THE BETTER PLACE TO LIVE 1 The Better Place to Live LaShundra ...
Running head: THE BETTER PLACE TO LIVE 1
The Better Place to Live LaShundra Treadwell EN 112-11 Frist Year Composition April 28, 2015
THE BETTER PLACE TO LIVE
2 Abstract
Vietnam is a 3rd world country located in Southeast Asia. Vietnam is a communist country that is structured differently from the United States. The United States is a first world country. The United States is a strong democratic country that is solely based on its Constitution, which is the law of the land. The different characteristics of the United States and Vietnam are what differentiate the two, and is an overall example of the differences between a first and third world country. This paper will analyze the differences between the United States and Vietnam political, military, and economic differences. The evidence of this paper is retrieved from various government websites, literary and media resources. Overall this paper will prove the argument of the United States being the better country to live in, which is proved by the different aspects of the countries and how these aspects effect the citizens’ lives.
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The Better Place to Live Introduction Having been a United States citizen for over nineteen years, has made me realize the privileges U.S citizens have compared to other countries. The United States is a democracy, which means the people have a role in government, which helps balance the power of the government. The United States also has a strong economic and political system, which operates to benefit the people, whereas the third world country of Vietnam does not. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a communist country, where the people have little to no role in their government. Vietnam’s economic and political structure is organized in a way that is good for the country, but in comparison to the United States, the structure of Vietnam is weak and does not benefit their people. Every country needs a strong economic and political system in order to prosper, because these aspects effect everyone in the country. Vietnam has positive and negative aspects to their country as does the United States and any other country, but Vietnam’s negative aspects have a greater effect on their citizens’ lives, which should a top priority. The lives of a nation’s citizens should always be considered with anything a country does because they will be effected in the end. Vietnam and the United States are two completely different countries that are organized and ran differently, but the aspects of the U.S are what push it to a better country to live in. The United States base their actions on the lives of their citizens and consider how their lives will be effected. The different aspects of the countries are the driving reasons that prove the United States to be the better country to live in. Strong and Organized Verses Weak and Unjust The political structure of the United States is organized in a way that is best for all citizens, which is an element that makes it the better country to live in. Politics is something that affects the lives of citizens, because politics consists of the citizen’s freedoms. When a citizen is
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granted freedoms, and then they are compromised or even taken by the government, this shows that a country’s government is unorganized and weak. The Vietnamese political system is an example of how a government can abuse its power which proves it to be weak and unjust, which overall affects the lives of all citizens. The Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam The Vietnamese people cannot practice many of their individual freedoms without repercussions for their actions. The Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam grants citizens basic rights as does the Constitution of the United States. Article 69 of the Constitution of Vietnam states that, “citizens are entitled to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right to assembly” (Dao Quang, 2001 p.12). This shows that Vietnam does have a Constitution with rights granted to their citizens but these rights are violated by the government. This brings up the question of how someone’s rights are violated if they are granted and protected under their Constitution. The Vietnamese government abuses its power by punishing citizens who speak out against the government, which makes its political structure weak and unjust. This is proven in the recent case of the three bloggers who were jailed and later sentenced to prison for 3-12 years for carrying out “propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” (“Vietnam Hits Back,” 2012, para. 1). This case shows that the citizens do not have freedom of speech, expression, or the press that is granted in their Constitution. Although Vietnam has a Constitution that is their legal system and grants their citizens freedoms, the Vietnamese Constitution lacks the clarity of what the citizens can and cannot do (Nguyen, 2010, p. 123). The Vietnamese Constitution does not bring clarity or protection of the citizens’ basic rights, which shows an unjust political system that overall hurt their people.
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Separation between Church and State The Vietnamese government also does not have a separation between church and state, which is a big issue with citizens’ religious and political rights. Article 70 in the Constitution of Vietnam states that all citizens have freedom of belief and religion and all religions are equal (Dao Quang, 2001 p. 13). Although this is a right granted in the Constitution, all religions are not equal and cannot be practiced in Vietnam. For example, Catholics in Vietnam experience conflict between their freedom given in Article 70 of the Constitution and state restrictions that do not allow them to practice their religion (Lewis, 2013, p.58). This was mainly because the main religion in Vietnam is Buddhism not Catholic. The issue of religion has been recognized by the United Nations Envoy, which has “called on Vietnam to grant all religious communities the right to operate outside the officially established channels for religious practice” (“UN Envoy,” 2014, para. 1). The citizens’ freedoms are being violated by the government and the people cannot change it. The political system of Vietnam is not what is best for their citizens, which overall hurts the people. The United States Constitution While the Vietnamese people have little to no protection of their rights, the United States protects the rights of their citizens. The United States allows their citizens to practice their freedoms freely because the country is based on laws that preserve the citizen’s rights. The citizen’s basic rights have been tested in many cases, but most fell in favor of the people and their rights. There are some special cases where the Supreme Court prohibits some speech that may cause a “breach of peace or cause violence to the people, such as fighting words, commercial speech, and obscenity” (“First Amendment,” n.d para. 3). These actions were tried
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in the case of Schenck v. United States where the Supreme Court ruled that, "words used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent” (“First Amendment” n.d para. 3). These circumstances are not protected under the U.S Constitution and Bill of Rights because they can cause harm or danger. This circumstance is the government’s idea of protecting the people from harmful actions. The United States even goes further in protecting its citizens’ rights by having the Establishment Clause. The Establishment Clause prohibits the government from passing legislation to establish an official religion or preferring one religion over another (“First Amendment”, n.d para. 2). This clause enforces the U.S policy of a separation between church and state. These laws and freedoms are passed to protect the people, which are the reasons why the U.S has a strong political setup that is best for all citizens. The Better Protection The United States’ military provides better protection of its citizens than Vietnam’s military. The U.S. has one of the biggest and strongest militaries in the world, which is used to protect their citizens and country. The U.S. Armed Forces is very experienced in fighting and winning battles, which is proven throughout its history. Over the years the United States military has advanced in technology and artillery, expanding its manpower. Contrary to the U.S. military, the Vietnamese military is much smaller and not as advanced, which makes it harder for them to protect their citizens from big attacks. The protection that the United States Armed Forces provides for its citizens makes it the safer and better country to live in. U.S Armed Forces The most important aspect of the United States military that makes it the better and safer country are the four subdivisions that make up the U.S. Armed Forces. These four categories are
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the Army, Navy, Air Force, and the Coast Guard. According to the United States Department of Labor (2014) website’s chart, the U.S. has a surveyed number of 1,162,825 active duty soldiers along with 249,849 active officers that make up the U.S armed forces (para. 18). These branches and soldiers are all given different jobs that all work together to not only protect U.S. citizens but also help them when they are in need. According to the table given on the CIA Website (n.d.), the U.S military uses 4.35 % of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), on military spending, which is a relatively high number. The United States high military budget adds to the better protection of the country because the U.S. has more money to spend on military improvements and advancements. Vietnam People’s Army Although Vietnam’s army is composed of four categories like the U.S Armed Forces, Vietnam’ military is not as advanced as the U.S. military. Vietnam People’s Army, consist of Vietnam’s Militia and Self Defense Force, Maritime Police, and People’s Public Security Force. These military branches are given the job to protect the country and its citizens. According to Thayer’s (2009) table, Vietnam’s Military has an estimated number of 662,000 enlisted soldiers, which is smaller than the United States Armed Forces (p.3). Vietnam’s army has also had massive reductions in its size caused by government cutbacks, which has decreased their manpower (Thayer, 2009 p. 4). The cutbacks given by the Vietnamese government were a cause of Vietnam’s financial slowdown, which put a strain on the defense budget (Thayer, 2009 p. 8). According to the table given on the CIA (n.d.) website, Vietnam’s military budget is 2.37% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and over the years it has decreased and increased but has never gotten higher than 2.37%. The financial slowdown in Vietnam has had a negative effect on the
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military defense budget and the employment of soldiers, which overall hurts Vietnam’s Armed forces and their protection. Technology, the art of war. The inconsistency of Vietnam’s military budget has also contributed to a falloff in their technology advancements compared to the United States, which is another aspect that adds to the U.S. supplying better protection. Technology is an art of war and is something a country will always need to prosper in not only fighting but also maintaining peace. Vietnam’s technology is consists of artillery, aircraft, land crafts, and water crafts, which all provide a strong defense against military attacks (“Vietnam,” 2012, p. 386). The use of this technology is good when in war, but countries are not always in war and will need other alternatives to help protect their citizens from other threats that fighting cannot solve. The United States has technology advancements that help protect its citizens from direct threats of terrorism, which sometimes cannot be prevented by war (National Archives Records Administration, n.d para. 2). Some of these technological advancements consist of “air/ space vehicles, surface/ undersurface vehicles, electronic warfare, chemical and biological defense,” and much more (National Archives Records Administration, n.d. para 17). Technology opens up options for the U.S Armed Forces other than warfare, which prevents conflict and saves lives and money spent on a war. The U.S maintains a strong defense system because of not only a strong military but also a strong intelligence system. With the U.S Armed Forces and Intelligence system working together, they provide better protection for the country and U.S. citizens. The Citizens Quality of Life The United States economy is more balanced than Vietnam’s economy, because it is ran in a way that is best for its citizens. The United States economy is established in a way that will
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help the citizens and the country prosper, which makes it the better country to live in. Contrary to the U.S economy, the Vietnamese economy is not as well established .Vietnam’s economy affects their citizens in a negative way, which puts a financial burden on their lives and makes it harder for them to live. U.S stabilized economy The United States stabilized economy is a key element of their overall success of being the better country to live in. The United States has had their “unemployment rate fall to 5.5 percent, which is the lowest in almost seven years and at the range that Federal Reserve officials consider full employment” (Searcey, 2015, para. 2). The United States also has a minimum wage set for all employed citizens, which varies in different states, but the lowest is $7.25 an hour, which assures the pay of all working citizens. The U.S. high employment is good for the citizens and the national economy because when people are working, they are making money to spend, which helps the country prosper. The United States government has also worked to increase international trade with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) trading partners, which helps money to circulate in the economy. The United States trade with “NAFTA partners has increased by 78%, and trade with Mexico alone has increased by 141%, compared to an average trade growth of 43% with the rest of the world during the same period” (Naawaab & Yeboah, 2014 p. 92). When trade rates are high it helps balance the economy because goods are going in and out of the country. Vietnam’s economy Contrary to the United States, Vietnam’s economy is not as stabilized, which overall hurts their citizens. According to an article in Tuoitre News, Vietnam’s unemployment rate is 1.9 percent, which is a relatively low number (“Vietnam Listed Among,” 2014, para. 2).
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Although, this means that many people are employed in Vietnam, many of these same people are self- employed or working short term under contracts, which wages are underpaid (Tran, Nguyen H., Nguyen T., & Thao Ngo, 2012, p.661). Although Vietnam does have a minimum wage, “that has just been increased to 11-16 dollars a month, it only applies to certain job sectors” (“Minimum wage” 2015, para. 1). This means that many of the citizens working, are either working temporary or self-employed and are underpaid, and the working citizens that are working the jobs that do have a minimum wage, are not making a lot of money. Vietnam also has trouble maintaining stability with their international trading partners. Vietnam’s trade stability has been in and out of crisis points, which is proven in Vu Quang’s table (2009). Vietnam also has a trade deficit that has been occurring for many years that is caused by “Vietnamese domestic producers and their over-emphasis of growth by the government and over-investment by state-owned enterprises, and not by FDI investors who have had a positive trade balance” (p.398). This trade deficit creates a debt for Vietnam’s government that affects everyone. The Differences The different aspects of Vietnam and the United States economies are what help prove the United States to be the better country to live in. The citizens’ quality of life should always be a top priority of any country in which it is not for Vietnam. For example, on average American workers make about 21 dollars in 3 hours, which is proven by the U.S minimum wage. Contrary to U.S workers, Vietnamese workers make 11-16 dollars a month, which is stated in the “Minimum wage to increase” article (2013). United States citizens make a months’ worth of the Vietnamese pay in 2-3 hours a day, which is not rewarding to the Vietnamese working citizens. Vietnam’s high employment with low wages, and unstable trade contributes to Vietnam’s unbalanced economy, which overall hurts their people. American citizens’ quality of life is a top
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priority in the United States, which is proved by its economic assets. Although, the United States economy is not perfect and still has the need for improvements, in comparison to Vietnam’s economy, the U.S. is doing much better in the aspects of their citizens’ lives. Conclusion The structural systems of the United States are balanced, which creates a stable environment for the citizens and overall makes it the better country to live in. The United States is an example to other countries, of how a country should be run to better the lives of their citizen’s. The importance of a country’s citizens are far greater than people expect, but without the citizens a country would not be a country. The United States prove to put their citizens as a top priority, which is shown by their structural assets, which benefit their citizens. Since the United States is an example of how a country should be run to help benefits its citizens lives, the U.S. should send American ambassadors and economic specialists to Vietnam. These people would help Vietnam structure their country to help improve the lives of their citizens. Over time, the country of Vietnam will improve and the lives of everyone will get better and the country will prosper.
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Central Intelligence Agency. (2014). The world factbook. Retrieved from https://www .cia.gov/ library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/ 2034 .html#vm Dao Quang, L. (2001, December 25). 1992 Constitution of the socialist republic of Vietnam. Retrieved from http://www.vietnamlaws.com/ freelaws/Constitution92 %28aa01%29.pdf First amendment: An overview. (n.d). Legal Information Institute. Retrieved from https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/ first_amendment Lewis, J.F. (2013). Vietnamese religions, Asian studies, and the rule of law. Review of Faith and International Affairs. 11(2), 55-63. doi 1080/15570274.2013.808040. Minimum wage to increase. (2013, November 21). VietNamNet. Retrieved from http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/89621/minimum-wage-to-increase-from2014.html Naanwaab, C., & Yeboah, O. (2014) A partial equilibrium analysis of NAFTA’s impact on U.S bilateral trade. International Journal of Economic Sciences & Applied Research 7(1), 89 -112. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true &AuthType=cookie,ip&db=bth&AN=96876154&site=eds-live National Archives Records Administration. (n.d). Maintaining military advantage through science and technology investment. Retrieved from http://clinton4.nara.gov/ WH/EOP/OSTP/nssts/html/chapt2 .html
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Nguyen, T.T. (2010). Knowledge economy and sustainable economic development: A critical review [eBook Academic Collection (EBSCOhost)]. Berlin: De Gruyter. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip&db=e000xna &AN=344741&site=eds-live Searcey, D. (2015, March 6). After a bounce, wage growth slumps to 0.1%. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/07/business/economy/jobs-reportunemployment -february.html?ref=topics Thayer, C. (2009). Vietnam people’s army: Development and modernization. ASEAN Studies Center. Retrieved from https://www.american.edu/sis/aseanstudiescenter/ upload/17313967-Thayer-Vietnam-Peoples-Army-Modernization-and -Development.pdf Tran, T.B., Nguyen, H.C., Nguyen, T.X., & Thao Ngo, T.P. (2012). A prosperity score matching analysis on the impact of international migration on entrepreneurship in Vietnam. Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, 17(4), 653-669. doi:10.1080/13547860.2012.724555. UN envoy acknowledges progress but calls on Vietnam to widen religious freedoms. (2014, July 7). ABC Premium News. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.una.edu/login?url =http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip&db=pwh &AN=P6S269488914614&site=eds-live United States Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2014). Military careers. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/military/military-careers.htm
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Viet Quang, Vu. (2009). Vietnam’s economic crisis. Southeast Asian Affairs, 239-417. Vietnam. (2012). Military Technology. 36(1) 385-386. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,cookie&db =a9h&AN=77666841&site=ehost-live Vietnam hits back over blogger criticism. (2012, September 28). UPI Emerging Threats. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true &AuthType=cookie,ip&db=pwh&AN=4U7Y2115108508&site=eds-live Vietnam listed among countries with the lowest jobless rates. (2014, January 25). Tuoitre News. Retrieved from http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/17130/vietnam-listed-among-countries -with-lowest-jobless-rates
The Better Place to Live LaShundra Treadwell EN 112-11 Frist Year Composition April 28, 2015
THE BETTER PLACE TO LIVE
2 Abstract
Vietnam is a 3rd world country located in Southeast Asia. Vietnam is a communist country that is structured differently from the United States. The United States is a first world country. The United States is a strong democratic country that is solely based on its Constitution, which is the law of the land. The different characteristics of the United States and Vietnam are what differentiate the two, and is an overall example of the differences between a first and third world country. This paper will analyze the differences between the United States and Vietnam political, military, and economic differences. The evidence of this paper is retrieved from various government websites, literary and media resources. Overall this paper will prove the argument of the United States being the better country to live in, which is proved by the different aspects of the countries and how these aspects effect the citizens’ lives.
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The Better Place to Live Introduction Having been a United States citizen for over nineteen years, has made me realize the privileges U.S citizens have compared to other countries. The United States is a democracy, which means the people have a role in government, which helps balance the power of the government. The United States also has a strong economic and political system, which operates to benefit the people, whereas the third world country of Vietnam does not. The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a communist country, where the people have little to no role in their government. Vietnam’s economic and political structure is organized in a way that is good for the country, but in comparison to the United States, the structure of Vietnam is weak and does not benefit their people. Every country needs a strong economic and political system in order to prosper, because these aspects effect everyone in the country. Vietnam has positive and negative aspects to their country as does the United States and any other country, but Vietnam’s negative aspects have a greater effect on their citizens’ lives, which should a top priority. The lives of a nation’s citizens should always be considered with anything a country does because they will be effected in the end. Vietnam and the United States are two completely different countries that are organized and ran differently, but the aspects of the U.S are what push it to a better country to live in. The United States base their actions on the lives of their citizens and consider how their lives will be effected. The different aspects of the countries are the driving reasons that prove the United States to be the better country to live in. Strong and Organized Verses Weak and Unjust The political structure of the United States is organized in a way that is best for all citizens, which is an element that makes it the better country to live in. Politics is something that affects the lives of citizens, because politics consists of the citizen’s freedoms. When a citizen is
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granted freedoms, and then they are compromised or even taken by the government, this shows that a country’s government is unorganized and weak. The Vietnamese political system is an example of how a government can abuse its power which proves it to be weak and unjust, which overall affects the lives of all citizens. The Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam The Vietnamese people cannot practice many of their individual freedoms without repercussions for their actions. The Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam grants citizens basic rights as does the Constitution of the United States. Article 69 of the Constitution of Vietnam states that, “citizens are entitled to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right to assembly” (Dao Quang, 2001 p.12). This shows that Vietnam does have a Constitution with rights granted to their citizens but these rights are violated by the government. This brings up the question of how someone’s rights are violated if they are granted and protected under their Constitution. The Vietnamese government abuses its power by punishing citizens who speak out against the government, which makes its political structure weak and unjust. This is proven in the recent case of the three bloggers who were jailed and later sentenced to prison for 3-12 years for carrying out “propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam” (“Vietnam Hits Back,” 2012, para. 1). This case shows that the citizens do not have freedom of speech, expression, or the press that is granted in their Constitution. Although Vietnam has a Constitution that is their legal system and grants their citizens freedoms, the Vietnamese Constitution lacks the clarity of what the citizens can and cannot do (Nguyen, 2010, p. 123). The Vietnamese Constitution does not bring clarity or protection of the citizens’ basic rights, which shows an unjust political system that overall hurt their people.
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Separation between Church and State The Vietnamese government also does not have a separation between church and state, which is a big issue with citizens’ religious and political rights. Article 70 in the Constitution of Vietnam states that all citizens have freedom of belief and religion and all religions are equal (Dao Quang, 2001 p. 13). Although this is a right granted in the Constitution, all religions are not equal and cannot be practiced in Vietnam. For example, Catholics in Vietnam experience conflict between their freedom given in Article 70 of the Constitution and state restrictions that do not allow them to practice their religion (Lewis, 2013, p.58). This was mainly because the main religion in Vietnam is Buddhism not Catholic. The issue of religion has been recognized by the United Nations Envoy, which has “called on Vietnam to grant all religious communities the right to operate outside the officially established channels for religious practice” (“UN Envoy,” 2014, para. 1). The citizens’ freedoms are being violated by the government and the people cannot change it. The political system of Vietnam is not what is best for their citizens, which overall hurts the people. The United States Constitution While the Vietnamese people have little to no protection of their rights, the United States protects the rights of their citizens. The United States allows their citizens to practice their freedoms freely because the country is based on laws that preserve the citizen’s rights. The citizen’s basic rights have been tested in many cases, but most fell in favor of the people and their rights. There are some special cases where the Supreme Court prohibits some speech that may cause a “breach of peace or cause violence to the people, such as fighting words, commercial speech, and obscenity” (“First Amendment,” n.d para. 3). These actions were tried
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in the case of Schenck v. United States where the Supreme Court ruled that, "words used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent” (“First Amendment” n.d para. 3). These circumstances are not protected under the U.S Constitution and Bill of Rights because they can cause harm or danger. This circumstance is the government’s idea of protecting the people from harmful actions. The United States even goes further in protecting its citizens’ rights by having the Establishment Clause. The Establishment Clause prohibits the government from passing legislation to establish an official religion or preferring one religion over another (“First Amendment”, n.d para. 2). This clause enforces the U.S policy of a separation between church and state. These laws and freedoms are passed to protect the people, which are the reasons why the U.S has a strong political setup that is best for all citizens. The Better Protection The United States’ military provides better protection of its citizens than Vietnam’s military. The U.S. has one of the biggest and strongest militaries in the world, which is used to protect their citizens and country. The U.S. Armed Forces is very experienced in fighting and winning battles, which is proven throughout its history. Over the years the United States military has advanced in technology and artillery, expanding its manpower. Contrary to the U.S. military, the Vietnamese military is much smaller and not as advanced, which makes it harder for them to protect their citizens from big attacks. The protection that the United States Armed Forces provides for its citizens makes it the safer and better country to live in. U.S Armed Forces The most important aspect of the United States military that makes it the better and safer country are the four subdivisions that make up the U.S. Armed Forces. These four categories are
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the Army, Navy, Air Force, and the Coast Guard. According to the United States Department of Labor (2014) website’s chart, the U.S. has a surveyed number of 1,162,825 active duty soldiers along with 249,849 active officers that make up the U.S armed forces (para. 18). These branches and soldiers are all given different jobs that all work together to not only protect U.S. citizens but also help them when they are in need. According to the table given on the CIA Website (n.d.), the U.S military uses 4.35 % of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), on military spending, which is a relatively high number. The United States high military budget adds to the better protection of the country because the U.S. has more money to spend on military improvements and advancements. Vietnam People’s Army Although Vietnam’s army is composed of four categories like the U.S Armed Forces, Vietnam’ military is not as advanced as the U.S. military. Vietnam People’s Army, consist of Vietnam’s Militia and Self Defense Force, Maritime Police, and People’s Public Security Force. These military branches are given the job to protect the country and its citizens. According to Thayer’s (2009) table, Vietnam’s Military has an estimated number of 662,000 enlisted soldiers, which is smaller than the United States Armed Forces (p.3). Vietnam’s army has also had massive reductions in its size caused by government cutbacks, which has decreased their manpower (Thayer, 2009 p. 4). The cutbacks given by the Vietnamese government were a cause of Vietnam’s financial slowdown, which put a strain on the defense budget (Thayer, 2009 p. 8). According to the table given on the CIA (n.d.) website, Vietnam’s military budget is 2.37% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and over the years it has decreased and increased but has never gotten higher than 2.37%. The financial slowdown in Vietnam has had a negative effect on the
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military defense budget and the employment of soldiers, which overall hurts Vietnam’s Armed forces and their protection. Technology, the art of war. The inconsistency of Vietnam’s military budget has also contributed to a falloff in their technology advancements compared to the United States, which is another aspect that adds to the U.S. supplying better protection. Technology is an art of war and is something a country will always need to prosper in not only fighting but also maintaining peace. Vietnam’s technology is consists of artillery, aircraft, land crafts, and water crafts, which all provide a strong defense against military attacks (“Vietnam,” 2012, p. 386). The use of this technology is good when in war, but countries are not always in war and will need other alternatives to help protect their citizens from other threats that fighting cannot solve. The United States has technology advancements that help protect its citizens from direct threats of terrorism, which sometimes cannot be prevented by war (National Archives Records Administration, n.d para. 2). Some of these technological advancements consist of “air/ space vehicles, surface/ undersurface vehicles, electronic warfare, chemical and biological defense,” and much more (National Archives Records Administration, n.d. para 17). Technology opens up options for the U.S Armed Forces other than warfare, which prevents conflict and saves lives and money spent on a war. The U.S maintains a strong defense system because of not only a strong military but also a strong intelligence system. With the U.S Armed Forces and Intelligence system working together, they provide better protection for the country and U.S. citizens. The Citizens Quality of Life The United States economy is more balanced than Vietnam’s economy, because it is ran in a way that is best for its citizens. The United States economy is established in a way that will
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help the citizens and the country prosper, which makes it the better country to live in. Contrary to the U.S economy, the Vietnamese economy is not as well established .Vietnam’s economy affects their citizens in a negative way, which puts a financial burden on their lives and makes it harder for them to live. U.S stabilized economy The United States stabilized economy is a key element of their overall success of being the better country to live in. The United States has had their “unemployment rate fall to 5.5 percent, which is the lowest in almost seven years and at the range that Federal Reserve officials consider full employment” (Searcey, 2015, para. 2). The United States also has a minimum wage set for all employed citizens, which varies in different states, but the lowest is $7.25 an hour, which assures the pay of all working citizens. The U.S. high employment is good for the citizens and the national economy because when people are working, they are making money to spend, which helps the country prosper. The United States government has also worked to increase international trade with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) trading partners, which helps money to circulate in the economy. The United States trade with “NAFTA partners has increased by 78%, and trade with Mexico alone has increased by 141%, compared to an average trade growth of 43% with the rest of the world during the same period” (Naawaab & Yeboah, 2014 p. 92). When trade rates are high it helps balance the economy because goods are going in and out of the country. Vietnam’s economy Contrary to the United States, Vietnam’s economy is not as stabilized, which overall hurts their citizens. According to an article in Tuoitre News, Vietnam’s unemployment rate is 1.9 percent, which is a relatively low number (“Vietnam Listed Among,” 2014, para. 2).
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Although, this means that many people are employed in Vietnam, many of these same people are self- employed or working short term under contracts, which wages are underpaid (Tran, Nguyen H., Nguyen T., & Thao Ngo, 2012, p.661). Although Vietnam does have a minimum wage, “that has just been increased to 11-16 dollars a month, it only applies to certain job sectors” (“Minimum wage” 2015, para. 1). This means that many of the citizens working, are either working temporary or self-employed and are underpaid, and the working citizens that are working the jobs that do have a minimum wage, are not making a lot of money. Vietnam also has trouble maintaining stability with their international trading partners. Vietnam’s trade stability has been in and out of crisis points, which is proven in Vu Quang’s table (2009). Vietnam also has a trade deficit that has been occurring for many years that is caused by “Vietnamese domestic producers and their over-emphasis of growth by the government and over-investment by state-owned enterprises, and not by FDI investors who have had a positive trade balance” (p.398). This trade deficit creates a debt for Vietnam’s government that affects everyone. The Differences The different aspects of Vietnam and the United States economies are what help prove the United States to be the better country to live in. The citizens’ quality of life should always be a top priority of any country in which it is not for Vietnam. For example, on average American workers make about 21 dollars in 3 hours, which is proven by the U.S minimum wage. Contrary to U.S workers, Vietnamese workers make 11-16 dollars a month, which is stated in the “Minimum wage to increase” article (2013). United States citizens make a months’ worth of the Vietnamese pay in 2-3 hours a day, which is not rewarding to the Vietnamese working citizens. Vietnam’s high employment with low wages, and unstable trade contributes to Vietnam’s unbalanced economy, which overall hurts their people. American citizens’ quality of life is a top
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priority in the United States, which is proved by its economic assets. Although, the United States economy is not perfect and still has the need for improvements, in comparison to Vietnam’s economy, the U.S. is doing much better in the aspects of their citizens’ lives. Conclusion The structural systems of the United States are balanced, which creates a stable environment for the citizens and overall makes it the better country to live in. The United States is an example to other countries, of how a country should be run to better the lives of their citizen’s. The importance of a country’s citizens are far greater than people expect, but without the citizens a country would not be a country. The United States prove to put their citizens as a top priority, which is shown by their structural assets, which benefit their citizens. Since the United States is an example of how a country should be run to help benefits its citizens lives, the U.S. should send American ambassadors and economic specialists to Vietnam. These people would help Vietnam structure their country to help improve the lives of their citizens. Over time, the country of Vietnam will improve and the lives of everyone will get better and the country will prosper.
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Nguyen, T.T. (2010). Knowledge economy and sustainable economic development: A critical review [eBook Academic Collection (EBSCOhost)]. Berlin: De Gruyter. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip&db=e000xna &AN=344741&site=eds-live Searcey, D. (2015, March 6). After a bounce, wage growth slumps to 0.1%. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/07/business/economy/jobs-reportunemployment -february.html?ref=topics Thayer, C. (2009). Vietnam people’s army: Development and modernization. ASEAN Studies Center. Retrieved from https://www.american.edu/sis/aseanstudiescenter/ upload/17313967-Thayer-Vietnam-Peoples-Army-Modernization-and -Development.pdf Tran, T.B., Nguyen, H.C., Nguyen, T.X., & Thao Ngo, T.P. (2012). A prosperity score matching analysis on the impact of international migration on entrepreneurship in Vietnam. Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, 17(4), 653-669. doi:10.1080/13547860.2012.724555. UN envoy acknowledges progress but calls on Vietnam to widen religious freedoms. (2014, July 7). ABC Premium News. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.una.edu/login?url =http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip&db=pwh &AN=P6S269488914614&site=eds-live United States Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2014). Military careers. Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/military/military-careers.htm
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Viet Quang, Vu. (2009). Vietnam’s economic crisis. Southeast Asian Affairs, 239-417. Vietnam. (2012). Military Technology. 36(1) 385-386. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,cookie&db =a9h&AN=77666841&site=ehost-live Vietnam hits back over blogger criticism. (2012, September 28). UPI Emerging Threats. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true &AuthType=cookie,ip&db=pwh&AN=4U7Y2115108508&site=eds-live Vietnam listed among countries with the lowest jobless rates. (2014, January 25). Tuoitre News. Retrieved from http://tuoitrenews.vn/society/17130/vietnam-listed-among-countries -with-lowest-jobless-rates
