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Written by David Batstone
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 David Batstone
I want to see firsthand if expanding global markets are creating
increased opportunities for the world's poor. My students and I study
how economic markets are structured in a given country, and whether
mechanisms in place will lead to economic growth for the many or
affluence for the few. We also focus on how political systems respond
to changes in capital investment and new production. Finally, we take a
close look at cultural values, and whether they are stable or lose
their hold on individuals and families in a fast-changing society.
In that regard, Vietnam is the perfect laboratory. As most of you know,
the country is one of the world's few remaining communist political
systems. For the past 30 years, both North and South have been united
under one government. Remarkably, about 5 years ago, the Vietnamese
government made a public commitment to capital free markets. Once
disdained, foreign investment suddenly became a welcome friend; that
is, as long as the investment was made in venture with a
Vietnamese-based company.
My trip started in Hanoi in the North, and continued to Ho Chi Mihn
City (formerly Saigon) in the South. I have many Polaroids to share,
but one in particular, the story of Thuy, is worth telling.
Thuy was one of our Vietnamese guides. The 30-year old woman was born
right around the time of the fall of Saigon. She never experienced the
American war in Vietnam. The only enemy she knew was poverty.
Both her parents were grammar school teachers. The government paid
teachers a small salary, but it was barely enough to live on. Thuy
cannot recall more than a few meals in her childhood that involved more
than rice and a vegetable. Some days there was not even enough rice.
Thuy's parents could feed her mind adequately. They put a priority on
education for all their children. By the time they reached 18, Thuy and
her siblings were prepared for university. Thuy wanted to be involved
in international relations, so she applied and was accepted to study in
Russia, all expenses paid by the government. She focused her studies on
languages, becoming proficient in Russian and English.
Today Thuy works in a government agency for women's development. Most
of the time, she manages a project that offers small loans to women
entrepreneurs, as well as social service clinics that address women's
health needs. Thuy occasionally acts as a tour guide for visiting
foreign groups like ours.
Thuy told me her family is far from wealthy today, but they now enjoy
an abundance of food. The free markets are booming and are making a
major social impact. The entrepreneurial energy in Vietnam is palpable;
every corner is a hub of commercial activity. The government now can
afford to pay livable wages to teachers.
Undoubtedly that is why Thuy is so grateful for the Vietnamese
experiment. She directly benefited from free education and health care.
Her family also has had their lives transformed by the changing
economics of free markets. Her work today promotes both: micro-capital
for one-person businesses and delivery of free health care. Thuy is the
embodiment of all that is right with Vietnam.
A curious thing, many of my students and I noticed that this
sacrificial, yet adventurous spirit was not atypical in Thuy's
generation. It was quite inspiring, to be honest. Among a younger
generation, on the other hand, we detected more aggression and
downright animosity in our interactions, be they social or commercial
exchanges. I asked Thuy about this impression, cautious of making a
generalization based on limited experience.
Thuy confirmed what we were sensing, confessing to the same concerns.
She was quick to point out that we would find that attitude only among
young people in major cities, not in the rural areas. Her explanation
was fascinating: the current generation of urban young people, the
first fruits of a free market economy, have much higher expectations
for material gain. To put in shorthand, they want their own iPod, and
they want it now. The inability of most to find the financial means to
match their desires caused great frustration.
A Hindu master once remarked, "Quenching our desires with material gain
is like seeking to extinguish a burning fire with butter." It seems no
matter how much better off we are today than we are yesterday, we
cannot answer the question: how much is enough?
I will watch with great interest how the Vietnamese government manages
to stoke a flame essential for warmth in a cold, cruel world, which is
at the same time a force that threatens to spill over the fire trails
it so meticulously grooms. |
