Communism in China and Vietnam?

Question

I have report in my History Lesson about Spread of Communism. I have to report about the Communism in China and Vietnam. My teacher said that the Communism in China and Vietnam are different, what are the different from China and Vietnam during 20th Century?

Answer 1

To understand why communism is different in China and Vietnam, you need to understand how communism can control a country.

Communism can control a country's government and/or it's economy. Cuba and North Korea have central control government and central controlled economies like the former Soviet Union. This is sometime known as Leninist style of communism, and is what most relate to as communism.

Vietnam and China have central controlled governments, but market controlled economies. Both these countries don't appear to be communist because their economies are the same as ours. Some interesting trivia is China and Vietnam have the fastest growing economies in the world while Cuba and North Korea are among the poorest countries.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Well it might be a bit harsh just to say 'go and do your own research', as asking a question in Yahoo is a valid way of 'doing research'. I think it's reasonable to 'help people along', particularly giving a bit of context and a few pointers.

Historically China and Vietnam don't get along well. Vietnam was occupied by China for centuries. They went to war in the 70's (after the so called 'Vietnam War' was over). They still mistrust each other. You need to factor that in.

To get a flavour of the kind of 'communism' in each country you could do worse than to look at the biographies of Mao Tse Tung, Chou En Lai and Ho Chi Minh. You'll note that there were strong French influences on Ho and Chou. You might conclude that there was a lot in common between them.

Having said all that, I'm not sure that there was much difference between the 'communisms', but there was clearly a difference between the cultures. Just an aside...sadly (in retrospect) Ho Chi Minh tried to interest the USA in helpding set up an independant Vietnamese state after the Second World War. But the USA and Britain had already agreed to hand it back to the French, who ran the place before the War.

Don't forget your teacher might be wrong, but you have to do your research well if you want to take that position.

Answer 3

Perhaps the teacher is actually wrong. I have studied China for a long-time and despite conventional understandings of "Communism", much of the Party's movement and the Party's activities have been rooted in Chinese culture and the conditions within China. And my understanding is that Vietnam is similar. Moreover, nationalism played a key role in both-- with China playing a role in Vietnamese nationalism (Japan and the West more for China). Both countries have undergone reforms (with China earlier than Vietnam) and currently don't resemble anything like the beginnings of their revolution.

Finally, comparing two countries that share a border, have many cultural ties and have been involved with each other for centuries as two separate objects for comparison is silly. Perhaps it's your teacher that should get an answer.

Answer 4

I would look into the roots of the 1979 invasion of Vietnam by China, as that should give you all the answers you need for this question.

The short version is that the war was an extension the the Sino-Soviet tensions of the time.

Answer 5

What about doing your own research, for a change ?