Developing Vietnam’s socialist-oriented goal and model (Part 1)

With the Fourth Industrial Revolution, humanity is entering an era of turbulence and even an upheaval across many dimensions of development, demanding a reordering of the global system. While this era opens up opportunities for Vietnam’s integration and development, yet it also faces challenges in a very fierce new competition for progress within the international community. The nation cannot stand aside, cannot remain idle, and certainly cannot move forward half-heartedly, otherwise, it risks falling behind.

Part 1: The nation must rise and break through

Although Vietnam ranks 32nd in the world in terms of economic scale, it remains a developing country, the risk of falling behind is ever-present and the nation’s position could be left further behind at any moment if we proceed hesitantly without striving to rise and break through.

“Human beings are the center, the goal, the subject and the driving force of national development.” In the photo: Residents of Long Thanh commune, Dong Nai province, rejoice as they receive gifts from the Party and the State on the occasion of National Day, September 2. Photo: Nguyet Ha

For the nation, it is a matter of national pride. Without it, the country would decay and collapse on its own. As Karl Marx wrote: “Shame is a kind of revolution... shame is a kind of anger but directed inward. And if an entire nation truly feels ashamed, it will be like a lion crouching to prepare for a leap”. This is both a challenge and a demand for Vietnam in the new era. For thousands of years, rooted in the people, throughout flourishing dynasties, our forefathers always placed the national interest as the supreme goal in all actions to preserve independence and protect the people. To achieve great endeavors, they upheld the principle of “The people are the root of the nation”, “Above, follow Heaven’s mandate; below, heed the people’s will” (Ly Cong Uan); “nurturing the people’s strength” and “when the people are united, they can build a fortress”(Tran Quoc Tuan); “Righteousness lies in ensuring peace for the people,” “The people are like water: they can carry the boat, but also capsize it,” and “Loving and caring for the people, so that no village laments or suffers” (Nguyen Trai). Any dynasty that went against this principle inevitably collapsed. A progressive and civilized society is one in which the people are both the masters and the ones who exercise mastery. In the Ho Chi Minh era, since the mid-20th century, starting with the National Day of September 2, 1945, an independent and free Vietnam has been the nation of nearly 100 million compatriots. As the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed, “we need a society that develops for human beings, one that neither exploits people nor infringes on human dignity for profit.” History teaches: Whoever wins the people’s hearts wins the nation. Today’s comprehensive renewal depends on this principle, because “the people as the root,” “the will of the people is the will of heaven.” Over the past 80 years, including nearly 40 years of renewal, the great lesson of “the people are the root of the nation” has been the source and driving force of every success. Our Party is “the child of the Vietnamese working class,” and the Vietnamese State is of the people, by the people and for the people. The people’s interests, unified with the nation’s interests, must be the core around which renewal at all levels, in every field, must revolve for the unity, development, and endurance of the Vietnamese nation. That is fundamental. Few communist or workers’ parties worldwide can claim to be the genuine child of the working class as ours can. Thus, under the Party’s banner, “if the country is independent but the people do not enjoy happiness and freedom, then independence is meaningless.” This is the sacred Vietnamese principle: “Everything for the people’s happiness.” The people are the center and the subject of renewal, national building, and defense. Every policy must truly stem from their lives, aspirations, rights, and legitimate interests. That is the firm foundation uniting the entire people. To go against it is to be immoral and unjust.

Every cause of renewal must serve the noble goal: The people’s interests, aligned with the nation’s, must remain the core of every cause of renewal, in all dimensions and at every stage, to safeguard Vietnam’s unity, development, and longevity, and to ensure the people’s happiness. An independent and free nation with a happy people under the socialist banner is an immutable sacred principle, the soul, aspiration, and honor of Vietnam in the international arena. This is the Party’s objective in leadership and governance. This is the national stature of the people as the subject. As the owners and builders of the nation, the people advance democracy, civilization, and progress, thereby safeguarding and developing themselves on the foundation of the rule of law and national morality. This is the measure of political maturity, moral integrity, and civic responsibility for independence, freedom, and happiness. “Independence – Freedom – Happiness” is Vietnam’s spiritual and civilized value, and its truth. It is the precisely the submission to and practice of truth for every Vietnamese. Despite global change, this remains the universal aspiration of all peoples. “Independence – Freedom – Happiness” is the vision of the era.

“All citizens enjoy prosperous and happy lives, are supported to grow and prosper, and contribute increasingly to world peace, stability, and development, to human happiness and global civilization. The ultimate goal of this rising era is a wealthy people, a strong country, a socialist society standing alongside the great powers of the world.”

Party General Secretary To Lam

In 1996, at the Party’s 8th Congress, international opinion observed that the Communist Party of Vietnam remained focused on building socialism through reform: the achievements of the Vietnamese people were attributed to the Party’s earnest application of Marxism-Leninism to Vietnam’s specific conditions, under the name of Ho Chi Minh Thought. And as of 2001,at the Party’s 9th Congress, international opinion confirmed: “A wealthy people, a strong nation, a fair, democratic, and civilized society is socialism with a Vietnamese identity”. Without this, the country could not transform, break through, or accelerate toward becoming a developed nation under the Party’s leadership, realizing the people’s aspirations: Vietnam’s stature: Independence, Strength-National dignity: Resilience, Humanity-People’s rights: Freedom, Happiness. Therefore, the first characteristic of Vietnamese socialism must be “a wealthy people, a strong country, democracy, fairness, and civilization”, as stated in the Platform on national development during the transition to socialism (supplemented and developed in 2011), with the addition of “Happiness” factor to form the ultimate goal of Vietnamese socialism: a wealthy people, a strong country, democracy, fairness, civilization, and happiness.

Dr. Nhi Le, former Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Communist Review

Translated by M.Nguyet-Thu Ha