Negotiating Agrarian Transition: Peasant’s Improvisation to State Economic Policy - A Case Study in a Craft Peasantry Community in Northern Vietnam - Nguyen

Negotiating Agrarian Transition: Peasant’s Improvisation to State Economic Policy - A Case Study in a Craft Peasantry Community in Northern Vietnam -

Nguyen Phuong Le

RCSD

Structure of PresentationStructure of Presentation

1.1. IntroductionIntroduction2.2. Agrarian Transformation as Ongoing Process of Agrarian Transformation as Ongoing Process of

NegotiationNegotiation3.3. Overview of The VillageOverview of The Village4.4. Peasant’s Negotiation for Their Survival in The Peasant’s Negotiation for Their Survival in The

Period of CollectivizationPeriod of Collectivization5.5. Economic Liberalization: Peasant’s Negotiation Economic Liberalization: Peasant’s Negotiation

for Livelihood Articulationfor Livelihood Articulation6.6. ““Just Being a Peasant”: Negotiating by Identity Just Being a Peasant”: Negotiating by Identity

ConstructionConstruction7.7. ConclusionConclusion

IntroductionIntroduction• Vietnamese state has defined peasant economy as a Vietnamese state has defined peasant economy as a

traditional and backward sector which needs to be traditional and backward sector which needs to be modernizedmodernized

• Since the mid-1950s,national leaders have Since the mid-1950s,national leaders have promulgated a number of policies and programs in promulgated a number of policies and programs in order to transform and to develop peasant economyorder to transform and to develop peasant economy

• Two big projects strongly influencing agrarian Two big projects strongly influencing agrarian transition are collectivization from the mid-1950s to transition are collectivization from the mid-1950s to the late 1970s and de-collectivization since the early the late 1970s and de-collectivization since the early 1980s onward1980s onward

• Under both projects, state has attempted to bring Under both projects, state has attempted to bring peasants out of the subsistence spherepeasants out of the subsistence sphere

• Peasants have known how to improvise the state’s Peasants have known how to improvise the state’s policies in different contexts for their livelihoodspolicies in different contexts for their livelihoods

IntroductionIntroduction

• The paper aims to answer three questions:The paper aims to answer three questions:

(i) How have craft-peasants negotiated with (i) How have craft-peasants negotiated with agricultural transition in response to the change of agricultural transition in response to the change of state’s economic policies? state’s economic policies?

(ii) Why do people decide to keep small farming in (ii) Why do people decide to keep small farming in articulation with craft making in articulation with craft making in Doi MoiDoi Moi period? period?

(iii) How do they negotiate with state’s policies by (iii) How do they negotiate with state’s policies by constructing their identities?constructing their identities?

Agrarian Transformation as Agrarian Transformation as Ongoing Process of NegotiationOngoing Process of NegotiationState-led Policy of Agrarian Transition in VietnamState-led Policy of Agrarian Transition in Vietnam

First projectFirst project: : Collectivization was a “top-down” program which was Collectivization was a “top-down” program which was implemented since the mid-1950s in Northern Vietnamimplemented since the mid-1950s in Northern Vietnam

- Collectivize all means of productionCollectivize all means of production- Transfer from small, backward and fragmented Transfer from small, backward and fragmented

peasants to consolidated, big and public farmspeasants to consolidated, big and public farms- Modern agriculture had been built based on Taylorist Modern agriculture had been built based on Taylorist

principles in order to produce more efficientlyprinciples in order to produce more efficiently- Almost all individual economic activities were prohibited Almost all individual economic activities were prohibited - Peasants lived mainly on the distribution from the Peasants lived mainly on the distribution from the

results of the collective worksresults of the collective works

Agrarian Transformation as Ongoing Agrarian Transformation as Ongoing Process of NegotiationProcess of Negotiation

State-led Policy of Agrarian Transition in VietnamState-led Policy of Agrarian Transition in VietnamSecond projectSecond project::

In the period of de-collectivization or economic In the period of de-collectivization or economic liberalization, peasant household is considered as liberalization, peasant household is considered as autonomous economic unit, but stuck to the sphere of autonomous economic unit, but stuck to the sphere of subsistence, therefore it needs to be transformed into the subsistence, therefore it needs to be transformed into the market-oriented economymarket-oriented economy

- Rural economy will be developed in the trends of Rural economy will be developed in the trends of industrialization and commercializationindustrialization and commercialization

- A part of rural labor force will be moved to non-farm sectorA part of rural labor force will be moved to non-farm sector- Agriculture will be developed in the trend of Agriculture will be developed in the trend of

commoditizationcommoditization- Small scale farming will gradually be disappearedSmall scale farming will gradually be disappeared

Agrarian Transformation as Ongoing Agrarian Transformation as Ongoing Process of NegotiationProcess of Negotiation

Peasants - The Key Actors Determining The Trends Peasants - The Key Actors Determining The Trends of Agrarian Transformationof Agrarian Transformation

- Scott (1985): “Everyday forms of peasant’s Scott (1985): “Everyday forms of peasant’s resistance”resistance”

- Kerkvliet (2005): “Everyday politics”Kerkvliet (2005): “Everyday politics”

As active agents, peasants don’t totally comply to as As active agents, peasants don’t totally comply to as well as don’t entirely resist state’s policies in both well as don’t entirely resist state’s policies in both collectivization and de-collectivization periodscollectivization and de-collectivization periods

Instead, they know how to improvise those policies Instead, they know how to improvise those policies for their livelihood strategiesfor their livelihood strategies

The VillageThe Village

Vietnam

Kim Thieu Village

Hanoi Capital

Bac Ninh Province

The VillageThe Village• Kim Thieu village located in Bac Ninh province, Red River Kim Thieu village located in Bac Ninh province, Red River

delta, Northern Vietnamdelta, Northern Vietnam

• Total households = 320, of which 264 hhs engaging in Total households = 320, of which 264 hhs engaging in woodcarvingwoodcarving

• Woodcarving is an age-old traditional industry, but it has Woodcarving is an age-old traditional industry, but it has revived and developed since the early 1990s following the revived and developed since the early 1990s following the state’s program of rural industrializationstate’s program of rural industrialization

• Arable land area per capita is about 200 mArable land area per capita is about 200 m22

• Craft making activity occupies a significant proportion of Craft making activity occupies a significant proportion of labor force and of total income of householdslabor force and of total income of households

• 70% of engaged woodcarving households still do farming 70% of engaged woodcarving households still do farming as a livelihood strategyas a livelihood strategy

• Villagers’ livelihoods have varied so much in accordance Villagers’ livelihoods have varied so much in accordance to the changes of state’s policy from collectivization regime to the changes of state’s policy from collectivization regime to the de-collectivization periodto the de-collectivization period

State’s Regulations and Peasant’s State’s Regulations and Peasant’s Negotiation in the Period of CollectivizationNegotiation in the Period of Collectivization

Collectivization: State’s RegulationsCollectivization: State’s Regulations

• 95% of cultivated land, labor, draft animals and other productive 95% of cultivated land, labor, draft animals and other productive assets were collectivizedassets were collectivized

• Almost 100 per cent of villagers reluctantly participated in either Almost 100 per cent of villagers reluctantly participated in either agricultural or handicraft cooperative, though “voluntarism” was agricultural or handicraft cooperative, though “voluntarism” was emphasized as the most important principle of collectivization emphasized as the most important principle of collectivization

• Although Vietnamese state did not force people to become Although Vietnamese state did not force people to become cooperative members, national policies seemed to prevent cooperative members, national policies seemed to prevent them from individual economic activitiesthem from individual economic activities

• Non-cooperative members who were labeled “rule breakers” or Non-cooperative members who were labeled “rule breakers” or “rebellions” were excluded from communal activities“rebellions” were excluded from communal activities

• There were about ten persons in Kim Thieu village did not join There were about ten persons in Kim Thieu village did not join cooperative because they could make their living better from cooperative because they could make their living better from individual activitiesindividual activities


Collectivization: State’s RegulationsCollectivization: State’s Regulations• People collectively worked in the cooperative fieldsPeople collectively worked in the cooperative fields• Cooperative members were assigned to specific Cooperative members were assigned to specific

tasks relevant to their age, skill, health and tasks relevant to their age, skill, health and educational attainmenteducational attainment

• A certain number of work-points were given to A certain number of work-points were given to different kinds of workdifferent kinds of work

• All the peasant’s basic demands were distributed All the peasant’s basic demands were distributed by cooperatives based on the work-points what by cooperatives based on the work-points what they got from doing the collective worksthey got from doing the collective works

• Apart from working in the collective fields, villagers Apart from working in the collective fields, villagers were allowed to cultivate in the private plotswere allowed to cultivate in the private plots


Improvisation to State’s Regulations: Everyday Practices

(1) “Social capital” played a crucial role in making peasant’s (1) “Social capital” played a crucial role in making peasant’s living:living:– A good relationship with cooperative leaders helped peasants to A good relationship with cooperative leaders helped peasants to

get higher work-points by doing easier tasksget higher work-points by doing easier tasks– In the case of underemployment, having good relationship with In the case of underemployment, having good relationship with

local leaders could bring peasant more jobs such as raising local leaders could bring peasant more jobs such as raising collective draft animals, planting subsidiary crops and doing some collective draft animals, planting subsidiary crops and doing some minor tasksminor tasks

– Cooperative cadres’ relatives used to be distributed products with Cooperative cadres’ relatives used to be distributed products with higher quality, even quantityhigher quality, even quantity

Because of the discrimination among cooperative Because of the discrimination among cooperative members, most of them did not take interest in their work. members, most of them did not take interest in their work. The quality of collective work was below people’s capacity.The quality of collective work was below people’s capacity.

State’s Regulations and Peasant’s Negotiation State’s Regulations and Peasant’s Negotiation in the Period of Collectivizationin the Period of Collectivization

Improvisation to State’s Regulations: Everyday PracticesImprovisation to State’s Regulations: Everyday Practices

(2) Individual tactics were used in making villagers’ benefit:(2) Individual tactics were used in making villagers’ benefit:

- Work a few hours each day and a little work each hour- Work a few hours each day and a little work each hour

- Hide/steal the collective produces- Hide/steal the collective produces

- Mix rubbish with manure which had to be sent to cooperative- Mix rubbish with manure which had to be sent to cooperative

- Ignore some parts of the collective field when irrigating, weeding - Ignore some parts of the collective field when irrigating, weeding and fertilizingand fertilizing

(3) The auxiliary economic activities were developed:(3) The auxiliary economic activities were developed:

- Cultivate in the individual plots and garden- Cultivate in the individual plots and garden

- Raise small animals and poultry at home- Raise small animals and poultry at home

- Tofu and alcohol making- Tofu and alcohol making

- Trade sweet potato and cassava from mountainous areas to village- Trade sweet potato and cassava from mountainous areas to village

- Handicraft cooperative members did the outwork for woodcarving - Handicraft cooperative members did the outwork for woodcarving traders in neighbor villagetraders in neighbor village


Economic Policy Changes: Outcome of Negotiation ProcessEconomic Policy Changes: Outcome of Negotiation Process

• Peasants neglected the collective work due to the income Peasants neglected the collective work due to the income from cooperative reducedfrom cooperative reduced

• They invested most of their time in “subsidiary” economic They invested most of their time in “subsidiary” economic activitiesactivities

• A number of cooperative members pretended to be absent A number of cooperative members pretended to be absent to avoid the collective tasksto avoid the collective tasks

• Several villagers lived on the earnings not from the Several villagers lived on the earnings not from the cooperative’s distributioncooperative’s distribution

• The implicit withdrawal of cooperative members could be The implicit withdrawal of cooperative members could be seen as the starting point for renovation of state’s seen as the starting point for renovation of state’s economic policyeconomic policy

Economic Liberalization: Negotiation for Economic Liberalization: Negotiation for Livelihood ArticulationLivelihood Articulation

De-collectivization: New Regulations for Rural EconomyDe-collectivization: New Regulations for Rural Economy• Peasant households have been considered as Peasant households have been considered as

autonomous economic units and allocated farmland for autonomous economic units and allocated farmland for long-term uselong-term use

• Rural economy needs to be industrialized and Rural economy needs to be industrialized and commercialized in order to produce commodities for both commercialized in order to produce commodities for both domestic and global marketsdomestic and global markets

• ““Leaving the rice field but not the countryside” is one of the Leaving the rice field but not the countryside” is one of the most influential state’s program in rural industrializationmost influential state’s program in rural industrialization

• Traditional craft occupations including woodcarving are Traditional craft occupations including woodcarving are encouraged to revive and develop in Red River deltaencouraged to revive and develop in Red River delta

• In the context of reduction of natural resources, In the context of reduction of natural resources, woodcarvers have to face with state’s regulations of forest woodcarvers have to face with state’s regulations of forest protectionprotection

Economic Liberalization: Negotiation Economic Liberalization: Negotiation for Livelihood Articulationfor Livelihood Articulation

De-collectivization: De-collectivization: New Regulations for New Regulations for

Rural EconomyRural Economy

Aside from state’s Aside from state’s regulations, village regulations, village producers have to producers have to meet international meet international customers’ demand or customers’ demand or global regulations of global regulations of woodcarvings such as woodcarvings such as material, quality and material, quality and models models

Economic Liberalization: Negotiation for Economic Liberalization: Negotiation for Livelihood ArticulationLivelihood Articulation

Livelihood Articulation: Local Response to “New Regulations”Livelihood Articulation: Local Response to “New Regulations”

• 30 per cent of households give up farming but still keep their 30 per cent of households give up farming but still keep their farmland by lending it to other villagers because of their land farmland by lending it to other villagers because of their land rights in long-termrights in long-term

• 70 per cent of households keep small farming, though most of 70 per cent of households keep small farming, though most of their income is generated from woodcarving industry because:their income is generated from woodcarving industry because:– Livelihood security in the context of instability of global marketLivelihood security in the context of instability of global market– Food quality and safetyFood quality and safety– Cultural value of farm produce and farm workCultural value of farm produce and farm work

• Villagers can keep small farming together with woodcarving Villagers can keep small farming together with woodcarving based on re-division of labor at both extra- and intra-family levelsbased on re-division of labor at both extra- and intra-family levels

• Authorities’ expectation of disappearance of small-subsistence Authorities’ expectation of disappearance of small-subsistence farming will be difficultly realized farming will be difficultly realized


Local Response to “New Local Response to “New Regulations”Regulations”

• What species of timber should What species of timber should be carved have been be carved have been regulated by Chinese regulated by Chinese customers, not by producers customers, not by producers in Kim Thieu villagein Kim Thieu village

• To deal with state’s To deal with state’s regulations of forest protection regulations of forest protection and global demand of timber and global demand of timber species, producers have to species, producers have to import wood from Lao, import wood from Lao, Cambodia, Indonesia and Cambodia, Indonesia and other countriesother countries


Local Response to “New Local Response to “New Regulations”Regulations”

• They also persuade Chinese They also persuade Chinese customers to accept new customers to accept new species of timber which have species of timber which have never been bought beforenever been bought before

• To stick many small wood To stick many small wood pieces together into a bigger pieces together into a bigger one is the most popular tactics one is the most popular tactics by which producers can make by which producers can make a big things at lower costa big things at lower cost

• Claiming woodcarving Claiming woodcarving industry as a “traditional” industry as a “traditional” occupation allows villagers to occupation allows villagers to bargain monopoly price with bargain monopoly price with Chinese customersChinese customers

““Just Being a Peasant”: Negotiating by Just Being a Peasant”: Negotiating by Identity ConstructionIdentity Construction• National Statistical Office has categorized rural households and National Statistical Office has categorized rural households and

labors into agricultural-based, combination of on-farm and non-farm labors into agricultural-based, combination of on-farm and non-farm and non-farm-based onesand non-farm-based ones

• It is impossible to classify villagers into such groups in Kim ThieuIt is impossible to classify villagers into such groups in Kim Thieu

• Most of villagers define themselves as peasants while most of their Most of villagers define themselves as peasants while most of their time and energy are devoted to woodcarving industry because:time and energy are devoted to woodcarving industry because:

- Special relations to farmland- Special relations to farmland

- State’s policies on taxes and fees for non-farm sectors- State’s policies on taxes and fees for non-farm sectors

- Socialist state’s perception of “basic class” in the Independent time- Socialist state’s perception of “basic class” in the Independent time

- Cultural meaning of “being a peasant”- Cultural meaning of “being a peasant”

• Peasant’s status is not fixed. Villagers also define themselves as Peasant’s status is not fixed. Villagers also define themselves as craftsmen in some casescraftsmen in some cases

• They construct their identity in accordance with specific context to They construct their identity in accordance with specific context to negotiate with state’s policiesnegotiate with state’s policies

ConclusionConclusion• Vietnamese state’s economic policies have tended to Vietnamese state’s economic policies have tended to

steer the orientation of agrarian transformationsteer the orientation of agrarian transformation• National authorities have expected that agriculture and National authorities have expected that agriculture and

rural economy would be transformed into the trend of rural economy would be transformed into the trend of industrialization and commoditization at large scale with industrialization and commoditization at large scale with the support of modern technologiesthe support of modern technologies

• National leaders predicted small subsistence farming National leaders predicted small subsistence farming will be gradually disappeared will be gradually disappeared

• Vietnamese peasants have not explicitly resisted or Vietnamese peasants have not explicitly resisted or struggled to state’s development programs, but they struggled to state’s development programs, but they have improvised them to make their own benefits have improvised them to make their own benefits

• Peasants have determined the process of agrarian Peasants have determined the process of agrarian transition themselves by manipulation of state’s policiestransition themselves by manipulation of state’s policies

• By doing this, peasants create the multiple trends of By doing this, peasants create the multiple trends of agrarian transformationagrarian transformation

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Negotiating Agrarian Transition: Peasant’s Improvisation to State Economic Policy - A Case Study in a Craft Peasantry Community in Northern Vietnam - Nguyen