International scientific forum “Growth, development and social justice”

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Quang Thuan, Vice President of VASS, delivered an opening speech for the Forum and claimed the important role of political economy in social life, the research of political economy helps people to understand the nature of phenomenon and economic process, to master the economic principles which drive the movement and development of economy; to develop economic theories and apply them into reality, action in consideration with principles to avoid subjective opinion, dogma, and voluntarism. Political economy provides scientific basis for the formation of roadmaps, developing economy and society strategies, policies and economic resolutions in compatible with the requirement of objective principles and specific conditions in different countries in certain periods. To research different areas and principles in political economy science is the foundation of forming economic thinking, not only in need for macro managers but also for the business and manufacturing management of economic subjects. In today world, the development of a nation usually is evaluated on basic indicators such as the economic growth, development and social justice. Recently, in the renewal process of Vietnam has consistently combined the economic growth with development and ensured social justice in every move and developing policies.

In the guiding report of the Forum, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Van Duc, Director of Institute of Philosophy, a unit member of VASS, Head organizer of the Forum, said that: Economic growth and development are always throughout topics of a nation in every developing period of society. Since 2008, when the financial crisis started from United States spreading out all over the world, the matter of growth and development raised once again with a number of aggressive innovation. Beside the cautious solutions but very aggressive for dealing with direct problems of the crisis in 2008, the social perspective of growth and development also discussed seriously. At this moment, growth and development are not only on the physical side of the matter but also including issues like justice, equality, and human development… With a consistent understanding of growth, development and social justice which emphasized the growth indexes of GDP and GNP… in economic growth and development, the emphasis of justice in rights and obligations of citizen, equality in income distribution, developing opportunities and the possibilities of implementing opportunities in social justice, the dialectical relationship between growth, development and social justice are shown in: social justice is drive as well as result of economic growth and reflecting the distribution of successful growth. Economic growth and development, in turn, create foundation and necessary physical conditions for implementing social justice. Social justice is drive and goal of economic growth and development because of a society without justice, firstly in terms of opportunities and distribution of social products, will be the barrier for economic growth in following phases. Therefore, the solution for economic growth and development must concern with social justice – the basic drive of social development. In the period of post crisis, along with restructuring the economy and ensuring the sustainable development, social justice once again raised urgently, and become a central policy in developing orientation of many countries, especially those are developing in terms of expanding international relations and integration with the process of human development.     

The Forum focused on five main issues:

1. The policies and orientations towards the goals of economic growth and sustainable development for economies in the world after the financial crisis in 2008.
2. The basic values of modern market economies in relation with development and social justice.
3. The basic values of social justice and the differences between social justice in capitalism and socialism countries.
4. To develop and enhance the human life, to overcome the unequal development of urban and rural areas, to deal with the problems of land and land reform… 
5. The basic issues in developing process of market economy, implementation of social justice in comparative research between Vietnam and China.

With the scientific, cooperative and creative spirit, Vietnamese and international scholars exchanged and discussed on dealing with academic and practical issues related to “Growth, development and social justice”. Through the Forum, the representatives had chance to share with international friends their experiences, resolutions and research outcomes of mutual issues; meanwhile, Vietnamese scholars also received useful recommendations for solving issues related to growth, development and social justice, to contribute to the successful renewal, to build the country as the goal of Rich people, powerful country, democracy, justice, and civilization.

The Forum attracted many exchanging opinions, shares, and arguments of Vietnamese and international scholars on related issues. The opinions expressed and argued in the Forum brought the recommendations and open new direction of study and contributed to the development of society. Meanwhile, thank to this Forum, we are able to study and learn from developing experiences of international friends, to successfully apply new methods of development and implement social justice to improve the comprehensive developing society policies of Vietnam.

Nguyen Thu Ha