在越南現代歷史裏，二十世紀的前半段是個政治狀況嚴峻的時期，在法國的殖民統治下，全國被分割分三大塊。一連串從南到北，反抗法國的起義事件，各顯神通，有的是武裝攻擊，有的是政治直衝擊。不同的外國強權割據，各地冒出政治的及武裝的勢力，相互爭奪以取得影響力。造成全國危機，越南人在政治、經濟、文化、社會及精神上都陷入危境。
  高臺教在此危境中誕生，起初是純宗教運動，然後在越南的南部成為實力團體，在1930s 到 1950s約三十年間威脅到法國的統治政府。
  採用了質化研究法，社會變遷理論，二個Hestrom的模型，考慮到社會文化，精神，歷史，政治的事實。本篇研究結果顯示： (1) 高臺教：起初是純宗教運動，然後意外的及有意的涉入政治。(2) 高臺教有五個特色。(3) 道高臺的政治參與，滋養了國家主義者的活動，在招募兵馬人才上，扮演一個模範角色。並且在越南現代史上ｉ最危急、最動盪的時期做出了貢獻----分散了法國人的力量，用到其他的社會運動上，而且也為高臺教自己爭取到成長的空間。

The political context of Vietnam in the first half of the twentieth century underwent a so-called “critical period” in the modern history of Vietnam when the whole nation was divided into three territories under the French Colonization. A series of uprisings against the French colonists took place from North to South in various forms from direct political confrontation to armed collisions. The occupation by different foreign forces and the emergence of a variety of political and armed forces fighting against each other for their political influence left the whole country in a deep crisis in all areas: politics, economics, culture and social and spiritual life of all Vietnamese people. 
Amidst the chaos, an originally purely religious movement called Caodaism emerged and later became a true power in Southern Vietnam, threatening the ruling French government in Indochina and other political or armed forces during the three decades from 1930s to 1950s. 
By taking a qualitative approach within the framework of social change theory and using the two Hestrom’s theoretical models with regard to socio-cultural, spiritual, historical and political facts, this research result has revealed that (1) Caodaism, a pure religion by origin was both accidentally and by purpose politically involved; (2) Caodaism had its own five distinguished characteristics from other political forces, and (3) the Caodaists’ political engagement did nurture the spirit of the Nationalist movement, played a good example of how to recruit forces and contributed to disperse the French forces, enabling other movements to have space to develop during the most critical and dynamic period in the modern Vietnamese history.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION	1
1.1 Background	1
1.2 Research Questions	5
1.3 Significance of the Research	5
1.4 Research Methodology	7
1.4.1 Research Design	7
1.4.2 Data Collection and Analysis	8
1.5 Theoretical Framework and Analytical Model	9
1.6 Scope and Limitations of the Research	11
1.7 Structure of the Thesis	12
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW	15
2.1 Chapter Introduction	15
2.2 Caodaism versus Đạo Cao Đài	16
2.3 Caodaism as a Political Religious Movement	17
2.4 Theoretical Concepts	20
2.4.1 Religion, Faith, Sect, Cult	20
2.4.2 New Religious Movement	27
2.4.3 Political Religious Movement	30
2.5 Religion and Its Influence	32
2.5.1 Religion and Politics	32
2.5.2 Religion and Violence	34
2.5.3 Religion and Nationalism	37
2.5.4 Religion and Social Movement	41
2.6 Chapter Conclusion	45
CHAPTER THREE: SOUTHERN VIETNAM DURING 1920s	50
3.1 Chapter Introduction	50
3.2 Southern Vietnam as a French Colony	52
3.2.1 Political and Economic Background	52
3.2.2 Social Background	56
3.3 Vietnamese Nationalist Forms	61
3.4 Southern Vietnamese Indigenous Religions	65
3.5 Chapter Conclusion	69
CHAPTER FOUR: THE CAO DAI RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT	71
4.1 Chapter Introduction	71
4.2 History, Structural Organization and Philosophy of Caodaism	73
4.2.1 History of Caodaism	73
4.2.2 Structural Organization	77
4.2.3 Caodaism’s Doctrine and Philosophy	80
4.3 Cao Dai’s Political Involvements	82
4.3.1 Cao Dai’s Political View	82
4.3.2 Cao Dai and French Colonists	86
4.3.3 Cao Dai and the Japanese Colonists	94
4.3.4 Cao Dai and other political groups and movements	99
4.4 Chapter Conclusion	102
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION AND FINDINGS	106
5.1 Chapter Introduction	106
5.2 Discussion and Findings	107
5.3 Chapter Conclusion	117
CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSION	121
BIBLIOGRAPHY	125
APPENDIXES	130
Appendix 1: Further Theoretical Models	130
Appendix 2: Structural Organization of Caodaism	131
Appendix 3 Picture Illustrations	133







 
List of Maps
Map 1: French Indochina in the 19th Century	1
Map 2: Six Cities and Provinces in Cochinchina in 1861	4

List of Figures
Figure 1: The Main Gate of Tay Ninh Holy See	3
Figure 2: Cao Dai Armed Force in 1947	17
Figure 3: Cao Dai Armed Force in 1947 at Tay Ninh Holy See	18
Figure 4: Indochina 1908 - 1954	51
Figure 5: A Spiritist Session by Caodaist Mediums	72
Figure 6: Ngo Van Chieu - First Disciple of Caodaism	74
Figure 7: The Interim Pope of Caodaism Thuong Trung Nhut	76
Figure 8: The Supreme Leader of Caodaism Pham Cong Tac	77
Figure 9: The Bishop Thuong Vinh Thanh - Commander-in-Chief of Cao Dai Army	85

List of Charts
Chart 1: Core Components of the DBO Theory	10
Chart 2: Dyadic Interaction between Actor I and Actor J according to the DBO Theory	10

List of Tables
Table 1: Religious Influence on National Movements	39
Table 2: Comparison of Traditional and Contemporary Sociological Outlooks	43
Table 3: Special Conditions for a Movement to materialize and maintain itself	44

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