Implementing social conflict management within the current political system (Via surveys in Hanoi City)

Assoc. Prof., Dr. PHAM MINH ANH
DR. NGUYEN THE HUNG
Le Hong Phong Officer Training School

1. Current status of social conflict management within the political system in Hanoi City

In the leadership of party committees at all levels

The Hanoi City Party Committee and party committees at all levels of the City are unified in implementing leadership and directing the management of social conflicts. The city has focused on leadership and has been effective at preventing social conflicts; steadfastly resolving social conflicts properly in the direction of putting the people first and relying on the law; and determining the position, prevention, and resolution of social conflicts in relation to sustainable development. Hanoi City has been promoting the implementation of Program No. 08-CTr/TU of the City Party Committee on “Developing the social security system, improving social welfare and quality of life of the capital’s people in the period 2021-2025”(1). The overall goal of Program No. 08-Ctr/TU is: “To harmoniously and effectively resolve the balance between economic growth with social development and social governance. To develop a comprehensive, inclusive, and sustainable social security system, constantly improve the social welfare and the quality of life of the people of the Capital, reduce the difference in living standards between urban and rural areas, strive to achieve targets higher than national standards, contributing to building a city with rapid, sustainable, and progressive development”(2).

The City’s management of social conflict is carried out in all areas of life, focusing on current outstanding issues, such as: land, labor, social security, environment, crime, ethnicity, religion, culture, ethics, and lifestyle.

Hanoi City actively renovates leadership methods for party committees at all levels in managing social conflicts, directing both long-term strategic tasks and addressing immediate public concerns; developing and perfecting the policy system, issuing and effectively implementing the party and state’s policies on poverty alleviation, sustainable development; strengthening a robust political system, clean cadres, civil servants, and public employees, promoting democracy. Simultaneously, party committees at all levels lead organizations in the political system to strengthen the traditional institutions of society in social management activities.

In the management of social conflict by government authorities at all levels

Regarding mechanisms and policies for managing social conflicts

Hanoi City authorities at all levels synchronously implement 3 groups of mechanisms and policies: First, a group of mechanisms and policies for conflict prevention, focusing on implementing economic development and policies for social stability; including social security policies, hunger eradication, poverty reduction, vocational training, environmental protection, and reducing red tape for citizens in administrative procedures; Second, policies and mechanisms to control conflicts and minimize risks, including insurance policies in the social security system and social assistance for disadvantaged groups. Inspections and monitoring to promptly detect emerging problems, focusing on implementing projects for transforming key and complex areas in terms of social order and safety; Third, policies and mechanisms for conflict resolution aimed at thoroughly solving complex cases with large gatherings, mitigating risks in violation handling, ensuring legality, equality, combining education and humanitarian measures, strict punishment combined with leniency.

Regarding the content and methods of social conflict management

Hanoi City authorities at all levels determined that, corresponding to each stage of the development, of social conflicts, the management apparatus will use different tools, measures, and methods of handling. If a conflict occurs at a low stage, commonly used methods are propaganda, advocacy, dialogue, negotiation, and mediation. When conflicts escalate to the confrontational, complex, or incompatible stage, the necessary use of force may be needed to maintain order in certain situations or conflicts.

Hanoi City authorities at all levels actively renovate social conflict management methods, focusing on solving hot-topic social problems. Steering committees are established to resolve social issues and hot spots with subjects such as party committees, socio-political organizations, and governments at all levels. A system to control, handle, and solve social problems in the locality is established.

In a survey of 481 people in Hanoi City about the role of governments at all levels in implementing social conflict management, results show that 355/481 (73.8%) people think that governments at all levels “have done a good job” in managing social conflicts. Survey results of 489 officials at all levels in Hanoi City on this topic also show a similar ratio: 418/489 (85.5%) officials said that governments at all levels have effectively fulfilled their role in managing social conflicts.

Data in Table 1 shows the level of satisfaction of the people of Hanoi with the local government’s solution in managing social conflicts. The indicators assessing the level of good performance and people’s satisfaction with this activity of the government are all above 50%. Thereby, it shows that the government system at all levels of Hanoi City has achieved certain effectiveness in managing conflicts in the locality.

In promoting the role of the Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations at all levels

Rigorously implementing the directives and resolutions of the party committees at all levels, and the leadership of the heads of committees at all levels in the process of participating in social conflict management, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and political-social organizations at all levels have played a good role in managing social conflicts in Hanoi city. This is demonstrated by the effective propaganda work about the negative impacts of social conflicts on social order and socio-economic development; preventive measures to limit social conflicts from occurring or escalating; effectively organizing patriotic emulation movements, community solidarity festivals, especially activities contributing opinions to the party committees and governments, supervising, and social criticism. This, in turn, contributes to strengthening the people’s confidence in the role of the Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations at all levels in managing social conflicts in the locality.

A survey of opinions of people and officials in administrative agencies in Hanoi City on the role of the Fatherland Front and commune-level socio-political organizations in social conflict management shows that these organizations have performed well in this task. The percentage of opinions evaluating organizations that have played a good role in social management are as follows: Commune/ward/town Fatherland Front achieved 66.7%, Commune/ward/town Youth Union achieved 62.8%, Commune/ward/town Women’s Union achieved 65.7%, The Farmers’ Association achieved 58%, the Commune/Ward/Town Veterans’ Association achieved 62.2%.

The survey results also show the people’s trust in the Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations at all levels in managing social conflicts in the locality. 55.7% of people and 70.8% of officials at all levels among those surveyed affirmed that promoting the role of the above organizations in managing social conflicts “has been achieved” and “achieved well”.

2. Limitations in the management of social conflict by the political system and the causes

Regarding the leadership of party committees

Firstly, the advisory agencies of the Party Committee from the City to the grassroots level do not yet have their own, specific work programs, in terms of content, human resources, methods, means, and budget for social conflict management activities.

Secondly, there is a lack of coordination between departments, branches, and organizations to develop specific and key mass mobilization programs and projects in localities with complex problems and long-term conflicts of interest.

Thirdly, the limited capacity of leaders, managers, and civil servants to handle social conflicts in terms of knowledge, skills, and attitudes, has led to “hot spots” in some localities.

Regarding social conflict management by authorities at all levels

First, in some localities, government officials lack social conflict management skills. When conflicts, disputes, and hot spots occur, local authorities are sometimes confused and passive.

Second, forecasting skills are poor because during the policy planning and implementation process, the impact of the policy is not evaluated or not fully evaluated. Officials and civil servants are not close to the people, do not understand the people, and pay little attention to the people’s moods, desires, and frustrations.

Third, there is still a subjective, voluntaristic mindset about the initial conflicts, which leads to a subjective mentality, underestimating, and overlooking the signs of social conflict until they break out into socio-political hot spots. Then the response is confused, passive, and handled incorrectly, making the situation more complicated and beyond the control of local authorities.

In promoting the role of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations in the management of social conflicts

First, there are party committees and authorities who are not fully aware of the importance of promoting the role of the Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations at all levels for local social conflict management.

Second, there cases where the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations in some localities have not fully promoted their role in social conflict management.

Third, the legal basis for the involvement of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations in managing social conflict is not yet complete.

3. Solutions to improve the effectiveness of social conflict management and create social consensus from the survey results in Hanoi City

To promote the achieved results and gradually overcome the limitations in social conflict management, we need to pay attention and focus on implementing the following solutions:

Firstly, strengthen the leadership of party committees at all levels in managing social conflicts in the locality by focusing on leading the implementation of socio-economic development plans, solving outstanding issues and the people’s concerns. Enhance the leadership of the party committees in ideological work, especially grasping, orienting, and solving ideological issues in the new situation, and orienting press information; Effectively promote all types and means of propaganda to spread the party committee’s instructions among all strata of the people.

Secondly, improve the management efficiency of governments at all levels in managing social conflicts in the locality. Accordingly, it is necessary to strengthen the social conflict management apparatus from the provincial and city levels to the grassroots level; build coordination mechanisms among agencies and units in social conflict management; organize training and foster social conflict resolution skills for government officials and civil servants at all levels to enhance their capacity to respond to social conflicts.

Thirdly, promote the role of the Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations at all levels in managing social conflicts in the locality. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen propaganda, education, and raise awareness of the role and responsibility of the Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations in resolving social conflicts; pay attention to fostering and improving the qualifications and ability to forecast and mobilize people for the staff of the Front and socio-political organizations; properly implement the relationship between the Front and its members in carrying out the task of resolving social conflicts.

_________________

Received: October 10, 2023; Revised: November 21, 2023; Approved for publication: November 22, 2023.

Endnotes:

(1), (2) Hanoi Party Committee: Program No. 08-CTr/TU on developing the social security system, improving social welfare and quality of life of the capital's people in the period 2021- 2025.

References:

1. Hanoi City Party Committee: Directive No. 15-CT/TU on strengthening the leadership of party committees at all levels in receiving citizens and resolving complaints and denunciations in Hanoi city, 2016.

2. Hanoi Party Committee: Resolution No. 15-NQ/TU on building a clean and strong party grassroots organization and strengthening weak party foundations; Resolving complex issues of political security, social order, and safety in communes, wards, and towns in Hanoi city, 2017.

3. Hanoi Party Committee: Program 01-CTr/TU on strengthening Party building and rectification work, building a clean and strong Party Committee and the City's political system; Promoting administrative reform in the period 2021-2025.

4. Hanoi City Party Committee: Program No. 09-CTr/TU on strengthening national defense - security, ensuring social order and safety in the new situation, the period 2021-2025.