Farmers' Resistance to Agricultural Land Transformation in Vietnam
Issued Date
2023-07-01
Resource Type
ISSN
08595747
eISSN
26300303
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85181732332
Journal Title
Thammasat Review
Volume
26
Issue
2
Start Page
273
End Page
296
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Thammasat Review Vol.26 No.2 (2023) , 273-296
Suggested Citation
Thanh P.T. Farmers' Resistance to Agricultural Land Transformation in Vietnam. Thammasat Review Vol.26 No.2 (2023) , 273-296. 296. doi:10.14456/tureview.2023.21 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/95801
Title
Farmers' Resistance to Agricultural Land Transformation in Vietnam
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Author's Affiliation
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Abstract
The article's main objective is to examine why farmers resist and if the current land law of Vietnam can ensure the agricultural land rights of farmers. The article's main argument is that there is an unequal power relation for a fair negotiation on land acquisition in the current land law and policies. This study applied a qualitative approach using documentary research, case studies, and interviews as main research tools while the theories of "moral economy" and "power of exclusion" will be applied to explain the main argument of this article. The research findings revealed that in the current land law, the government still has the absolute power to decide when, where, and how much agricultural land can be acquired. At the same time, there has not been an effective and equal negotiation system for farmers to negotiate on land decision-making issues. Moreover, the national policy on industrialization and modernization outweighs small farmers’ priorities and their rights to access farm land, allowing the private sector to occupy land with below-market-price compensation. Consequently, there is a rising awareness of unfairness and injustice among farmers. The study suggested that various political agencies and leaders should comprehensively discuss and revise the law to harmonize the interests of different stakeholders and increase political space for all people.