
Vietnam Is on a Roll, but Will the Party Hold It Back?
2020 was the year that Vietnam gained widespread recognition as a substantial player in the global economy and as a model “developmental state.”
The world noticed because Vietnam effectively contained COVID-19 even while the disease wreaked havoc on the populations and economies of much wealthier nations. International media outlets normally pay Vietnam scant attention; the war that ravaged it ended nearly half a century ago, and the one-party regime in Hanoi discourages investigative reporting. However, its strikingly successful mobilization against the pandemic has prompted a spate of essays hailing Vietnam’s “breakout moment.” ...