Vietnam and the World : Marxist-Leninist Doctrine and the Changes in International Relations, 1975–93

Vietnam and the World is a comprehensive book on Vietnam's international relations since 1975. It is also a study on the development of Marxist-Leninist doctrine in Vietnam. With its special reference to foreign policy, the book examines how formalist Marxist-Leninist rhetoric penetrated traditional pragmatically oriented Vietnamese thinking. By using previously unexploited Vietnamese material, the author pinpoints the development of Vietnamese doctrine vis-a-vis pragmatism and formalism and analyzes the line pursued by Vietnam during the radical changes in international relation between 1975 and 1993. Despite The Collapse Of The Soviet Union And The Socialist World System, Marxism-leninism In Vietnam's Own Politico-cultural Form Remained The Country's Official Political Doctrine. Vietnam And The World Provides A Comprehensive Picture Of How Vietnamese Political Doctrine Developed And How It Responded To The Radical Changes In International Relations From The Fall Of Saigon In 1975 Up To The 1990s. By Joining An Established Foreign-policy Analysis To The Studies Of Political Language, The Author Examines The Communist Party Cadres' Theoretical Books And Articles, As Well As Vietnamese Documents, In A Concrete Historical Setting. He Also Points Out How Formalist Soviet-type Rhetoric Displaced Traditional Pragmatic Thinking In The 1970s. However, The Author Reaches The Conclusion That The Formalist Doctrine In Diplomatic Practice Had Lost Its Significance In The Mid-1980s. Therefore, When The Socialist Reform Movement Began In The Soviet Union, The Vietnamese Enthusiastically Adopted New Elements To Add To Their Doctrine. The Book Concludes That The Present Vietnamese Marxist-leninist Doctrine Includes Various Compelling Politico-cultural Elements, Owing To Hanoi's Endeavour To Maintain Its Old Political System And Simultaneously Join The Capitalist World System. 1. Introduction: Marxism-leninism And Global Change -- 2. Two Approaches Of Vietnamese Marxism-leninism -- 3. Vietnam And The World's Revolutionary Forces -- 4. The Striving For Avant-garde Foreign Policy 1975-78 -- 5. Isolation And Formalism 1979-85 -- 6. Vietnam And Global Changes 1986-93 -- 7. Conclusion: The Disintegration Of The Marxist-leninist Doctrine. Eero Palmujoki. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 238-252) And Index. Front Matter....Pages i-xi Introduction: Marxism-Leninism and Global Change....Pages 1-18 Front Matter....Pages 19-19 Two Approaches of Vietnamese Marxism-Leninism....Pages 21-38 Vietnam and the World’s Revolutionary Forces....Pages 39-62 Front Matter....Pages 63-63 The Striving for Avant-garde Foreign Policy 1975–78....Pages 65-127 Isolation and Formalism 1979–85....Pages 128-170 Front Matter....Pages 171-171 Vietnam and Global Changes 1986–93....Pages 173-207 Conclusion: The Disintegration of the Marxist-Leninist Doctrine....Pages 208-215 Back Matter....Pages 216-259 Details how Vietnamese political doctrine developed and how it responded to changes in international relations from 1975 to the 1990s. Examines the Communist Party Cadre's theoretical books and articles, as well as Vietnamese documents, and points out how formalist Soviet-type rhetoric displaced traditional pragmatic thinking in the 1970s. Concludes that the present Vietnamese Marxist-Leninist doctrine reflects Hanoi's endeavor to maintain its old political system and simultaneously join the capitalist world system. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.