Between Theory and Praxis: Ho Chi Minh’s Parisian Networks, Intellectual Production and Evolving Thought

ABSTRACT

The writings of Ho Chi Minh have obviously gone through many officially approved refinements but, as this article queries, what were his prime intellectual influences during his formative years in France between mid-1919 and mid-1923, at least the most transformative period of his life? What were his signature publications during this period? How do they fit into the Marxist-Leninist lexicon and how do they translate into his “thought?” To answer these questions the article gives special attention to Ho Chi Minh’s research and writing in Paris of a manuscript that would only see publication in 1926 albeit, as discussed in a conclusion, one of several possible versions, yet in fact his magnum opus. As the article also sets down, no less important in charting his future direction were a broader spectrum of activities and influences in Paris, namely his little-studied liaisons with others from French colonies in forging anti-colonial, anti-imperialist networks and strategies.

KEY WORDS:

• Ho Chi Minh
• Paris
• anti-colonialwritings
• Marxism-Leninism
• political praxis

Acknowledgments

The author is obliged to three anonymous reviewers of the article along with information supplied by Kevin Hewison on Thai student networks in Paris.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. A graduate of Japan’s Meiji University, today Jo (Cho Soang) is hailed in Korea as the author of the Korean Independence Declaration issued at Jilin province in China by 39 ethnic Korean leaders, and with the declaration serving as “a catalyst to boost the Korean pro-independence movement against Japanese colonial rule” (Anonymous 2019).

2. Returning again to Madagascar, Ralaimongo recommenced his political career still fighting for democracy and French naturalisation. His statue remains in Tananarive saluting him as father of Madagascar independence. Lawyer Stéfany had become active in the League of Rights, having formed a Madagascar section (Domenichini 1969, 245).

3. The version reprinted by Fall edits out some parts as with the preface by Nguyễn Thế Truyền and a section on governors, among other details (and this bears examination). In 2007, Le Temps des Cerises published a new edition with a preface by Alain Ruscio.

4. In the order in which they are numbered, the section titles in French read: Les méfaits du militarism (The misdeeds of militarism); Les atrocités de la civilization (The atrocities of civilization); Sa géographie (Its geography); Les classes (Classes); L’histoire (History); Sa vie économique (Economc life); Mentalité colonial (Colonial Mentality); Les administrateurs (Administrators); Parasitisme et pétaudière (Parisitism and state of disorder); Le consortium des bandits (The bandit consortium); Concessions et concessionnaires (Concessions and concessionaires); Les travaux publics (Public works); Corvées ou travaux forces (Corvees or forced labour); L’obscurantisme (Obscurantism); La presse (The press); Les impôts (Taxation); La resistance (Resistance); Revendications du Peuple Annamite (Demands of the Vietnamese people); L’Eglise (Church); La Justice (Justice); L’Annam vu par les français (Vietnam as seen by the French).