The study of contemporary Vietnamese politics has been dominated by two main paradigms: "everyday politics" and civil society. This article argues that "everyday politics" and civil society paradigms have marginalized the study of pro-democracy groups that have contested the hegemonic role of the Vietnam Communist Party. It is argued that political change in Vietnam will be significantly determined by how Vietnam's one-party state manages the challenges posed by political civil society. Political civil society refers to the network of political groups that coalesced into a nascent social movement known as Bloc 8406. Overseas Vietnamese groups, such as the Viet Tan party, play an increasingly important role in providing financial and moral support for political civil society. The civil society paradigm is criticized for its exclusive preoccupation with so-called "non-governmental organizations" and community-based organizations as the prime agents of political change. The article concludes with an assessment of the future impact of political civil society on Vietnam and likely future scenarios.

This article focuses on the challenges to the authority of Vietnam's one-party state that emerged in 2009 and state responses. Three separate challenges are discussed: opposition to bauxite mining in the Central Highlands; mass protests by the Catholic Church over land ownership issues; and revived political dissent by pro-democracy activists and bloggers. The Vietnam Communist Party bases its claims to political legitimacy on multiple sources. The bauxite mining controversy challenged the state's claim to political legitimacy on the basis of performance. The Catholic land dispute challenged the state's claim to legitimacy on rational-legal grounds. Revived political dissent, including the linkage of demands for democracy with concerns over environmental issues and relations with China, challenged the state's claim to legitimacy based on nationalism. Vietnam responded in a “soft authoritarian” manner. Future challenges and state responses will be debated as Vietnam moves to convene its eleventh national party congress in 2010.

This article examines the challenges to the ideological basis of Vietnam's one‐party state and the state's responses to these challenges in the period from 1986 to the present. First, a brief historical overview of Vietnam's political system since formal reunification in 1976 is presented. Next, the article considers six major challenges to the political legitimacy of one‐party rule mounted by southern war veterans, communist intelligentsia, nonparty elites, peasants, retired senior generals, and pro‐democracy activists. Taken together, the regime's legitimacy was challenged in three main areas: ideology, economic performance, and political reform. The article concludes with a discussion of regime responses to each of these challenges. Although the regime's normal default position has been repression, the regime also has accommodated and adjusted its policies in response to criticisms from below. In sum, Vietnam's one‐party state rests on multiple sources of legitimacy and party elites are negotiating the pace and scope of political change. Este artículo examina los desafíos a las bases ideológicas del estado de partido único de Vietnam y las respuestas de este en el periodo de 1986 a la fecha. Primero, se presenta una breve visión general histórica del sistema político de Vietnam desde su reunificación oficial en 1976. Después, el artículo considera los seis mayores desafíos para la legitimidad política del gobierno de partido único, estos son: los veteranos de guerra sureños, la inteligencia comunista, las elites no‐partidistas, los obreros, los generales de alto rango retirados, y los activistas pro‐democracia. En conjunto la legitimidad del régimen fue desafiada en tres áreas principales: ideología, desempeño económico, y la reforma política. El artículo concluye con una discusión de las respuestas del régimen a cada uno de estos desafíos. Aunque la posición natural del régimen ha sido la represión, el régimen también ha acomodado y ajustado sus políticas en respuesta a las críticas de los grupos sociales mencionados. En suma, el estado de partido único de Vietnam descansa en múltiples fuentes de legitimidad y las elites partidistas se encuentran negociando el ritmo y el alcance del cambio político.

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