Social paths of economic development<\/p>\n
Reflections on Vietnam vis-a-vis Bangladesh<\/p>\n
Monirul I Khan
\nThe Daily Star
\nAsia News Network
\nDhaka, Bangladesh<\/p>\n
Achieving respectable living is a goal universally acclaimed.
\nThis is truer for a country like Bangladesh beset with chronic
\npoverty. The question is how to go about it. Certainly the smart
\neconomists have never shied away from grappling this question and
\ncome up with some brilliant ideas. We are familiar with the names
\nof theories and models that prescribe different paths and
\nstrategies to reach the goal of desirable economic development.<\/p>\n
In my mind the inclination in the given models is towards
\nhighlighting the parameters that are exclusively 'economic' in
\ntheir constitution. Let us assume the ideas of Keynes who
\ndominated the parleys of the American economists for a long
\nperiod where he exclusively laid emphasis on creating demand in
\neconomy to propel the wheel of growth. In course of time it was
\nalso found that the Keynesian recipe also stumbled with
\nstagflation hitting the American economy critically.<\/p>\n
In this respect the situation of backward economies is more
\ncomplicated where the economic tools do not operate in an
\nautonomous manner. By autonomous manner I mean a process where
\nthe non-economic factors interfere with the economic process in a
\nminimum scale and the 'economic system' has a status of
\ndisciplined mechanism. However, the disciplined economies are
\nalso not inured to the effect of non-disciplined factors. Think
\nof the aftermath of power failure in New York city -- looting
\nspree and devastation of unknown degree.<\/p>\n
It is now a long history that Bangladesh has been struggling
\nto achieve economic uplift. Different economic strategies and
\npolicies have been tried and tested towards the goal but the
\nsuccess has not been of significant order. We tested immediately
\nafter the liberation the policy of nationalization and later on
\nthe principles of free market economy. Still we have not crossed
\nfive-percentage point in economic development in a sustainable
\nmanner. It means if it is achieved in one year, it falters the
\nsubsequent year.<\/p>\n
In this piece I would report some of my reflections gathered
\nthrough my recent visit to Hanoi by way of participating in a
\nworkshop for two days. In total I stayed there for four days. Of
\ncourse such a short period of stay is hardly adequate to make
\njustifiable comments on the issue like the process of economic
\ndevelopment, but it will at least identify some key factors.<\/p>\n
The very first thing that will catch your sight is the
\ndiscipline in the movement of the people and the vehicles. We
\nlanded at Hanoi airport in the evening and while moving to the
\ncity streaming through hundreds of motorbikes and paddled-cycles,
\nwe watched the condition. It is about an hour's drive but we did
\nnot come across the batches after batches of traffic police
\nvisible in Dhaka roads sweating enormously to bring under control
\nthe unruly traffic (think of the revenue saved through a small
\ncontingent of traffic police). You would not see a speeding bus
\ndefiantly ignoring the traffic signal. More interestingly,
\ntraffic signal posts exist in a selected manner.<\/p>\n
For example, we stayed in a hotel overlooking the Hanoi Lake.
\nIn front of the hotel there was a busy crossing through which
\nroads pass to five directions. There is no traffic signal on the
\nintersection, but there occurs no jam nor any accident. Most
\nvehicles are moving at a moderate speed and allowing others to
\nmove safely. You can cross a road without taking a big amount of
\nrisk. Motorbike is the main transport of the middle class
\nirrespective of sex segregation.<\/p>\n
Girls are riding at ease increasing my level of awe. Perhaps
\none would only dream that Dhaka girls would move by motorbikes in
\nhundreds on the roads! One should also notice the scale of
\nsecurity in the movement of women at late night. Certainly you
\nwould not be contemplating a gun pointed to snatch your mobile
\nand purse.<\/p>\n
Another important event that pinned my attention is the
\ncleaning exercise of the municipal workers. Once it is eleven at
\nnight big trucks begin moving slowly in different directions. You
\nfind uniformed workers piling the waste bags onto the truck. Thus
\ncleaning is completely done at nighttime. All these are happening
\nin a society, which the other day was branded as poverty stricken
\nand backward.<\/p>\n
I went to visit the mausoleum where the body of Ho Chi Minh is
\nkept preserved for the posterity. It is another feat of
\ndisciplined respect. You might mistake the standing sentries for
\nstatues. In a very large square people throng everyday to spend
\nsome time.<\/p>\n
In the morning there is service ritual. I met a young boy
\nstudying at school final level, whom I asked about the great
\nleader. His eyes glowed to explain the history, replete with the
\nresistance against the two Western powers, the French and the
\nAmericans. It was perfectly conveyed to my mind how much proud
\nthe Vietnamese are about the history and the present time.<\/p>\n
Now what are there that is special about the Vietnamese and
\ntheir social paths of advancement? It is their patriotism and
\ndedication. Who says that social solidarity is not possible in a
\nshort spell of time? It is belied in Vietnam. What you need for
\nmaking great economic strides is less of big loans from the
\nmultilateral agencies and more of sincere committed leadership
\nand disciplined population.<\/p>\n
Talking to the academics assembled in the workshop one came to
\nknow about the educational achievement in the rural areas.
\nCertainly it is a trying time for Vietnam where they are mingling
\nthe forces of market with the infrastructure of socialist party,
\nbut do not forget that they are expecting double digit growth in
\nnear future. There the people and the entrepreneurs are not
\ngrilled with the fear that some notorious extortionists blessed
\nby the leaders of the political parties would soon swoop on them!<\/p>\n
Monirul I. Khan is a Professor at the Department of Sociology,
\nUniversity of Dhaka.<\/p>",
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