ABSTRACT
In the first part of Chapter 6, Laos, the political history of the country is recounted since late French rule, brief Japanese occupation, independence from France in 1954, and the Vietnam War. This account pays particular attention to political developments since the 1975 victory by communist revolutionaries and their continuous rule to the present day. The latter part of the chapter begins with an examination of the country’s key political institutions and social groups, namely the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, the international aid community, and the Lao abroad. A section devoted to state-society relations and democracy follows which examines the country’s lack of civil liberties, democracy, and political rights. A brief examination of the country’s land-locked economy follows noting that communist centralized planning failed miserably and was short-lived. In 1986 communist leaders adopted a pro-market “new thinking” reform program. Laos’ economic growth has since improved but also become dependent on externally funded hydropower mega-projects designed for export to China and Thailand with little benefit to average Lao citizens. The chapter closes with an overview of the Laos’ foreign policy including its relations with Thailand, ASEAN, China, and the United States. A map of Laos is included for geographical reference.
