Title: Promoting the community, autonomy and self-management of traditional village institutions in Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Van Nhu
Volume: 9
Issue: 4
Pages: 143-148
Publication Date: 2025/04/28
Abstract:
Throughout Vietnam's history, "villages" have played a crucial role in the nation's economic, political, cultural, social, and spiritual life. Originating as communities formed along riverbanks with subsistence rice farming, Vietnamese villages have persisted through centuries. In Vietnamese culture, villages are the cradle and preservers of material and spiritual values. The imagery of the "banyan tree - communal well - village hall" has long been deeply ingrained in the minds of the Vietnamese people. Thus, studying villages and the issues surrounding them has become a topic of great interest, particularly during the transitional phase towards socialism. To sustain their role, it is essential to preserve and promote the community spirit, self-reliance, and self-governance of traditional village institutions. Through this research, we aim to analyze and propose new approaches to enhance the role of institutions within traditional Vietnamese villages.