Social criticism for Vietnamese businessmen is as difficult as walking a tightrope. How to maintain a balance in relationships with public authorities.
To me, the past two years have been the first years marking the beginning of what I call “Engaged, Critical Businessmen.” After many years, from 1986 until now, many highly reputable businessmen have begun to speak up in social criticism regarding society, the state, and policies very frankly and even fiercely. Their viewpoints are read and supported by many people.
Speaking Out Might Ruin One’s Entire Empire
Why am I happy when businessmen become “engaged”? Intellectuals, journalists, writers, and scientists engaging in social criticism in Vietnam have not been rare since past times, and retired politicians and veterans are not few either. But after all, those people are those who “have no hair” [have nothing to lose] and lose the least when participating in social criticism. Consequences do not impact them as much as businessmen who go out to do social criticism.
Social criticism for Vietnamese businessmen is as difficult as walking a tightrope. How to maintain a balance in relationships with public authorities so that when the time comes to ask for a favor, one doesn’t have to hear: “You criticized me so terribly, now why are you asking?”, while being just brave enough to say what one wants to say. Not speaking out feels unbearable and suffocating, making one feel too cowardly and weak, but speaking out might bring ruin to everyone involved.
No Longer Many Loopholes for Functional Agencies to Find Fault With
The first reason is the strong development of social networks, especially Facebook, which has given businessmen a communication channel of their own, instead of having to rely on mainstream media to speak. Responsible businessmen are also those who participate in the “MeCom” (personal media) trend very enthusiastically. Businessmen are comfortable bringing their voice to the outside.
Second, negative issues in management have directly impacted Vietnamese businessmen. Previously, negative issues usually did not affect businessmen’s lives much because they were always people with money and in some way “immune” to negative occurrences.
Dangerous traffic and many motorbikes? They drive cars, after all. Dirty food? They buy everything at clean vegetable supermarkets. Is education too bad? They send their children to private schools, international schools, and to study abroad. Living spaces cramped, lacking security, and many addicts? They live in Ciputra, Phu My Hung, oases of safety and wealth. Social policies? What is there to criticize? They are wealthy enough not to have to worry about social matters.
Now everything is different. No matter how rich they are, it is not certain that the food, shrimp, and fish they eat are not poisoned from the Formosa disaster. In Phu My Hung, whether living in a multi-million-dollar Chateau or Phu Gia villa, or a luxurious Riverside apartment, the stench of Da Phuoc waste will still haunt all the way there.
Roads from Ciputra or Phu My Hung to the center now are always jammed for hours and very prone to flooding whenever there is heavy rain. At that point, even BMWs or Rolls-Royces suffer. Studying abroad without preparing children thoroughly, if not careful, the child might get depressed, so studying abroad is not necessarily a good solution.
Another reason is that Vietnamese businessmen have begun to be prosperous enough to think about matters under the sun and sky. A portion of Vietnamese businessmen have begun to be less afraid. Because they have also begun to do business more methodically and decently so that there are no longer many loopholes that functional agencies can find fault with. They have become braver, more awakened. Social criticism to them is like a part of their purpose in life, of their conscience.
Whatever is said, we also need to thank the Vietnamese government. They have known to respect and listen to businessmen much more and no longer have a very heavy and negative reactive attitude, or even “retaliate” against social criticisms, especially from businessmen. They have also to some extent understood that social criticism from businessmen is extremely positive and practical, not at all destructive or oppositional in nature.
Therefore, I highly appreciate that the current administration, especially senior leaders, is increasingly receptive and genuinely wants to change.
Nguyen Quoc Toan
