Essential results of international scientific workshop: The thought of K. Marx on distributive justice and its present significances

ts
focused on application issues of the thought
of K. Marx on distributive justice and the
experiences of countries, such as: The
relation between equal distribution and
payment distribution; The relation between
private economy and State economy; The
relation between distributive justice and
economic development; The factors
ensuring distributive justice. These are great
questions whose solutions might bring
suggestions for ensuring the distributive
justice in Vietnam today.
As for the relation between equal
distribution and payment distribution
according to labour, there is a paradox,
that while the egalitarian distribution (as
in China before 1978 and in Vietnam
before 1986) would lead to annul the
motivation of labour and weaken the
economy, the payment distribution
according to labour contribution
althought might promote economic
development (as showed by reality), but
it risks to lead to accumulation of riches,
38 Social Sciences Information Review, Vol.11, No.2, June, 2017
The Thought of K. Marx on distributive justice 39
to apparition of private economy, and to
business of production means.
As for issue of State economy and private
economy, all the participants confirmed the
important role of private economy, but they
didn’t forget to warn that, the contribution
of private businesses to social benefits is
still limited, on the other hand the formation
of strong private groups will give birth to
free capitalism, leading to the risk of
manipulation of economy, as the cases of
China and Germany. Hence, the State
management and construction of
mechanism of supervision are some of
solutions to these contradictions, as the case
of Korea which gave importance to the role
of State and limited the capitalism.
In discussing the factors ensuring
distributive justice, all participants
unanimously considered that these factors
are those instruments such as: social
insurance, health care, education system,
construction of active labour market
Experiences and solutions of each country
in effective use of these instruments will
help the countries to draw the lessons
from their development. 
As for relation between distributive justice
and economic growth, the scholars focused
on discussing some questions such as:
Whether or not there is the parallel between
economic growth and distributive justice?
Whether it must sacrifice justice to
economic growth? In analysing and
discussing, the scholars pointed out some
problems of countries. This is for example
the case of Laos: Growth ratio does not
exactly reflect the distributive justice;
Policies on market economy renovation
and distributive justice are not perfect yet;
The authorities of different levels do not
clearly understand market mechanism and
distributive justice; The State management
is still weak, not ensuring the economic
growth, leading to more spreading the
negative phenomena nationwide, impacting
on distributive justice; The possibility of
Laos to break out from the less developed
countries group in prospect for 2020 is very
fragile, not ensuring the distributive justice. 
Although there are still different opinions
on the issue of relation between economic
growth and distributive justice, but all of the
participants affirmed that economic growth
is a prerequisite for implementation of
distributive justice and this must go in
parallel with ensuring distributive justice.
This is a possibility, and also a target to
reach for. 
In addition, the reports of workshop still
put many questions on relation between
State and market, discussing the question
on who determines the distributive justice
in society, based on the conception of
Marx that it must protect the State, this
being the instrument for implementation of
justice to people; On the fact that whether
there is conflict between economic growth
and inequality or not? And the question
that promoting economic growth in
parallel with increasing social welfare is an
effective solution for many countries to
day to implement justice and ensure
economic growth.
The situation of effectuating distributive
justice in the world, with different levels in
various countries, based on essential
distribution principle according to labour
besides other diverse distributive forms, are
precious lessons for Vietnam.
Application of the thought of K. Marx on
distributive justice in Vietnam 
Before Renovation Day, Vietnam applied
mechanically the theory of K. Marx on
distributive justice, leading to
egalitarianism, causing the economy to fall
into crisis. After Renovation, the
establishment of market economy and
distributive mode according to contribution
(labour force, capital) has created the
driving force to develop economy, assuring
the better justice of distribution.
Like other countries in the world in the
context of fourth industrial revolution,
Vietnam is being faced by the increase of
injustice and inequality in distributing the
achievements of development. So, in
today strategy of economic development,
instead of distribution according to labour
products as previously, Vietnam must
focus on distribution according to
resources in order to reduce the injustice
and inequality among regions. 
All of the scholars participating in
workshop considered that Vietnam must
effectuate economic justice from the view
of equality in opportunities and in principle.
Economic justice is the demand for
formation of an environment allowing all
types of ownership to participate equally in
various economic activities, from being
equal in face of law to equal in access to
policies, capitals, credits and lands. This
understanding means that in Vietnam, State
must have a role of overcoming the defects
of market, and besides that, it must create a
fair economic environment as an important
prerequisite for social justice.
On the basis of analysing the real
situation of distributive justice in
Vietnamese economy, the scholars have
identified the challenges as well as the
problems that are facing Vietnam. Besides
confirming the achievements of Vietnam
in distributive justice, some reports
pointed out the shortcomings. In the
report Just distribution of income in
Vietnam - reality and problems, PhD.
Nguyễn Chiến Thắng showed that the
income in salaries bears a deep imprint of
egalitarianism, because the difference
between the salary levels is very little;
that although the inequality of income is
not high yet, but it has the trend to
increase. The report Distributive justice:
From the thought of Marx to reality of
Vietnam by Associate Prof. Bùi Văn
Huyền showed clearly that the social
security system is developing, but its
coverage occupied only a small ratio of
Vietnamese population; the taxation of
Vietnam was twice reformed and many
times modified, but now it hasn’t covered
all sources of revenue yet and the equality
is not high; the Law of State Budget was
promulgated in 1996 contributing
considerably to development of country,
but in implementing this law there have
appeared not less problems; the State
management apparatus was weak,
corruption developed, giving birth to the
distribution according to power and the
phenomenon of “interest group”.
In relation to real situation of social justice,
the report Some problems on economic
justice and the economic justice in Vietnam
today by Associate Prof. Nguyễn Tài Đông
pointed out that, together with economic
growth, in Vietnam there exist injustices in
economic activities: First, injustice in
40 Social Sciences Information Review, Vol.11, No.2, June, 2017
The Thought of K. Marx on distributive justice 41
production that products the fakes, the
unsound foods, products under the shield
of interest groups... Secondly, injustice in
distribution that causes the gap between
the rich and the poor and between various
regions to be wider. Thirdly, injustice in
exchanges of labour market related to
positions and interests of workers;
exchanges of commodities that cause the
harm to market economy or impact on
national security when there is an
association with foreign businesses.
Fourthly, injustice in consumption; the
waste in consumption impacts seriously on
national natural resources, harming the
interests of people, of future generations;
the gap in consumption causes harm to the
disabled in society and impacts on social
morality 
These above-mentioned challenges show
that in reality to ensure the distributive
justice in socialist countries like Vietnam
is always not a simple question at all.
Although the Renovation has changed
considerably the economic physiognomy
of every country, but economic growth not
always is able to assure the justice in
distribution. In solving this problem, the
thought of Marx still has great significance
for ensuring distributive justice in
Vietnam. To construct socialist society in
Vietnam is just to construct a fair society.
To reach this target, Vietnam must apply
the thought of K. Marx on distributive
justice scientifically, flexibly and
corresponding to contemporary time. 
Other approaches to distributive justice
based on theory of K. Marx
Besides the issue of evaluation and
application of theory of K. Marx on
distributive justice, the Workshop also
referred to question on other approaches
based on theory of K. Marx, as showed in
some reports such as State and revolution -
some reflections on reading the book “The
Empire” by Negri and Hardt (Prof. Kim
Sang Bong) and The right to be protected to
the end of life and after death - the
movement of aging and death in Japan (GS.
Katsumi Shimane). The contents of these
two reports focused on the problem: How
might we be satisfied with a society? The
ways of development of Korea and Japan
are really pessimistic? What societies would
do to assure the justice? 
As for each country, the scholars have put
forth their interpretations, among which
there was a trend of emphasis on the role of
State management in assurance of social
justice, while other opinions were specially
interested in the role of cultural foundations
and social relations. Prof. Katsumi
Shimane said that behind the economic
strong development, Japan has also lost
much, while the cultural foundations and
traditional social structure have been
undermined, leading to limitations of
assurance for actually happy life of
everybody, and that now the Japaneses
must pay more attention to the so-called
cultural capital, or the development capital
of social relations.
These are the problems that are not only
related to above-mentioned countries, but
also are the lessons and sometimes the
warnings to Vietnam, a developing country.
* * *
It can be said, the subjects to discussion of
the workshop have important significances
both theoretically and practically. The
contents discussed referred to many hot
questions in Vietnam and Asian countries as
well as other countries in the world.
Although there remain many problems that
didn’t received unanimity, but the
participants in workshop had the common
opinions that assurance of distributive
justice is a goal that all societies must go
for, a condition for a better society, and in
realizing this goal, the thought of Marx on
distributive justice is a scientific theoretic
prerequisite that is important for finding the
solution to social crises related to the right
of equality of workers in the world,
including Vietnam.
From the practical experiences in
effectuation of distributive justice in some
countries, the workshop suggested the
positive solutions corresponding to
Vietnam, which are: Intensifying the role
of State in order to limit the negative
impacts of market economy; Promoting
economic growth by mobilizing various
types of ownership in society; Increasing
social welfare by widening policy of
social security, effectuating policies of
hunger abolition and poverty reduction;
Implementing the essential principle of
distribution according to labour
contribution besides other diverse
distribution forms; At the same time,
preparing the resources to respond to the
changes of social structure in order to
assure the policies on justice to be
corresponding to various subjects. These
are solutions that would make the
implementation of justice effective with
assurance for economic growth in
Vietnam today.
The workshop marked a new landmark of
relations between Institute of Philosophy
(Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences) and
Friedric Ebert Foundation (Representative
Office for Vietnam), at the same time
continued to suggest many ideas for
economic development and assurance of
social justice of Vietnam in the conditions of
market economy. Success of the workshop is
the basis for further development of deep and
wide future cooperative relations between
the participating parties 
Reports cited
1. Prof. PhD. Phạm Văn Đức,
Introductory report: Welcoming speech
to workshop by leader of Vietnam
Academy of Social Sciences.
2. Associate Prof. PhD. Nguyễn Tài
Đông, Some problems on economic
justice and the economic justice in
Vietnam today.
3. Prof. Kim Sang Bong, State and
revolution - some reflections on reading
the book “The Empire” by Negri and
Hardt.
4. Prof. Katsumi Shimane, The right to be
protected to the end of life and after
death - the movement of aging and
death in Japan.
5. Associate Prof. PhD. of Science Lương
Đình Hải, Contribution to justice of
distribution in Vietnam today.
6. Associate Prof. PhD. Nguyễn Minh
Hoàn, Viewpoint of K. Marx on
distributive justice through the
historical periods.
7. Associate Prof. PhD. Nguyễn Thị Lan
Hương, On some modern principles
of distribution in comparison with
42 Social Sciences Information Review, Vol.11, No.2, June, 2017
The Thought of K. Marx on distributive justice 43
conception of distribitive justice of 
K. Marx.
8. Associate Prof. PhD. Bùi Văn Huyền,
Distributive justice: From the thought
of Marx to reality of Vietnam.
9. PhD. Feuangsy LaoFoung, Distributive
justice - its reality and challenges in
Laos.
10. Prof. Lutz Brangsch, Concept of justice
in theory of K. Marx - seen from
historical and political views.
11. Prof. PhD. Hansjorg Herr, The thought
of K. Marx on income distribution
according to function - a analysis from
the view of other classic models.
12. Prof. PhD. Phan Kim Nga, For the
goal of common wealth - Chinese
policy of distribution: Theory and
practice.
13. PhD. Nguyễn Chiến Thắng, Just
distribution of income in Vietnam -
reality and problems.
14. Associate Prof. PhD. Đặng Hữu Toàn,
The thought of K. Marx on
distributive justice and the problem of
effectuation of just distribution in
Vietnam today. 
15. Prof. Wei Xiaoping, On the two
abstract principles of distributive
justice - an issue on socialist reform.