Business interest groups in a one-party state: the case of Vietnam

• Published in: Interest groups & advocacy 2023-06, Vol.12 (2), p.172-191
• Main Author: Irwin, David
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Advocacy; Business; Business associations; Conflict; Democracy; Government; Influence; Institutes; Interest groups; Multiparty system; Original Article; Political Communication; Political opposition; Political Science; Political Science and International Relations; Political Science and International Studies; Private sector; Public Policy; Reforms; Sociology; Trade associations
• ISSN: 2047-7414; 2047-7422
• DOI: 10.1057/s41309-023-00188-1

Interest groups seek to influence public policy and are often thus perceived to be crucial to the functioning of advanced democracies and to be important contributors to the policy formulation process. Business associations, in particular, specifically seek to influence policy related to the business environment, with the intention of making it easier for their members—and the wider private sector—to “do business”. Even in democracies, scholars question whether interest groups are influential and, if so, the degree to which their activity influences public policy. Very little, however, is known of the approach to advocacy adopted by work and impact of business associations in one-party states. This paper, therefore, explores the efforts of business associations in Vietnam to engage with government. It takes a broad view of their activities and includes examples of success in influencing policy reform. It appears that, whilst business associations in Vietnam avoid direct confrontation, they not only engage successfully with government but also persuade them to do things differently to reduce the burdens imposed on business. Key factors include building trust and mobilising the technical expertise of their members, careful and systematic research, engaging across government, collaborating with other business associations and with research institutes, supplying information, and providing evidence and good argumentation. Lacking the challenges of an opposition party, public private dialogue provides an effective channel for Vietnam’s ministries and agencies to seek feedback from the business community. Indeed, the dynamics of dialogue effectively create some of the democracy observed in multiparty systems of government. This paper makes a clear contribution to our knowledge of the role and strategies of interest groups in a one-party state and finds that they behave similarly to those working in democracies.