Thesis on the Vietnamese Revolution

 There is a common tendency on the Left of Capital to either critically or uncritically support “socialist” states. While the usual targets of this support usually include Cuba and China, many likewise support the “Socialist” Republic of Vietnam. However, just like the two aforementioned countries, there is nothing socialist about Vietnam. In fact, it is capitalist. And it’s capitalist and bourgeois characteristics were visible from the very onset of its revolution.

From Marx, we know that the history of humanity is the history of class warfare, and that each society humans pass through is a class society. We go from primitive communism, to slave society, to feudalism, to capitalism, and now we must go to communism. Likewise, this was the case in Vietnam. However, uneven development meant that Vietnam was still in the feudal stage of society prior to colonization by the French.

French colonization did eventually develop capitalism in Vietnam. The proletariat and bourgeoisie materialized, and thereafter class warfare was exported to the colonized nation. Labor actions began to be taken by the proletariat. Strikes were not too uncommon. In fact, the Trotskyists of the International Communist League were already calling for and forming local worker-oriented committees. The coming Vietnamese Revolution absolutely could have had a proletarian character to it. However, the Stalinists, led by Ho Chi Minh, opted to create a bourgeois revolution instead.

Upon loss of authority over Vietnam by France, Ho Chi Minh and his Việt Minh took the opportunity to call upon all Vietnamese to rise up against their French masters. And indeed that is what happened. However, it was an inter-class uprising, as is characteristic of struggles for “National Liberation”, and thus the bourgeoisie and their powers were not restricted. The inter-classist characteristics of the revolution could be seen in three events: the Saigon Commune, Ho’s Proclamation of Independence, and the constitution of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

The Saigon Commune was, to borrow a phrase from Cajo Brendel, the “proletarian spin-off” of the Vietnamese Revolution. Upon gaining authority in Vietnam, the Việt Minh required that all armed groups hand over the weapons to the Việt Minh to maintain law and order. Not only did this affect armed religious sects like the Cao Dai and Hao Hao, but also the armed workers committees and militias. However, many Trotskyist groups refused to obey the order, fearing a confrontation with the French, who were seeking to retake Vietnam.

Indeed, such a confrontation did happen. A combined French-British force marched into Saigon hoping to reclaim it. Initially they met little resistance. But news of their arrival spread like wildfire, and insurrection became the word of the day. The poorer districts of Saigon put up stiff resistance to the imperialists, and incursions against them were made.

We shall not go into too much detail here. If you wish to read more, we have linked two brief works on the subject below. Needless to say, however, Ho Chi Minh did not support the Commune. Instead of arming the workers or even paying them a good word, Ho and his group called to “starve out” the occupiers. Starve out the occupiers! While the British controlled the ports! It was a tactic to get the British and French to the negotiating table more than it was support for the revolution.

On the second point which we brought up: Ho Chi Minh’s Proclamation of Independence was filled with bourgeois language and inspired by bourgeois revolutionaries. It had no language of communes or workers councils, which was characteristic of all workers revolutions. It opened with an excerpt from America’s own Declaration of Independence. And then went on about rights and liberties, especially those fought for during the French Revolution. Throughout, Ho appealed to the “Vietnamese people” to “fight to the death against all attempts at aggression by the French imperialists”. A “people” which no doubt included the bourgeoisie. And, as the cherry on top, Ho proclaimed the “Democratic Republic of Vietnam”.

If the Republic’s Proclamation of Independence was bad, then the constitution of the Democratic Republic was worse. Some key articles showing it’s non-proletarian nature included:

Article 1
“All national powers belong to the entire Vietnamese people regardless of race, gender, economic conditions, social class, and religion” (our emphasis)

Article 12
“The right to private property is guaranteed.”

It is these things, among others, which show the bourgeois nature of the Vietnamese Revolution. Now the present state of Vietnam, which flaunts itself as a “Socialist Republic”, is deeply embedded in the international capitalist system. Her bourgeoisie are of the world bourgeoisie. It is only with a fresh revolution, one that is thoroughly proletariat, that the working class of Vietnam, and the world, will be able to cast off the chains of capitalism! For a proletarian revolution in Vietnam! Against state capitalism!

Further Reading

https://www.leftvoice.org/the-saigon-commune-against-imperialism-and-stalinism

https://libcom.org/files/1945%20The%20Saigon%20commune.pdf