Though certainly not the most obvious choice to include in a list of heroes of Vietnam, Pham Quynh does deserve mention if for nothing else than the educational arguments his inclusion will produce. Although reviled by many as the worst form of collaborator and frequently accused of being a Francophile to a degree bordering on treason, this is a picture painted by his political enemies when in fact the truth shows Pham Quynh to be a great patriot who loved Vietnam more than anything and was unquestionably loyal to the Son of Heaven and Vietnamese traditions and culture.
Throughout his career Pham Quynh served his country in various capacities after passing the mandarin examinations. His posts included Minister of Education, Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior. He was extremely devoted to his country and to the august Emperor Bao Dai. What angered many was that Pham Quynh refused to advocate violent action against the French. He argued that cooperation and communication were their best weapons and that France had a great deal to offer Vietnam. In the areas of public education and commerce he felt that French involvement in Vietnam was neccessary and helpful to a degree. However, this does not mean that he advocated French rule over his country. His ideal was a democratic constitutional monarchy based on French Enlightenment theories under the traditional, albeit symbolic reign of the Vietnamese Emperor.
The fact that he was a patriot is proven by the great stress he put on the Vietnamese language which was only recently made into a written form. Although he preferred the more formal Han-Viet for purely artistic reasons, he felt that it was essential for Vietnamese nationality that they develop their own unique language, both oral and written, and encourage it's teaching among all the people of the country to show their independence from French and Chinese influence. Until the reign of Emperor Bao Dai, the Emperors had written and spoken all imperial decrees in Chinese simply because it was considered the language of educated people. Pham Quynh believed in a totally independent Vietnam that would be prosperous, free and filled with educated people while still keeping the traditional monarchy in place rather than converting to a western style government. He was also a leader in the field of education for women, which had been given little attention in previous years.
Pham Quynh was the model reformer, he wished to improve the existing institutions in Vietnam rather than changing the whole system. He was called to be part of several governments put together when Emperor Bao Dai seemed to be given a free hand, but in the end total independence was never given and the court at Hue became extremely discouraged. Finally, after World War II Pham Quynh was captured by the communist Vietminh and executed for his monarchist loyalty. His death was a shocking blow to Emperor Bao Dai who always looked at Ho Chi Minh and his followers differently from thereafter. |
