Searching for balance: Vietnamese NGOs operating in a state‐led civil society

Scholars and practitioners have tried to draw the link between the emergence and growth of non‐governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society in developing and transitional societies. While the literature on the role of NGOs in development is extensive, there is very little attention to the evolution of NGOs in the few remaining communist countries, even though China and Vietnam also display the development of indigenous NGOs. Some of the major political and operational issues concerning the evolution of NGOs in developing countries, especially their relationship with the state and, more broadly, the evolution of civil society, are magnified in one‐party states. This article describes deeper cultural forces that predate both the colonial and communist periods in Vietnam that shaped the evolution of state‐led civil society during the latter part of the 20th century. We argue that the cultural factors outlined are not necessarily appreciated by western donor models of NGOs in development, especially state‐led formation of civil society. The article draws conclusions about the implications of our analysis for international donors who have an interest in facilitating the maturation of local NGOs in Vietnam.