ECONOMY WATCH

http://www.economywatch.com/agrarian/land/vietnam.html
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Land Reform In Vietnam
The main objective of land reform in Vietnam was to put an end to the monopoly of the elite group of the villages. Land reform in Vietnam, carried out by the Communist party took place in the year 1950. In doing so, it would pave way for new leaders. But the most important aim of land reform in Vietnam was re distribution of land. It was a factor of Communist revolution. Land reform in Vietnam(North) took place between the year 1953 - 1956. Prior to this program, land reform in Vietnam was the program, which was followed by China during the period 1946 -1953.
Land reform in Vietnam had taken a very weird turn. During the event, many innocent peasants were killed. These poor agricultural workers had to give away their land. Several poor land workers were taken for landlords and were killed. It created a terror in the minds of the villagers. The consequences of this massacre was varied. It is reckoned that as many as 50,000 people had to give their lives. And as many as 500,000 were devastated due to acute food shortage and destruction of their dwelling places. Those who survived moved towards the Southern part of the country. The Communist party finally confessed in the year 1956 that the land reform policy adopted by them was an erroneous one. So, the communist party started straightening up things to repair the damage. But to ones dismay, severe damage had already been inflicted. The brutal behavior exhibited by the communist party can hardly be forgotten. Of late, the Communist party has propounded another land reform movement in Vietnam. This time, the party is occupying landed properties by force. They are taking away the source of livelihood from the poor people. The landed property is being taken away for constructing holiday resorts as well as golf courses in the country (Hanoi). There have been instances, when the agricultural workers have revolted against their land from being confiscated. For example, in Kim No, the peasants were asked to give up their land for the luxury of the more powerful. The peasants were provided compensation. But the compensation offered was no match to the value of the land these poor people had lost. The compensation was an eyewash. As per norms of land reform in Vietnam, all landed property belong to the citizens of the country. But it is these poor agricultural workers who till the land. But they have no right to reap the harvests. Instead, they have to succumb to the evil forces of the rich and powerful. In the year 1970, the then President of Vietnam, Nguyen Van Thieu, introduced the "Land To The Tiller" program. This program envisaged that every individual can possess land, which would not be exceeding 15 hectares. This program also re distributed land to the poor and ensured that title rights are properly maintained.