Political Leadership
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Political Paradigm of Pragmatism from Khmer Youth part 17
At the end, the Author concluded that Cambodia as a state has seems relentless to undertake a policy that led to success. He made an analogy statement like a lost traveler and a direction pointer, eventually the direction pointer is also clueless on the actual place a lost traveler is seeking for assistance.
This part, the Author Mr. Sophan Seng, has analysed the different between three countries of three ideologies-resulted struggles. For USA who has embraced pragmatism, this country was formerly under UK authority, has jumped up from a status as a colonial country to most civilized democratic country. George Washington who is named “Founding Father” of the United States once was a military chief belonged to England.
From “In Search of Moral Authority: The Discourse on Poverty, Poor Relief, and Charity in French Colonial Vietnam” by Van Nguyen-Marshall
For Vietnam, their past history as a France colonial country has transformed their leadership into pure communism equipped by strict rules and deadly punishment on those corrupt officers. This country has practiced communism as the result bestowed by ideological statecraft. For Cambodia, we have experienced both colonialism and hybrid democratic post-colonial period and the post-cold war both Khmer Rouge and Vietnamese occupation, but as the result, Cambodia is a revolutionary state which is paralleled of third world country, a last sort.
From “In Search of Moral Authority: The Discourse on Poverty, Poor Relief, and Charity in French Colonial Vietnam” by Van Nguyen-Marshall
For Vietnam, their ancestors had developed the policy of Don Dien which means sending the military into the distance areas of dense forests, in order to clear the forests to paving way for community/villages creating, bringing the people in to settle there by state’s supports, helping them with capacity-building by creating community/village system, and the military withdraw from those areas in search for further expansion etc. Those civilian Don Dien people have successfully expanded their territories for generations to come. In the year of 1986 or so, the Vietnamese government crafted Doi Moi policy to solve the problems of political and economic stigma/sanctions while their military and political domination experienced heavy hand in Cambodia. Doi Moi means “Renovation” to responding to the state’s policy of “socialist-oriented market economy” intended to achieve various reforms.
From “Socioeconomic Renovation in Vietnam: The Origin, Evolution, and Impact of Doi Moi” by Peter Boothroyd and Pham Xuan Nam
Hence, Cambodian people and experts have asked simple question on sending military into Cambodia in January 7, 1979 is the act of Don Dien, and to withdraw the military back in 1989 is the act of Doi Moi, or not? The prospect view to believing that Vietnamese Don Dien in this 21st century shaped different from that 18th century. While the Khmer Rouge whited out every thing in Cambodia, the coming of Vietnamese military and governmental officers including hundred thousand experts, are the biggest Don Dien expedition to rebuild this jungle land to come back to life. Thus, the military withdrawal in 1989 was voluntary by Vietnamese faction without having international inspection to the realistic and actual receding procedures. Many believed that Vietnamese military uniforms were sent back to Vietnam, while civilian Don Dien populations are continuing their tasks unobstructedly.
At the end, the Author concluded that Cambodia as a state has seems relentless to undertake a policy that led to success. He made an analogy statement like a lost traveler and a direction pointer, eventually the direction pointer is also clueless on the actual place a lost traveler is seeking for assistance.
Last interviewing part by Radio Australia Khmer on Political Leadership Skills
This is the part III of interviewing between Mr. Alex of Radio Australia Khmer services and Mr. Sophan Seng about his recent book on “Political Leadership Skills: Pathway for Khmer Leaders”.
As the summary, you can learn many good points the author elaborated during the interviewing of this part. He articulated clearly that good leader must obtain the mindset to respect the rule of law, be a democratic principle person, sacrifice personal gain for the interest of the nation, and be honest to himself and the nation etc.
The virtue of good leader should fully obtain 4 sublime states of the mind in according to Buddha’s teaching such as Metta (compassion), Karuna (Loving-Kindness), Mudita (Sympathetic joy), and Upekkha (Equanimity). This quality reservation need comprehension to be able to apply in real time situation, not just parroting them.
At the end, the author intellectually bestowed Cambodian leadership style which move beyond the current democratic development by criticising GDP materialistic measure by inserting mental happiness into the agenda. The well-being of the people must accomplish through the balance of physical and mental needs. Comparing to the theory of Rouse and Aristotle the world has implemented, the author suggested Cambodian leadership to endorse Cambodian home-made leadership skills paralleling with Cambodian culture and Buddhism he has ever articulated.
Link to all three parts of interviewing of Radio Australia Khmer