Contemporary Laos: Studies in the Politics and Society of the Lao People's Democratic Republic

376 Pages·1983·11.922 MB·English

by  Martin Stuart-Fox (editor)

Edited b
0
Contemporary Laos is the first book to
examine what has been happening in the
Lao People's Democratic Republic since
the Communist seizure of power there in
1975. The subjects covered range from
economic and foreign policy to ideology
and internal security. Special attention is
given to the means by which the Lao
Communist movement (the Pathet Lao)
seized power in-Laos, and to the nature
of the crucial relationship between the
Pathet Lao and the revolutionary elite of
the Vietnam Communist Party. Other
chapters cover a study of the structure of
the Lao People's Revolutionary (Com¬
munist) Party and Lao government, the
theory of the "three revolutions" as they
apply in Laos, the way in which educa¬
tion is being used to promote social
change, and the struggle between Marx¬
ism and Buddhism for the allegiance of
the Lao people. Economic development,
defence and internal security, and Pathet
Lao policies towards tribal minorities in
Laos are also examined. In addition to an
analysis of the Lao-Vietnam "special
relationship", relations between Laos
and Thailand, and Laos and China receive
separate treatment. Finally an attempt is
made to place recent events in Laos in a
broader geopolitical context by assessing
Vietnam's historic goals and policies in
Indochina.
Contributors include leading scholars
of Lao affairs from the United States,
France, Australia, and Britain. This book
will be essential reading for all university
courses on the history, politics, or social
and economic change of contemporary
Indochina.
(continued on back flap)
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555.84
.C66 Coetenporary Laos
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Sficial Sciences and Histwy Dwision
© THE BAKER & TAYLOR CO.

CONTEMPORARY LAOS
«
CONTEMPORARY LAOS
Studies in the Politics
and Society of the Lao People’s
Democratic Republic
Edited by
Martin Stuart-Fox
St. Martin’s Press New York
® University of Queensland Press, St Lucia, Queensland 1982
All rights reserved. For information, write:
St. Martin’s Press, Inc., 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
Printed in Australia
First published in the United States of America in 1982
ISBN 0-312-16676-1
Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data
Main entry under title:
Contemporary Laos.
Includes index.
1. Laos — History — 1975- . 1. Stuart-Fox,
Martin, 1939- .
DS555.84.C66 959.4’04 82-1974
ISBN 0-312-16676-1
social sciences and history division
THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRAR\i
Contents
List of Contributors vii
Preface xiii
Acknowledgements xv
List of Abbreviations xvii
Glossary xix
Introduction 1
1 The Communist Seizure of Power in Laos 17
MacAlister Brown
2 Political Institutions of the Lao People’s Democratic
Republic 39
Chou Norindr
3 Nationalism and the Pathet Lao 62
C. J. Christie
4 Theravadins and Commissars: The State and National
Identity in Laos 76
Geoffrey C. Gunn
5 The Three Revolutions in Laos 101
Amphay Dore
6 Economic Changes in Laos, 1975-1980 116
Nayan Chanda
7 Foreign Aid to the Lao People’s Democratic
Republic 129
T. M. Burley
8 Buddhism in Contemporary Laos 148
Pierre-Bernard Lafont
9 Education: The Prerequisite to Change in Laos 163
Jacqui Chagnon and Roger Rumpf
vi Contents
10 The Rewards of Revolution: Pathet Lao Policy towards the
Hill Tribes since 1975 181
Gary D. Wekkin ^
11 Minority Policies and the Hmong 199
Gary Y. Lee
12 National Defence and Internal Security in Laos 220
Martin Stuart-Fox
13 Laos and Vietnam: The Anatomy of a “Special
Relationship” 245
Carlyle A. Thayer
14 Laos and Thailand: The Balancing of Conflict and
Accommodation 274
Justus M. van der Kroef
15 China’s Policy towards Laos: Politics of
Neutralization 291
C. L. Chiou
16 Laos between Thailand and Vietnam 306
Arthur J. Dommen
17 The Dependence of Laos 313
Dennis J. Duncanson
18 Refugees from Laos, 1975-1979 324
Bernard J. Van-es-Beeck
Index 335