It was not the Government that did it: it was us! Water Supply in Kandon as an Example of Living Lao Socialism

The core argument of this paper is that English-language scholarly understandings socialism in Laos have been hampered by implicit ethnocentrism and denial coevalness. Lingering but pervasive legacies the Cold War include an equation ‘true’ with models were practised Europe, a triumphalist tone equates past, fake crumbling, even when it (as Laos) so evidently tangible part lived present imagined future. Better understanding requires kind work was done earlier generation scholars on power Southeast Asia, where concepts translated across difference rooting them local terminology, contextualisations usage. Following inspiration, I approach through example how problem water supply addressed resettled, ethnic Kantu village Sekong Province, Lao PDR. Why resettled? problem? What strategies did people use to obtain safe water? Answering these questions reveals some what means lives as self-identified socialist state.