Negotiating agrarian change livelihood agriculations of the commercial craft peasantry in northern vietnam
NEGOTIATING AGRARIAN CHANGE: LIVELIHOOD ARTICULATIONS OF THE COMMERCIAL CRAFT PEASANTRY IN NORTHERN VIETNAM NGUYEN PHUONG LE A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN SOCIAL SCIENCE THE GRADUATE SCHOOL CHIANG MAI UNIVERSITY JUNE 2009 EXAMINING COMMITTEE ……… .…………………………………………………………CHAIRPERSON Lecturer Dr. Pinkaew Luangaramsri ……… .…………………………………………………………MEMBER Lecturer Dr. Santita Ganjanapan ……… .…………………………………………………………MEMBER Lecturer Dr. Romyen Kosaikanont ……… .…………………………………………………………MEMBER Assistant Professor Dr. Chusak Wittayapak ……… .…………………………………………………………MEMBER Assistant Professor Dr. Neil Powell 5 June 2009 © Copyright by Chiang Mai University ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This research was completed thanks to much support, help and contributions from a variety of people and organizations. First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest thanks to my supervisors Dr. Santita Ganjanapan and Dr. Romyen Kosaikanont, who dedicatedly gave me lectures that were not only helpful for the development of concepts in my dissertation, but also for my future work. My special gratitude goes to Dr. Pinkaew Luangaramsri, who devoted invaluable time to reading several versions of my proposal, as well as my thesis draft, and who provided critical comments and encouragement, thus helping me to improve my work. I would like to express my grateful thanks to Professor Dr. Anan Ganjanapan, who provided creative instructions for my ideas and shared with me his knowledge and experience. My respectful acknowledgement also goes to Associate Professor Dr. Chusak Wittayapak, who worked as my external committee member throughout my PhD course. His comments and support helped me to overcome the difficulties of various examinations. At the Regional Center for Social Science and Sustainable Development (RCSD), in Chiang Mai University, I would like to thank all the professors and lecturers, especially Dr. Chayan Vaddhanaphuti, Professor Dr. Yos Santasombat, Dr. Jamaree Chiengthong and Ajarn Ekamol Sainchan for their kindly help and encouragement. My appreciation goes to RCSD staff, in particular Kanchana Kulpisithicharoen (Oy), Muttika Thungsuphuti (Bpong), Chanida Puranapan (Nuk) and Fongchan, for their great support, kindness and friendship. I wish to thank the librarians in the library of the Faculty of Social Sciences and in the Main Library of CMU, for their kindness and useful guidelines whenever I went to borrow books there. My PhD program in general and this thesis in particular, was made possible thanks to a grant from the Project for Rural Sustainable Development in Vietnam (RDViet). I would like to express my gratitude for this. My respectful thanks go to Dr. Britta Ogle, Swedish leader of the project and Dr. Le Duc Ngoan, Vietnamese Project Coordinator, who always found the ways support me during my long course in Chiang Mai. I also offer my deepest thanks to Mr. Nguyen Trong Dac, who works as Regional Coordinator of the project, and who actively facilitated my funding success. I also want to thank all members in the Faculty of Economics and Rural Development at the Hanoi University of Agriculture, where I have been working as a lecturer, for their material and moral support during my study. During my fieldwork in Vietnam, I was helped by many people in Kim Thieu village, though unfortunately it is impossible to make a list of their names here. My thanks go to Mr. Nguyen Van Man, the Chairman of the People’ Committee of Huong Mac commune, who created the right conditions for my research. I am also indebted to Mr. Sinh, the headman of Kim Thieu village, and his all family members, who not only provided me with food and accommodation but also worked as my local research assistants, particularly Mrs. Toan, Ms. Tuyet and Ms. Tam. I also appreciated the help and contributions of Mr. San, Mrs. Hoa, Mr. Dang, Mrs. Chuan and Mr. Suong. I also received excellent support from those Vietnamese living overseas in Chiang Mai, and also Vietnamese students at Chiang Mai University, as well as other international students at RCSD, especially my classmates Atchara Rakyutidharm, Yuki Miyake and Natedao Phatkul. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to all of them. My greatest debt is to my family. My parents, my mother-in-law, my younger brother and younger sister have strongly supported me in both material matters and in spirit. I am deeply grateful to them. Above all, I owe the deepest gratitude to my husband, Nguyen Mau Dung, and my lovely son, Nguyen Mau Nhat Nam, who have sacrificed so much for my study. Finally, I would like to thank Gary Morrison from RCSD, who spent many days reading, checking and editing my English writing. Nguyen Phuong Le xi TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Acknowledgement iii English Abstract v Thai Abstract viii List of Tables xvii List of Figures xviii Abbreviations xix Unit of Measurement xx Glossary of Terms xxi Scientific Names of Timbers xxiii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Rural Transformation in Red River Delta 3 1.2 Understanding Conventional Theories of Agrarian Transition 6 1.2.1 The Category of Peasant in Agrarian Theories 7 1.2.2 Dichotomous Thinking of Farming and Industry in Agrarian Theories 8 1.2.3 Unfixed Meanings of Farmland 10 1.2.4 Changing Meaning of Farm-work 12 1.2.5 Determinant Forces of the Peasant’s Fate 14 1.3 The Assumptions and Research Objectives 18 1.4 Research Methodology 19 1.4.1 Locating the Field Site 19 1.4.2 Entering the Village 20 1.4.3 The Analytical Approach 22 1.4.4 Research Design and Procedure 23 1.4.5 Methodological Reflection 27 1.5 An Overview of Kim Thieu Village 29 1.5.1 The Physical Background 29 1.5.2 Demography and Livelihood Strategy 30 xii TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUE) PAGE 1.5.3 Customs and Rituals in Agrarian Society 33 1.6 An Overview of the Dissertation 35 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 39 2.1 Introduction 39 2.2 The Trans-border Commodity Chain and the Remaking of Craft 40 2.2.1 Theoretical Debates on the Commodity Chain 40 2.2.2 The Trans-border Commodity Chain of Traditional Woodcarvings 41 2.2.3 The Trans-border Commodity Chain of Woodcarvings and Peasants’ Livelihood 43 2.3 Livelihood Articulation 44 2.3.1 The Livelihood Approach 44 2.3.2 Modes of Livelihood Articulation 47 2.4 Gender Differentiation of Production 50 2.4.1 Gender Relation of Production 50 2.4.2 Reorganizing Gender Relation of Production 52 2.4.3 Bargaining Power and Changing Gender Relations 53 2.5 Conceptual Framework 55 2.5.1 State Policies on Agrarian Transformation 56 2.5.2 Patriarchal Ideology of Gender Relations 57 2.6 Conclusion 59 CHAPTER 3 STATE PROJECTS, LOCAL MANEUVERS AND THE MAKING OF CRAFT-PEASANTHOOD 60 3.1 Introduction 60 3.2 Agrarian Transformation as an Ongoing Process of Negotiation 61 3.2.1 The Modernization Theory of Agrarian Transition 61 3.2.2 The State-Led Policy of Agrarian Transition in Northern Vietnam 64 3.2.3 Peasant’s Negotiation with the State-Led Agrarian Transition Program 69 xiii TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUE) PAGE 3.3 Cooperative Regime: State Regulations and Local Responses 74 3.3.1 The Process of Collectivization 74 3.3.2 Improvisation within the Cooperative’s Regulations: Individual Tactics 78 3.3.3 Economic Policy Changes: An Outcome of Negotiating Process 86 3.4 Economic Liberalization: New Regulations for Rural Economy 86 3.5 Contested Meanings of Work and Peasanthood 89 3.5.1 Interrelations of Craftwork and Farm-work in Traditional Society 90 3.5.2 The State Conception of Work and Peasant 91 3.5.3 Farm-Work and Craftwork in the Context of Agrarian Transition 92 3.5.4 Being a Craft-Peasant: Mixed Identity 97 3.6 Conclusion 99 CHAPTER 4 THE TRANS-BORDER COMMODITY CHAIN FOR WOODCARVINGS: RESHAPING LOCAL LIVELIHOOD 101 4.1 Introduction 101 4.2 The History of the Woodcarving Industry 102 4.3 Consumption Patterns: Practice and Situated Meaning of Woodcarvings 106 4.3.1 Chinese Woodcarving Consumption as the Re-Invention of Tradition 107 4.3.2 Woodcarving Consumption in Vietnam: Reproduction of Chinese Designs 112 4.4 Raw Materials: Consumer-Driven and Transnational State Policies 116 4.4.1 The Imperfect Competitive Market for Inputs 116 4.4.2 Impacts of Transnational State Policies on Input Market 120 4.5 Market-Driven Production Process 123 4.5.1 Production Process of Woodcarving Industry 123 4.5.2 Categorization of Woodcarving Producers 125 xiv TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUE) PAGE 4.5.3 Interrelations among Woodcarving Producers 140 4.6 Reshaping Local Woodcarving Industry and Livelihoods 142 4.6.1 Reconstruction of Traditional Woodcarving Industry 144 4.6.2 Reshaping Local Livelihoods and Landscape 148 4.7 Local Responses to the Market Fluctuations 150 4.7.1 Flexibility in the Woodcarving Industry 150 4.7.2 Modes of Livelihood Articulation 154 4.8 Conclusion 163 CHAPTER 5 THE CRAFT INDUSTRY AND DIVISION OF LABOR 165 5.1 Introduction 165 5.2 The Fragmentation of Labor in the Woodcarving Industry 167 5.2.1 Villagers as Outsourced Workers 169 5.2.2 Inward Migration: A Key Factor in Changing Division of Labor 172 5.2.3 Outward Labor Migration in the Woodcarving Industry 181 5.3 Division of Labor within the Household: Corporation and Conflicts 183 5.3.1 The Complexity of Household Members 183 5.3.2 Changing Gender Relations in the Production Process 187 5.4 Relationships between the Owners and the Workers 189 5.4.1 Spatial Differentiation 189 5.4.2 Exploitation: Contestation of Meanings 191 5.4.3 Patron-Client Relations: Reinforcement of Exploitation 193 5.5 Conclusion 196 CHAPTER 6 THE PERSISTENCE OF PEASANTHOOD: LIVELIHOOD ARTICULATION 198 6.1 Introduction 198 6.2 Subsistence Rice Farming in a Commoditized Economy 200 6.2.1 Rice Production 201 6.2.2 Rice Consumption Patterns 210 6.2.3 Labor Division in Rice Production 214 xv TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUE) PAGE 6.3 Livelihood Multiplicity: Utilization of Family Labors 217 6.3.1 Pig Rearing 217 6.3.2 Pork Selling 220 6.3.3 Land Preparation Services 222 6.3.4 Grocery Shopkeeping 223 6.4 Articulation of Rice Farming and Other Livelihood Strategies 224 6.5 Conclusion 228 CHAPTER 7 NEGOTIATING THE FEMALE ROLE AND SPACE IN THE CRAFT INDUSTRY 231 7.1 Introduction 231 7.2 Gender Relations in Production: Social and Cultural Construction 233 7.2.1 Gender Relations in Production in the Pre-Collectivization Time 233 7.2.2 Changing Gender Division of Labor during the Collectivization Period 236 7.2.3 Changes in Women’s Roles in the Period of Economic Liberation 238 7.3 Diversification of Work and Spatial Mobility 244 7.3.1 Home-based Work: Cultural Constraints or Individual Decision? 244 7.3.2 The Patterns of Women’s Spatial Mobility 251 7.4 Negotiation for Spatial Mobility 262 7.4.1 Female Shopkeepers: Moving about Double Roles 262 7.4.2 The Contract Female Labors 271 7.5 The Spatial Mobility: Changing the Female Roles and Space 273 7.6 Redefining Home-Work Connection 277 7.7 The Gender Re-division of Labor: Corporation or Conflicts? 278 7.8 Conclusion 282 CHAPTER 8 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 284 8.1 Introduction 284 8.2 Principal Findings 285 xvi TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUE) PAGE 8.2.1 Contested Meanings of Farming, Farmland, and Peasant Category 285 8.2.2 Market-driven Traditional Handicraft Production and Local Livelihood 287 8.2.3 Flexibility in the Woodcarving Industry 289 8.2.4 Modes of Livelihood Articulation: Risk Minimization and Lifestyle 290 8.2.5 Trans-rural Migration and the Fragmentation of Labor 291 8.2.6 The Re-organization of Labor within Households 292 8.2.7 The Invasion of Female Labors into Male Work 293 8.2.8 Gender Negotiation: Change and Tension 295 8.3 Theoretical Reflections 295 8.3.1 Rethinking Agrarian Transition and Persistence of Small Farming 295 8.3.2 The Role of Culture in Livelihood Approach 298 8.3.3 Redefining the Gender Division of Labor 300 8.4 Concluding Remarks 301 BIBLIOGRAHPY 304 APPENDICES 325 CURRICULUM VITAE 330 . NEGOTIATING AGRARIAN CHANGE: LIVELIHOOD ARTICULATIONS OF THE COMMERCIAL CRAFT PEASANTRY IN NORTHERN VIETNAM NGUYEN PHUONG LE A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE. Theories of Agrarian Transition 6 1.2.1 The Category of Peasant in Agrarian Theories 7 1.2.2 Dichotomous Thinking of Farming and Industry in Agrarian Theories