Lao People's Democratic Republic

2025-03-19T18:25:45Z

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{{Infobox country
| name = Lao People's Democratic Republic
| native_name = ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ
| image_coat = Emblem of Laos.svg
| image_flag = Flag of Laos.svg
| symbol_type = Emblem
| image_map = Laos (orthographic_projection).svg
| map_width = 220px
| capital = [[Vientiane]]
| largest_city = capital
| government_type = [[Marxist–Leninist]] [[Socialist state]]
| established_event1 = Establishment of the Lao People's Democratic Republic
| established_date1 = 2 December 1975
| population_estimate = 7,749,595
| population_estimate_year = 2022
| leader_title1 = President
| leader_name1 = [[Thongloun Sisoulith]]
| leader_title3 = Prime Minister
| leader_name3 = [[Sonexay Siphandone]]
| leader_title2 = Vice President
| leader_name2 = [[Bounthong Chitmany]]<br>[[Pany Yathotou]]
}}
'''Laos''', officially, the '''Lao People's Democratic Republic''' ('''LPDR'''), is a modern-day socialist country, established in Southeast Asia after having achieved independence through its liberation movement led by [[Kaysone Phomvihane]] (a figure analogous to [[Vietnam]]'s [[Ho Chi Minh]]).<ref>{{News citation|journalist=Andre Barahamin|date=2017-11-05|title=The hero of Laos: Kaysone Phomvihane|url=https://rallu.xyz/2017/11/05/the-hero-of-laos-kaysone-phomvihane/}}</ref>

The Laotian constitution states that the [[Lao People's Revolutionary Party|LPRP]] "is a people’s democratic state" defending "the interests of the multi-ethnic people of all social strata with the [[Proletariat|workers]], [[Peasantry|farmers]] and intelligentsia as key components."<ref>Constitution of Lao People's Democratic Republic ([https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Laos_2003.pdf?lang=en PDF])</ref>

The Lao People's Democratic Republic is one of only five [[Socialism|socialist]] states in the world today (alongside [[Socialist Republic of Vietnam|Vietnam]], [[Republic of Cuba|Cuba]], [[Democratic People's Republic of Korea|People's Korea]] and [[People's Republic of China|China]]). The Lao PDR adheres to [[Marxism–Leninism]] and [[Kaysone Phomvihane Thought]] as its guiding ideology.

== History ==

=== Early history ===
In 1353, King [[Fa Ngum|Chao Fa Ngum Maharat]] founded the [[Kingdom of Lan Xang]], laying the foundations for the country of Laos. The Kingdom needed to defend its independent existence from its neighbors such as [[Kingdom of Thailand|Thailand]] and [[Republic of the Union of Myanmar|Myanmar]] on many different occasions. Notable events in pre-modern Laotian history include: the victory of Muong Khuc in 1536, when King [[Phothisalat]] defeated armies invading the country under the Ayutthaya (Thai) King; victory of King [[Sayasetha]], in 1563 and 1569, against invading Burmese; a twenty-four year long struggle at the end of the 16th century against Burmese domination which resulted in the then Lao king, who was their vassal being overthrown. <ref name=":4">{{Citation|author=Kaysone Phomvihane|year=1981|title=Revolution in Laos: Practice and Prospects|title-url=https://en.prolewiki.org/wiki/Library:Revolution_in_Laos|city=Moscow|publisher=Progress Publishers|isbn=978-0828520171}}</ref>

Starting from the eighteenth century, when the power of Lao feudal lords declined, the country was splintered, leaving room for their Thai counterpart to successfully invade. Decades long struggle ensued against foreign domination, which peaked under the leadership of [[Tiao Anouvong]] in 1827-1828. Although the struggle was not completely victorious, the brave struggle of the Lao was marked down in their history.<ref name=":4" />

=== French colonization ===
[[French Republic (1870–1940)|French]] colonizers invaded Laos in 1893 in the aftermath of the inter-imperialist Franco-Siamese crisis of Rattanakosin Era 112 (1893), and secured the assistance of [[Comprador]] feudalists against popular uprisings. In 1898, Laos was incorporated into [[French Indochina (1887–1954)|French Indochina]]. Many instance of national revolt took place against colonial rule. Some nationwide and others more limited: [[Pho Cadouad]]'s uprising took place in 1901-1902 at the heart of Laos, concurrent with the the long lasting uprising under the leadership of [[Ong Keo]] and [[Ong Kommadam]] which persisted for 36 years, from 1901 to 1937 in the country's south. The Lu people's resistance in Sing country from 1914 to 1918, the Meo people's struggle led by [[Chao Pha Patchay]] from 1918-1922 in a number of the northern provinces and the Thais resistance in the Sam Neua province in 1916, and many others. But owing to historical and international conditions, the uprisings were not able to cast off the French yoke.<ref name=":4" />

On 9 March 1945, [[Japanese empire|fascist Japan]] annexed French Indochina. After the [[Second World War]], the Lao monarchy began to support the independence movement against the French.<ref name=":1">{{News citation|author=Morgan Artyukhina|newspaper=[[Liberation School]]|title=Mung Lao: A Portrait of The Lao People’s Democratic Republic|date=2017-09-22|url=https://www.liberationschool.org/mung-lao-a-portrait-of-the-lao-peoples-democratic-republic/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308162610/https://www.liberationschool.org/mung-lao-a-portrait-of-the-lao-peoples-democratic-republic/|archive-date=2021-03-08|retrieved=2022-05-22}}</ref> Subsequently, the Kingdom of Laos declared her independence from France on 12 October 1945. <ref name=":2">{{Citation|author=[[Kaysone Phomvihane]]|title=Revolution in Laos: Practice and Prospects|chapter=The Long Road to Victory|page=11–15|pdf=https://www.marxists.org/archive/kaysone/revolution-in-laos.pdf}}</ref>

=== Revolution and civil war ===
{{Main article|Laotian Civil War}}
France recolonized Laos in 1949 with the help of the [[United States of America|USA]] and [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland|UK]]. [[Souphanouvong]] founded the [[Pathet Lao]] in 1950 as the successor of anti-French [[Nationalism|nationalist]] groups.<ref name=":3">{{Web citation|author=Devin Cole|newspaper=[[Workers World]]|title=A revolutionary salute to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic|date=2022-02-10|url=https://www.workers.org/2022/02/61652/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517204840/https://www.workers.org/2022/02/61652/|archive-date=2022-05-17|retrieved=2022-12-27}}</ref>

The [[Lao People's Revolutionary Party|Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP)]], led by [[Kaysone Phomvihane]] and Souphanouvong, waged a war of liberation against the [[Kingdom of Laos (1953–1975)|Kingdom of Laos]] and its allies, including the United States. The three forces in the Laotian Civil War were the [[Monarchism|monarchists]] led by [[Boun Oum]], the [[Liberalism|liberals]] led by [[Souvanna Phouma]], and the [[Communism|communist]] Pathet Lao.<ref name=":1" /> In 1954, communist forces liberated the province of Phongsaly and most of Luang Prabang from French colonizers, forcing the French to give Laos independence under King [[Sisavang Vong]].<ref name=":3" />

The [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] and [[United States Department of State|State Department]] organized coups in Laos in 1958, 1959, and 1960.<ref name=":12">{{Citation|author=[[William Blum]]|year=2002|title=Rogue State: A Guide to the World's Only Superpower|chapter=A Concise History of United States Global Interventions, 1945 to the Present|isbn=9781842772201|publisher=Zed Books Ltd|lg=https://libgen.rs/book/index.php?md5=29EED3C6906FF165E08303B9EAF66B4F|pdf=https://cloudflare-ipfs.com/ipfs/bafykbzacedas5bwprytpzcih6tof3ipede5uzmcvt47tfzwp4cptdau6vmjpy?filename=William%20Blum%20-%20Rogue%20State_%20A%20Guide%20to%20the%20World%27s%20Only%20Superpower-Zed%20Books%20Ltd%20%282002%29.pdf|page=116}}</ref> During the civil war, the US military dropped 2.5 million tons of bombs on Laos between 1964 and 1973<ref name=":0">{{News citation|newspaper=[[Socialist Voice]]|title=Laos: Building the foundations of socialism|date=2018-05-02|url=https://socialistvoice.ie/2018/05/laos-building-the-foundations-of-socialism/|retrieved=2022-04-23}}</ref>—more than they dropped in all of World War II,<ref>{{News citation|journalist=Ralph McGehee|date=1995-10-09|title=Bombing Laos|url=|newspaper=|archive-url=http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/54/057.html|archive-date=|retrieved=2021-12-31}}</ref> killing hundreds of thousands and turning a quarter of Laotians into refugees. 78 million unexploded bombs remained after the war, which still kill or injure 50 civilians every year.<ref>{{News citation|journalist=Rebecca Wright|date=2016-09-06|title='My friends were afraid of me': What 80 million unexploded US bombs did to Laos|url=https://www.cnn.com/2016/09/05/asia/united-states-laos-secret-war/|newspaper=CNN|archive-url=|archive-date=|retrieved=2021-31-21}}</ref> The CIA also spent $500 million training Hmongs to fight on behalf of the monarchy.

The United States withdrew from Laos after the [[National Liberation Front of South Vietnam|Viet Minh]]'s victory in [[Socialist Republic of Vietnam|Vietnam]] in April 1975. In December 1975, the Pathet Lao took power and established a socialist republic in Laos, abolishing the monarchy.<ref name=":1" />

=== Independence ===
After liberation, Kaysone would dominate Laotian politics until his death in 1992.<ref>{{News citation|journalist=Andrew Nette|date=1996-03-27|title=LAOS: Kaysone – Big in Life, Bigger in Death|url=http://www.ipsnews.net/1996/03/laos-kaysone-big-in-life-bigger-in-death/}}</ref> Laos signed a 25-year friendship treaty with Vietnam in 1977.<ref name=":1" /> The First Five-Year Plan began in 1981, but only achieved an economic growth rate of 5% per year. In 1986, Laos began the [[New Economic Mechanism]], based on the [[New Economic Policy]] of the [[Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (1922–1991)|USSR]].<ref name=":0" /> By the end of the Second Five-Year Plan, rice production had doubled and sugar production had increased by 40%.<ref name=":1" />

== Economy ==
Main investors in Laos's economy include the [[People's Republic of China|PRC]], Vietnam, and Thailand. Mining takes up 7% of the Laotian economy and includes gold, silver, copper, tin, and potash mines. Industry takes up 28.6% of the economy. Hydroelectric power forms 30% of Laos's exports, and Laos is projected to be able to export 14.6 gigawatts of electricity to neighboring countries by 2025.<ref name=":3" />

=== Working conditions ===
Working hours are limited to 48 hours per week or eight hours per day. Paid sick leave, vacation time, and maternity leave are all provided.<ref name=":1" /> Workers are well-represented in [[Trade union|trade unions]] and workers' councils.<ref name=":3" />

== Geography ==
[[File:Laos 2003 Physical Map.jpg|alt=Physical Map of Laos. The North has many mountains and hills while the south is flat and tropical|thumb|Physical Map of Laos]]
Laos is a landlocked country and straddled between the tropical monsoon climate which prevails in the Southern half of the country and the temperate and mountainous climate of the North. It borders Thailand to its west, Kampuchea to its south, Viet Nam to its north and east, and the PR China to its northwest

== Governance ==

=== Efforts against malnutrition ===
In recent years, the issue of malnutrition is still present in Laos, though the government has made inroads in combating this problem with the help of UNICEF.<ref>(October 19, 2018) https://laotiantimes.com/2018/10/19/nutrition-kids-unicef-xepon-laos/</ref> In addition, Laos has tackled such problems as inequality and poverty in its aim to shed its Least Developed Country Status by 2024. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and as ''The Laotian Times'' reports, "Lao PDR’s Human Development Index (HDI) value which is calculated based on the life expectancy, level of education and income per capita of a country’s people, has increased by over 50% since 1990."<ref>(October 30, 2018) [https://laotiantimes.com/2018/10/30/progress-inequality-push-education-laos/ Inequality, Disasters Risks to Development as Progress Pushed in Laos: UNDP]</ref> From 1992 to 2008, the poverty rate decreased from 46% to 28%.<ref name=":0" /> Laos is also the only [[Association of Southeast Asian Countries|ASEAN]] member to give up luxury state cars in a move by Lao Prime Minister [[Thongloun Sisoulith]] to reclaim all Lao leaders' luxury vehicles.<ref>Yap, Jasmina (February 23, 2017) [https://laotiantimes.com/2017/02/23/laos-only-asean-member-give-up-luxury-state-cars/?platform=hootsuite "Laos Only ASEAN Member To Give Up Luxury State Cars"]</ref>
== Politics ==

=== International solidarity ===
In 1977, Vietnam and Laos signed a 25-year treaty of friendship, and Vietnamese advisors provided much-needed expertise in government and economic policies. Vietnam and Laos fit together, as the common saying goes, “like lips and teeth.” Laos grew closer to Vietnam as its primary trade partner and only route to the sea. The [[Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (1922–1991)|Soviet Union]] provided most foreign aid to Laos and especially the Laotian armed forces.<ref name=":1" />

== Further reading ==

* ''[[Library:Revolution in Laos|Revolution in Laos: Practice and Prospects]]'' (Kaysone Phomvihane)

== References ==
<references />
[[Category:Countries]]
[[Category:Marxist-Leninist states]]
[[Category:Asian countries]]

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Lao People's Democratic Republic