Resumen de The government structure of the Nguyen dynasty (1802–84): imitations and creations drawn from the institutions ofVietnam and China

Pham Duc Anh

• The Nguyen dynasty was the final monarchy in Vietnamese history.This fact prompts researchers to ponder a series of questions: Is thestructure of governance under the Nguyen dynasty a distinctivecreation of this dynasty, merely an amalgamation of pastcustoms, or perhaps borrowed elements from Vietnamese andChinese models? Were the Nguyen dynasty’s decisions to restorethe centralized institution in the new historical context driven byobjective necessity or by the dynasty’s subjective will? Did thesedecisions usher in a new era of development, or did they markthe beginning of historical calamities for Vietnam? This researchaims to elucidate the features of the governmental structure ofthe Nguyen dynasty (1802–84), highlighting its parallels anddistinctions, as well as its inheritances and innovations, incomparison to the state institutions of the Later Le dynasty(1428–1527) in Vietnam and the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing(1644–1911) dynasties in China. The research utilizes the ‘centerand periphery’ theory to explore the strategies and scope bywhich the Vietnamese monarchy incorporated and mirroredforeign political structures. The study seeks to establishconnections and derive insights applicable to contemporaryglobal political challenges overall, with a particular focus onVietnam