Social cohesion at a crossroads in Viet Nam

This chapter starts by examining the inclusiveness of recent economic growth, focusing on the distribution of income growth, income inequality and the employment intensity of growth. It then discusses the extent to which location, ethnicity, gender and age may shape the distribution of key social outcomes. The chapter offers an overview of intra-generational and inter-generational mobility in Viet Nam, highlighting three important dimensions of social mobility: income, labour and education. Finally, it investigates ways in which rapid growth has affected Vietnamese people’s relations with each other and the government, their involvement in social networks, and social norms and family values.