reform, Vietnam has been ready to challenge socialist institutions and principles to
the extent that this does not provoke substantial changes in socialist polity.
Reflecting in the Constitution new demands for economic and social reform
Apart from the main preoccupation of the state machinery, there are several
amendments reflecting the rising demands for economic and social renovation.
The Preamble of the Constitution was revised with more emphasis on the
Vietnamese “tradition of patriotism”^34 to rally the Vietnamese people together and
advocate for further reform. Moreover, in response to the popular dissatisfaction at
cases of serious corruption among state officials, especially in construction projects,
Article 8 of the Constitution was revised to strengthen the anticorruption
commitment.^35
Several articles ofChapter 2 , “Economic System,” were revised in response to the
dramatic growth in the private sector of the economy. The amended articles have
strengthened the state’s commitment to “actively integrate into the international
economy” and “carry out the national industrialization and modernization,”
36
as well as introducing a new “foreign-invested economic sector in various forms”
to galvanize more growth.
37
Nevertheless, the new constitutional framework of
the economy also softens the dogma of “socialist orientation.”
38
The amendments
acknowledge that “all economic sectors are important constituents of the socialist-
oriented market economy”
39
and redefine the role of the state economic sector
from a “leading role”
(^40) to a “firmer and firmer foundation of the national
economy.”^41
InChapter 3 , “Culture, Education, Science and Technology,” the revisions are
designated to further strengthen state and Party commitments to the relevant
policies. Regarding culture, due to global predispositions of young people to a
more Western-style culture – deemed to tarnish Vietnamese traditional cultural
values – the new amendments underline a policy to “deeply imbue [Vietnamese
culture] with national identity.”^42 Political leaders have also prioritized the
development of education as “a primary national policy” for further reform.^43
Similar to education, science and technology in Vietnam were also falling behind
other nations in the region and Vietnamese leaders have recognized the important
role of science and technology in the nation’s ongoing process of modernization
and industrialization. The new constitution also accentuates the “development of
science and technology [as] a primary national policy.”
44
(^341992) constitution, Preamble (revised). (^351992) constitution, Art. 8 (revised).
(^361992) constitution, Art. 15 (revised). (^371992) constitution, Art. 27 (revised).
(^38) Sidel,The Constitution of Vietnam,p. 122. (^391992) constitution, Art. 16 (revised).
(^401992) constitution, Art. 19 (unrevised). (^411992) constitution, Art. 19 (revised).
(^421992) constitution, Art. 30 (revised). (^431992) constitution, Art. 35 (revised).
(^441992) constitution, Art. 37 (revised).