of trade unions are important in the implementation of social security measures. In Vietnam, state-employed workers do not lose their jobs but when crisis occurs, they only receive the basic wages. In the Philippines, there is no employment support. There is not much difference in the capacities of the textile industry in Vietnam and in the Philippines, but the small producers of textiles are much more important in Vietnam than in the Philippines. As for the garment industry, the capacity is much bigger in Vietnam than in the Philippines. The structural organization of textile and garment production has some interesting similarities and differences. In Vietnam, the cooperative sector is organized under local district handicraft unions while in the Philippines, the garment producers are organized in a national association. The small producers and the workers in the Philippines are not organized at all. The independent producers in Vietnam are not organized, either, but so far, the number is probably much smaller than that in the Philippines.