Henry R. Greenfield 50+ Yrs: India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Europe Lives in Europe (2023–present)4y
Having lived 5 years in Vietnam, I am disappointed with the answers. Here is my view based on my direct experience from 1992–98 living there and subsequently doing business from outside of Vietnam with the country.
Vietnam is a dictatorship ruled by the communist party in the North. The south has very limited rights. Until recently the South had none and every person of responsibility everywhere in the country was from the ruling communist party in the North.
The communist party trusts no one. Doing deals with the USA means a better life for them and their people. That’s it.
Vietnam suffered for 60 years with revolution, war and embargoes. They don’t want to go back. The are cooperating with the US not just for the markets but because they are worried about China who they have feared and fought for over 1,000 years most recently in 1979.
There is no way Vietnam will ever become a democracy as long as it is ruled by the North Vietnam led communist party. The system is similar to the state sponsored capitalism of China. There is no history of democracy in Vietnam. The communist party has absolute control. Everything is seen through a military and strategic lens. Even though the US is a ‘partner’ and they have no residual anger at the US, and many admire the US and millions of Vietnamese are in the US and other western countries especially Australia, there is zero chance in my view of Vietnam trying democracy in the future.
I have never been in any country that is more sure of itself than Vietnam. The people that fought against the US and their descendants who are now in control, have one trait in common, they never give in. Never and they will never change.
Is it possible in the future? Sure anything is possible, but I don’t see it in my lifetime or the next 50 years.
I am an attorney in the Washington DC area, with a Doctor of Law in the US, attended the master program at the National School of Administration of Việt Nam, and graduated from Sài Gòn University Law School. I aso studied philosophy at the School of Letters in Sài Gòn.
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I have worked as an anti-trust attorney for Federal Trade Commission and a litigator for a fortune-100 telecom company in Washington DC.
I have taught law courses for legal professionals in Việt Nam and still counsel VN government agencies on legal matters.
I have founded and managed businesses for me and my family, both law and non-law.
I have published many articles on national newspapers and radio stations in Việt Nam.
In 1989 I was one of the founding members of US-VN Trade Council, working to re-establish US-VN relationship.
Since the early 90's, I have established and managed VNFORUM and VNBIZ forum on VN-related matters; these forums are the subject of a PhD thesis by Dr. Caroline Valverde at UC-Berkeley and her book Transnationalizing Viet Nam.
I translate poetry and my translation of "A Request at Đồng Lộc Cemetery" is now engraved on a stone memorial at Đồng Lộc National Shrine in VN.
I study and teach the Bible and Buddhism. In 2009 I founded and still manage dotchuoinon.com on positive thinking and two other blogs on Buddhism.
In 2015 a group of friends and I founded website CVD - Conversations on Vietnam Development (cvdvn.net).
I study the art of leadership with many friends who are religious, business and government leaders from many countries.
I have written these books, published by Phu Nu Publishing House in Hanoi:
"Positive Thinking to Change Your Life", in Vietnamese (TƯ DUY TÍCH CỰC Thay Đổi Cuộc Sống) (Oct. 2011)
"10 Core Values for Success" (10 Giá trị cốt lõi của thành công) (Dec. 2013)
"Live a Life Worth Living" (Sống Một Cuộc Đời Đáng Sống) (Oct. 2023)
I practice Jiu Jitsu and Tai Chi for health, and play guitar as a hobby, usually accompanying my wife Trần Lê Túy Phượng, aka singer Linh Phượng.
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CVD 