Laos in 1983: Pragmatism in the Transition to Socialism

Abstract

In 1983 the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR) passed the midpoint in the implementation of its First Five-Year Plan (198185). Progress in the transitional stage of socialist construction continued to be guided by pragmatic policies adopted by the Third Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) a year earlier. Domestically, emphasis was placed on organizational consolidation and development, especially at the grass roots level. Early in the year, a purge of sorts was carried out among second-echelon leadership officials implicated in corrupt practices. Economic recovery continued with many indices, especially rice production, recording increases. Nevertheless, major institutional and structural problems remained. In both the economic and foreign policy spheres, Laos drew closer to Vietnam and the Soviet Union, solidifying its position as a member of the regional alliance of Indochinese states and as a member of the larger socialist