A man’s home, it has been said, is his castle. In countries where the rule of law prevails, everyone—government officials, property owners, and their neighbors—recognizes that a property owner has the right to own his or her land and to use it for his or her personal enjoyment or business purposes, subject only to local zoning ordinances.
In Vietnam, however, the situation is far different. All land is owned by the state, and citizens are granted temporary leases to use the land for their personal economic development at the household level. When a bureaucrat’s plans change, your claim to a parcel of land can quickly become meaningless.
A recent incident involving Vietnamese farmer Doan Van Vuon shows what can happen in countries that lack or a strong system of protections for private property and a commitment to the rule of law. In January 2012, Doan Van Vuon coordinated an act of armed resistance by placing home-made bombs on his 47 acres of land in the Tien Lang district of Hai Phong city. He took this step to fend off the 100 policemen and soldiers the local authorities sent to invade his land and forcibly remove him and his family.
Vuon has been an exemplary and law-abiding citizen; he is an agriculture engineer by formation and served his country in the military in a time of war. He and his family members spent 14 years transforming a wasteland into shrimp and fish ponds, which were worth US$250,000. Tragically, his daughter and nephew drowned during those development years. Full story...
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In Vietnam, however, the situation is far different. All land is owned by the state, and citizens are granted temporary leases to use the land for their personal economic development at the household level. When a bureaucrat’s plans change, your claim to a parcel of land can quickly become meaningless.
A recent incident involving Vietnamese farmer Doan Van Vuon shows what can happen in countries that lack or a strong system of protections for private property and a commitment to the rule of law. In January 2012, Doan Van Vuon coordinated an act of armed resistance by placing home-made bombs on his 47 acres of land in the Tien Lang district of Hai Phong city. He took this step to fend off the 100 policemen and soldiers the local authorities sent to invade his land and forcibly remove him and his family.
Vuon has been an exemplary and law-abiding citizen; he is an agriculture engineer by formation and served his country in the military in a time of war. He and his family members spent 14 years transforming a wasteland into shrimp and fish ponds, which were worth US$250,000. Tragically, his daughter and nephew drowned during those development years. Full story...
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