People of Hà Nội in the Bao Cấp Era : Everyday Life Under Vietnamese Socialist Rule, 1954-1986

Abstract

"People of Hà Nội in the Bao Cấp Era: Everyday Life Under Vietnamese Socialist Rule, 1954-1986" explores the lived experiences of Hà Nội residents during the socialist era, also known as the Bao Cấp era. This thesis argues that life in Hà Nội under the central planning system - the bao cấp system - was a mix of negative and positive experiences, filled with paradoxes and unpredictable changes. Drawing on personal accounts and Vietnamese official publications, it investigates Hà Nội residents' shifting social realities, material conditions, and cultural practices. It suggests that how the residents navigated their realities were informed by, and simultaneously, informing the bao cấp system and larger ideological, political conditions. The thesis challenges conventional narratives and assumptions about socialism. It contributes to the history of Việt Nam and to the history of global socialist experiences.