"Inflation" gathering?
(Baonghean) - If we had to name a single indicator to demonstrate the "continuous growth" over the past years, the emergence of social organizations would likely be easily recognized. Not knowing where to look for it, I could only compile a list of social organizations from my not-so-good memory, and even that has filled several A4 pages! "Explosion" is the word I would use to describe the somewhat rapid emergence of social organizations in recent years.
How could I not be happy when I'm still a citizen of a country where everyone is... a member! Indeed, according to Government Decree No. 45/2010/ND-CP dated April 21, 2010, "Members of an association include official members, associate members, and honorary members"! Thinking about it, I realize I'm also a member of several... associations!
First of all, it's perhaps necessary to agree that, in addition to socio-political organizations such as the Fatherland Front, the Trade Union, the Youth Union, the Farmers' Association, the Veterans' Association, and the Women's Union, the emergence of social organizations is also inevitable. The enormous contributions of social organizations to the national revolutionary cause cannot be ignored. The establishment of these organizations has met the needs of millions of people, promoted economic development, and shared the responsibility of social management with the State. However, the emergence of organizations that some consider "random," especially those "off-list," cannot be ignored.
Even though we already have the Veterans Association, we've gradually added the Former Military Personnel Association, similarly the Former Youth Volunteers Association, then the Former Police Officers Association, then the Former Teachers Association... Besides that, there's a formidable force of professional social associations such as the Gardening Association, the Beekeeping Association, the Traditional Medicine Association, and of course, the "Psychiatry Association"... Even within Traditional Medicine, I hear there are divisions into the Southern Medicine Association, the Northern Medicine Association, and the Acupuncture Association! At this rate, who knows, maybe soon the Acupuncture Association will have its own hydro-acupuncture and electro-acupuncture branches! It's hard to describe the feeling when I Googled the keyword "Veterinary Acupuncture Association" and got 735,000 results!
According to current regulations, the conditions for establishing an association are: “1. Having an operational purpose that does not violate the law; not duplicating the name and main field of activity of an association already legally established in the same territory; 2. Having a charter; 3. Having a headquarters; 4. Having a sufficient number of Vietnamese citizens and organizations registered to participate in the establishment of the association.” Thus, based on the third condition, we can completely deduce that the more associations there are, the more headquarters there will be! And with each new association being established, a system of headquarters is being prepared. With the regular and continuous emergence of associations as we have seen for so long, we can also conclude that the reasoning to defend the establishment of any association is good, necessary, reasonable, and justifiable. But has this very “reasonable and justifiable” nature completely convinced the competent authorities? It is known that since 2010, our country has joyfully welcomed the establishment of the Vietnam Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs. How wonderful, how necessary, how meaningful, how humane! Some people, moved to tears, also wondered, now that we have the "Vietnam Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs," will we soon have an Association for Supporting Families of Wounded Soldiers, an Association for Supporting Families with Meritorious Contributions to the Revolution, or an Association for Supporting Families of Heroic Vietnamese Mothers? That's probably a difficult question to answer!
The meaning, role, and function of each specific association should be left to the members of that association to answer. But there is a reality that cannot be ignored: who "funds" these associations? In principle, everyone knows that social associations are established on a voluntary basis, and their operating costs are self-funded. Yet, one of the first things most associations do after being authorized by the competent authorities is to submit a request for... funding! Some even make rather childish statements, saying: "The State has already issued the decision to establish it, meaning it has been created, and since it was created, it must be nurtured!" Suddenly, associations are vying to claim to be... the "offspring"! Initially, a few associations were classified as "special" to receive financial support, such as the Association for the Promotion of Learning, the Red Cross, and the Association of the Elderly... then suddenly, "associations with special characteristics" are appearing in droves. Everyone is special because everyone has a reason for being... special. So, they ask, they show deference, and so... they give, and keep giving. At this point, I hear there are dozens of such "special associations" in some localities! Where does the money come from to fund these special associations? Of course, taxes!
A developed society cannot prevent the emergence of associations. However, no matter what association it is, it must meet the genuine needs of its members and the needs of social life. Please don't be unwilling to follow others just because they have associations. If there is a genuine need, if it is truly beneficial, and if it complies with the law, then feel free to establish one, as long as it doesn't waste taxpayers' money. For a long time, some social associations have existed in the form of clubs that bring together people with similar interests, for example, cycling clubs, even including vintage bicycle clubs, sports cycling clubs, and perhaps even electric bicycle clubs in the near future?! That's fine; they don't harm anyone and they don't demand taxpayers' money for their activities. Organizing associations is necessary, but before establishing one, we need to answer the question: what is the purpose of that association? If the purpose is only to... request funding and an office, then forget it! Writing this, I suddenly remembered a joke a friend made: Who knows, maybe one day a Society of People Who Don't Like... Societys will be born!
Nguyen Khac An
