ABSTRACT
In Vietnam, economic reforms, known as doi moi, were introduced in 1986, and included the elimination of the state monopoly on agriculture and forestry, the introduction of short-term land use rights, and the encouragement of privatization and market liberalization. The reforms have dramatically improved living conditions in Vietnam and have been called ‘one of the greatest success stories in economic development’ (ADB et al, 2003, p11). It has been argued, however, that the doi moi economic reforms, while opening up economic opportunities for many, have not benefited women and men equally, and have resulted in an increasingly stratified distribution of income (Luong, 2003; Le, 2004). Others argue that rising inequality is associated with non-agricultural activities such as commercial aquaculture in lowland coastal north Vietnam, particularly where the distribution of land has been relatively equitable (Adger, 1999; Lutrell, 2002; Chant, 2004).
