The Ninth Forum of WAPE was held at Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences
2014-09-13 12:54:42 Source： Review：0 Click：
“Growth, Development and Social Justice —The Ninth Forum of the World Association for Political Economy (WAPE)” was held at
Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS), Hanoi, Vietnam on 23-25 May 2014.The forum was attended by more than 150
scholars from over 20 countries,including China,Japan,America, Korea, Netherland, Vietnam, India, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico,
Britain, France, Germany, Austria, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Austria.The forum is jointly organized by Vietnam Academy of Social
Sciences and The World Association for Political Economy (WAPE).
During the period of whole forum, twice Plenary, thirteen Parallel Session and twice WAPE Council Meeting were held.
Focus on the theme --“Growth, Development and Social Justice”, participants discussed relevant issues, such as
“Economic Development and Social Justice”, “Economic Development and Independence”, “Economic Development
and Technology, Innovation”, “The Role of Government and Market in Economy”, “The crisis of capitalism and Development
of Socialism ”, “ Economy and Democracy ”, “ Welfare System and Social Justice”, “Land Use and Social Justice ”, “Marx’s
Theory of Money and Capital ”, “Marxism and Agrarian Issues ”, “Climate Change and Sustainable Development ”, and
“Vietnamese-Chinese Issues”in-depth.The closing ceremony was presided over by the Vice Chairman of WAPE, professor
David Kotz. University of Massachusetts, USA. Professor Pham Van Duc,Director of the Institute of Philosophy, Vietnam
Academy of Social Sciences,delivered the Statement of the Ninth Forum of WAPE.The Statement declares that Economic
growth is generally measured by the rate of increase in gross domestic product at the national or global level,it is still
important for developing countries,but is not equal to economic development. However,the traditional outlook on development
is based on expanding physical production, which takes for granted that all economic growth is a good thing and ignores
social development. It argues that GDP is the sole benchmark for evaluating different countries’ economic performance. Such
an outlook appears as the reflection of overweighed instrumental rationality and absent human values. On the contrary, a
scientific outlook on development, based on Marxist economics, could be taken as a positive response to the shortcomings
of the traditional outlook. It argues that scientific economic development should serve the people, and as a consequence,
economic development should enhance comprehensive human development and elevate the well-being of the people,
eventually improving the livelihoods of people worldwide and the fairness of economic development and income distribution.
So, all countries should put more emphasis on qualitative not just quantitative changes in the economy and consider the
basic purpose of economic growth, strive to achieve what we put out as “A Fair Development”.We summarize our advices
as follows: Public ownership should be dominant, while the role of other forms of ownership should be decided based
on the conditions in each country; Distribution according to work should dominate distribution according to ownership and,
unjust gaps in wealth and income should be opposed; State regulation should be the major mechanism in addressing
environmental issues and, marketization as a major mechanism should be opposed; new measures of economic well-being
should be developed to replace the emphasis on GDP.Finally,the General Secretary of WAPE, Xianqin Ding, Research
Associate at Harvard University Asia Center and Associate Professor at the Marxism Research Institute of Shanghai
University of Finance and Economics,announced that the next forum will be held in University of KwaZulu-Natal, South
Africa in the middle of June, 2015.
Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS), Hanoi, Vietnam on 23-25 May 2014.The forum was attended by more than 150
scholars from over 20 countries,including China,Japan,America, Korea, Netherland, Vietnam, India, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico,
Britain, France, Germany, Austria, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Austria.The forum is jointly organized by Vietnam Academy of Social
Sciences and The World Association for Political Economy (WAPE).
On the morning of May 24,Professor Hiroshi Onishi, Vice Chairman of WAPE, Keio University, gave the opening address
and Principal of Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, Professor Nguyen Xuan Thang welcomed the delegates. The names
of the recipients of theMarxist Economics Award 2014(4th), Professor David Kotz, Vice Chairmanof WAPE, University of
Massachusetts,USA and Yuanpeng Hong, Fudan University, China, were announced. And, the “Distinguished Achievement
Award of World Political Economy of the 21st Century(6th )”was awarded to eight economists: Professor Nobuharu Yokokawa
from Musashi University, Japan, Professor Michael Lebowitz from Simon Fraser University,Canada,Professor Dong-Min Rieu
from Chungnam National University, Korea, Professor Patrick Bond from University of KwaZuluNatal, South Africa, Professor
Venkatesh Athreya from Bharathidasan University, India, Professor Howard Nicholas from Institute of Social Studies, Netherland,
Professor V.K.Ramachandran, Director of Foundation for Agrarian Studies, India, Professor Pengfei Yan from Wuhan University,
China. After the opening ceremony, Enfu Cheng, Chairmanof WAPE, Academician of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences,etc.
seven famous Marxist economists delivered the first keynote speeches.And then, Professor Enfu Cheng, Chairman of WAPE,
David Ktoz, Jean-Claude Delaunayand Hiroshi Ohnishi, Vice Chairmen of WAPE, Professor Nguyen Xuan Thang, Principle of
Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and Professor Pham Van Duc, Director of the Institute of Philosophy, Vietnam Academy
of Social Sciences participated in the tree planting ceremony, and the unveiling ceremony for Karl Mar bust damascened in the
History Exhibition Hall of the university.
of the recipients of theMarxist Economics Award 2014(4th), Professor David Kotz, Vice Chairmanof WAPE, University of
Massachusetts,USA and Yuanpeng Hong, Fudan University, China, were announced. And, the “Distinguished Achievement
Award of World Political Economy of the 21st Century(6th )”was awarded to eight economists: Professor Nobuharu Yokokawa
from Musashi University, Japan, Professor Michael Lebowitz from Simon Fraser University,Canada,Professor Dong-Min Rieu
from Chungnam National University, Korea, Professor Patrick Bond from University of KwaZuluNatal, South Africa, Professor
Venkatesh Athreya from Bharathidasan University, India, Professor Howard Nicholas from Institute of Social Studies, Netherland,
Professor V.K.Ramachandran, Director of Foundation for Agrarian Studies, India, Professor Pengfei Yan from Wuhan University,
China. After the opening ceremony, Enfu Cheng, Chairmanof WAPE, Academician of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences,etc.
seven famous Marxist economists delivered the first keynote speeches.And then, Professor Enfu Cheng, Chairman of WAPE,
David Ktoz, Jean-Claude Delaunayand Hiroshi Ohnishi, Vice Chairmen of WAPE, Professor Nguyen Xuan Thang, Principle of
Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and Professor Pham Van Duc, Director of the Institute of Philosophy, Vietnam Academy
of Social Sciences participated in the tree planting ceremony, and the unveiling ceremony for Karl Mar bust damascened in the
History Exhibition Hall of the university.
Opening Ceremony
Unveiling Ceremony for Karl Mar Bust
Tree Planting Ceremony
Professor David Kotz, Vice Chairman of WAPE,Won “Marxist Economics Award”
Eight Economists Won“Distinguished Achievement Award of World Political Economy of the 21st Century”
During the period of whole forum, twice Plenary, thirteen Parallel Session and twice WAPE Council Meeting were held.
Focus on the theme --“Growth, Development and Social Justice”, participants discussed relevant issues, such as
“Economic Development and Social Justice”, “Economic Development and Independence”, “Economic Development
and Technology, Innovation”, “The Role of Government and Market in Economy”, “The crisis of capitalism and Development
of Socialism ”, “ Economy and Democracy ”, “ Welfare System and Social Justice”, “Land Use and Social Justice ”, “Marx’s
Theory of Money and Capital ”, “Marxism and Agrarian Issues ”, “Climate Change and Sustainable Development ”, and
“Vietnamese-Chinese Issues”in-depth.The closing ceremony was presided over by the Vice Chairman of WAPE, professor
David Kotz. University of Massachusetts, USA. Professor Pham Van Duc,Director of the Institute of Philosophy, Vietnam
Academy of Social Sciences,delivered the Statement of the Ninth Forum of WAPE.The Statement declares that Economic
growth is generally measured by the rate of increase in gross domestic product at the national or global level,it is still
important for developing countries,but is not equal to economic development. However,the traditional outlook on development
is based on expanding physical production, which takes for granted that all economic growth is a good thing and ignores
social development. It argues that GDP is the sole benchmark for evaluating different countries’ economic performance. Such
an outlook appears as the reflection of overweighed instrumental rationality and absent human values. On the contrary, a
scientific outlook on development, based on Marxist economics, could be taken as a positive response to the shortcomings
of the traditional outlook. It argues that scientific economic development should serve the people, and as a consequence,
economic development should enhance comprehensive human development and elevate the well-being of the people,
eventually improving the livelihoods of people worldwide and the fairness of economic development and income distribution.
So, all countries should put more emphasis on qualitative not just quantitative changes in the economy and consider the
basic purpose of economic growth, strive to achieve what we put out as “A Fair Development”.We summarize our advices
as follows: Public ownership should be dominant, while the role of other forms of ownership should be decided based
on the conditions in each country; Distribution according to work should dominate distribution according to ownership and,
unjust gaps in wealth and income should be opposed; State regulation should be the major mechanism in addressing
environmental issues and, marketization as a major mechanism should be opposed; new measures of economic well-being
should be developed to replace the emphasis on GDP.Finally,the General Secretary of WAPE, Xianqin Ding, Research
Associate at Harvard University Asia Center and Associate Professor at the Marxism Research Institute of Shanghai
University of Finance and Economics,announced that the next forum will be held in University of KwaZulu-Natal, South
Africa in the middle of June, 2015.