Communist Review - The great achievements of historical significance over the past 35 years of Doi Moi have evidenced the actual value achieved by socialism in Viet Nam. That is development for humans, development to raise the conscience and dignity of Vietnamese people. Only by taking the path to socialism can Viet Nam gain such great accomplishments. And it is these achievements that are the premise, creating a bright future for our country.

On the occasion of the 131^st birthday of President Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890 - May 19, 2021), General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong wrote a special article titled: "A number of theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the path to socialism in Viet Nam”; in which, the path to the national development, the noble values ​​that the Party and the Vietnamese have steadfastly implemented in accordance with the wishes of President Ho Chi Minh during his lifetime have been mentioned in a scientific, comprehensive, profound, specific and dialectical manner. The General Secretary stressed: “We need a society in which development is truly for humans, not for exploitation and dehumanization for the sake of profit. We need economic development accompanied by social progress and equality, not an increase in the gap between the rich and the poor or greater social inequity. We need a society of compassion, solidarity and mutual assistance towards progressive and humanistic values, not unfair competition where “the weak are meat, and the strong do eat” to satisfy the selfish interest of a few individuals and cliques.  We need a sustainable development in harmony with nature to secure a healthy living environment for present and future generations, instead of unlimited exploitation and possession of resources, unrestrained consumption and destruction of the environment. And we need a political system where power truly belongs to the people, is enforced by the people and serve the people, not merely the interest of the wealthy few.”⁽¹⁾ Such beautiful ideals are the true values of socialism, and they are also the goal and the path that President Ho Chi Minh and our Party and people have chosen and are steadfastly pursuing.

The General Secretary’s aforementioned views are the particularly profound summary of domestic and international theories and practices as well as the steadfast and consistent statement about the path to socialism of Viet Nam in the new situation. Thanks to Doi Moi with various achievements of historical significance, "never before has Viet Nam achieved such fortune, potential, position and international prestige as today". This is an eloquent and vivid demonstration of the central value of development for humans in recent years, as well as the national development orientation in the coming years.

First and foremost, it is the rapid and sustainable economic development on a national scale, as well as in each locality.

After 35 years of Doi Moi, from a country with poor economy, suffering from a severe socio-economic crisis, belonging to the group with the lowest per capita income in the world, being hit by hunger, importing food and receiving regularly international aid, Viet Nam has now enjoyed a stable development foundation, recognized by the world community. Not only has the country got out of the socio-economic crisis, escaped from the state of siege and embargo, got free from the status of a less developed country, but it has also become a middle-income country, aiming at becoming a country with high average income in the coming years. In 1988, GDP per capita was only 88 USD, by 2020, this figure reached 2,779 USD⁽²⁾, an increase of more than 31.5 times in more than three decades. In terms of commodity exports, from an import-and-aid-dependent country, Viet Nam has now transformed to become one of the world’s leading agricultural product exporters. Numerous global organizations consider Viet Nam an impressive new development phenomenon that has been actively contributing to ensuring food security for many regions in the world through the annual export of millions of tons of food and various other products. In 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the country still exported 6.2 million tons of rice, 1.5 million tons of coffee, about 900 thousand tons of cashews and pepper⁽³⁾, bringing about an export turnover of tens of billions of USD. Regarding the market, its markets have been significantly expanded, from a few traditional socialist friends to more than approximately 200 countries and territories around the globe.

Particularly, in remote and mountainous areas, income increases and economic development achievements are evident. For instance, in the Northwest mountainous region, in the early years of Doi Moi, ethnic minorities lived mainly on subsistence production, self-sufficiency, suffered from frequent hunger and lack of food. However, there have now appeared a variety of good production and breeding models here. The typical examples of economic development among ethnic minorities in the Northwest mountainous region have been the driving force improving local economy, much better compared to the early years of Doi Moi. People’s assets and income have been on the constant rise. The structure of crops and livestock has experienced a rapid change with high productivity; trading has become bustling; services, tourism, agricultural product processing industry have been constantly expanded. The agricultural products of ethnic minorities in the Northwest not only meet the local people’s needs, serve the domestic market, but also have initially been exported to fastidious markets in the world, such as Son La's fruit entering the Japanese and Australian markets, Lai Chau's matcha tea products entering the Russian and Japanese markets. In the near future, Lai Chau's macadamia products will be available in both domestic and international markets. Together with the whole country, the Northwest mountainous provinces are actively integrating into the world economy, the material and spiritual life of local ethnic minorities is constantly improving; the economic potential and strength of the people in the highland, mountainous and remote areas in general and in the Northwest mountainous region in particular are more and more strongly affirmed. This is the reality of the value of development for humans in Viet Nam from the economic perspective.

Secondly, along with rapid and sustainable economic development, the value of development for humans is also reflected in the assurance of social progress and justice in combination with economic growth.

There are different modes of development in the world. Some countries choose to first prioritize economic growth and then solve social issues; others overemphasize social factors, which affects growth goals. To implement a comprehensive reform, from the beginning and throughout the development process, Viet Nam has combined economic growth with social progress and justice. The reality of more than 35 years of Doi Moi has shown that Viet Nam's development method is unquestionable. Achievements in economic development have created decisive conditions for the implementation and improvement of all social issues. Achievements in social progress and justice have become a driving force for sustainable economic development. A great success in hunger eradication and poverty reduction has been achieved, turning Viet Nam into one of the countries having successfully attained various Millennium Development Goals launched by the United Nations ahead of schedule. The United Nations value the country as one of the model examples for poverty reduction. The proportion of poor households decreased rapidly, with the figures for 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 being 9.2%, 7.9%, 6.8%, 5.7%, 4.8% respectively⁽⁴⁾. According to the new multidimensional poverty line, the rate, as of January 2021, decreased to only 4.8%. After three decades, the national poverty rate has now decreased more than 10 times compared to that over 50% of households in the 1990s of the 20^th century. In particular, the rate of poor households in mountainous, remote and isolated areas decreased significantly. In the Mekong River Delta and the Central Highlands, the poverty rates as of December 2020 were 4.2% and 11%, respectively. Along with poverty reduction results, the income gap calculated on the basis of income per capita/month between the highest income group and the lowest income group, between urban and rural areas tend to be narrowed. Income differences according to per capita index was 5.44 times in urban areas, 7.98 times in rural areas, and 8.07 times in the whole country in 2020 and 7.2 times, 9.6 times, and 10.2 times in 2019 in turn⁽⁵⁾. The gaps in socio-economically difficult regions, such as the Northern Midlands and Mountains, the Central Highlands, and the Southwest, have shown lower income disparity and better social equality. Specifically, the monthly income difference between the highest and lowest income groups in the Northern Midlands and Mountains, the Central Highlands, and the Southwest was 10.1, 10.5; 8.4 in 2019; and was 9.6; 8.26; 6.92 in 2020 respectively. The level of income difference among regions tends to decrease, which is a very positive trend, showing that the level of social equality in Viet Nam is guaranteed to be in line with development requirements. The coefficient of income inequality (GINI coefficient) on a national scale as well as in each locality, especially in disadvantaged areas, tends to decrease over time. Specifically, the GINI coefficients for the whole country in 2018, 2019, 2020 were: 0.425; 0.423; 0.375 respectively, demonstrating an increasing level of income equality. Looking at regions with difficulties, there is also a trend of progress, specifically: the GINI coefficients of the Northern Midlands and Mountains in 2018, 2019, 2020 were: 0.444; 0.438; 0.420 respectively. The GINI coefficients of the Central Highlands region in 2018, 2019, 2020 were: 0.440; 0.443; 0.406 and the GINI coefficients of the Southwest region in the respective years were: 0,400; 0.395; 0.368⁽⁶⁾.

Thirdly, the level of inequality in benefits among regions as well as in the whole country has gradually decreased.

Together with the improvement in income, the level of civilization reflected in the index of housing, accessibility to basic services, such as health care, education, clean water, rate of domestic electricity use, percentage of Vietnamese households with valuable items and modern means of communication has also been positively improved. This is shown in the percentage of households using electricity for daily life in the most difficult regions of the country, such as the Northern Midlands and Mountains, the Central Highlands, and the Southwest in recent years. Specifically, in most of the above-mentioned areas, electricity is accessible to over 90% to 99% of local people⁽⁷⁾. Similarly, the percentage of households being able to access clean and hygienic water as well as durable living utensils and qualified latrines in disadvantaged areas ranges from over 95% to 99% in all regions and localities⁽⁸⁾.

In order to promote social civilization and rural civilization, and further improve people’s living standards in rural areas, the National Target Program on building a new rural area has been implemented. After 10 years of implementation, "By the end of 2019, there were more than 4,800 communes (54%) reaching the standards of new rural areas;  15.7 criteria were met by each commune on national average; no communes achieved less than 5 criteria; the program was completed 1.5 years ahead of schedule and exceeded the 10-year target (2010 - 2020). By the end of 2020, over 62% of communes reached the standards of new rural areas and 173 districts reached the standards of new rural districts” ⁽⁹⁾. Up to now, 100% of communes have had roads leading to the commune headquarters. Such mountainous, highland and remote provinces as the Northwest, the Central Highlands, and the Southwest, have road systems paved and telecommunication systems extended, contributing to promoting trade, developing services, bringing prosperity and happiness to local people. The most disadvantaged ethnic groups, such as the La Hu people in Lai Chau province, the Ruc people in Quang Binh province, have had opportunities to benefit from those achievements, which helps to preserve their own ethnic cultural identity as well as catch up with other fraternal ethnic groups. From living life as in the ancient time, they have now owned televisions and mobile phones, stabilized life, started production and improved income. This once again affirms that the motto of leaving no one behind is not a slogan at all.

Fourthly, the results gained in the comprehensive development of new people are increasingly greater over time.

The manifestation of this tendency is that the Viet Nam’s Human Development Index (HDI) gradually increases over time. Specifically, Viet Nam's HDI over the years are as follows: 0.687 in 2017, 0,700 in 2018, 0.703 in 2019, and 0.702 in 2020. Special attention has been paid to education; the number of schools as well as teachers and students has continuously grown at a high speed, which is recognized worldwide. As of September 30, 2020, Viet Nam had 26,403 high schools: 5,080 in the Northern Midlands and Mountains region; 2,117 in the Central Highlands; 4,560 in the Southwest. Classroom development index has increased steadily over the school years. The index of primary schools for the 2018 - 2019 school year was 99.6% and for the school year 2019 - 2020 was 100.2%; that of secondary schools in the above-mentioned school years were 99.0% and 100.9%; that of high schools were 100.9% and 101.7% respectively⁽¹⁰⁾. In terms of public health, it can be seen from the number of hospital beds and doctors that public health care has been constantly improving. In 2015, the total number of hospital beds nationwide was 306,100, which increased to 330,800 in 2020, an average increase of tens of thousands. Similarly, the number of doctors by region has also shown a positive improvement. Statistics in 2020 showed that the whole country had 96,229 doctors, in which, Northern Midlands and Mountains: 14,436 doctors; Central Highlands: 4,671 doctors and Southwest: 16,340 doctors⁽¹¹⁾. Its percentage of children under 1 year of age vaccinated makes Viet Nam a country with high rates in the global ranking. In most regions, this rate was over 96%⁽¹²⁾. The development and preeminence of the health care system has been promoted from central to grassroots levels. Particularly, in the current complicated situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, the superiority of the healthcare system is evident in its ability to mobilize the entire force of doctors and nurses, as well as material resources to cure and care for people’s health.

Fifthly, preserving and building a society rich in cultural identity, compassion, solidarity and mutual assistance towards progressive and human values.

The community of 54 brotherly ethnic groups in the common Vietnamese house is rich in cultural identity. The good values of the cultural identity of each ethnic community are always preserved and promoted. The tradition of mutual love, good solidarity and respect for friendship has been summed up and passed down from generation to generation. The ideology that "Blood is thicker than water" has become an invaluable spiritual connection to bring people close together, giving, sharing and caring for each other anytime, anywhere. These days, while the country is making efforts to prevent and combat the COVID-19 pandemic, the spirit of mutual love and good solidarity is more evident than ever. Rice as well as clothes are shared among people in the spirit of charity; there are examples of doctors, people taking care of their compatriots and those in difficulties more than taking care of themselves and their families. The voluntary giving of love, care and sharing has become a natural value in the veins of every Vietnamese. At the difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the Party's highest leader, the General Secretary made a call for the entire people to unite in the fight against the pandemic. Responding to the General Secretary’s call, people have launched movements to support and share difficulties with hardest-hit areas. Overseas Vietnamese have also sent home their love, care, and encouragement to local people suffering from the pandemic. Those noble and human values have always been proved and lit up in every step of the development and throughout the process of socialist-oriented development for humans in Viet Nam.

Sixthly, taking care of the ecological environment, considering the ecological environment the human living potential.

During the development process, especially in recent years, the Party and State have promulgated different guidelines and policies, as well as implemented positive measures to protect the environment. Together with the Party and State, people with their sense of responsibility for the environment always actively participate in the process of preserving the living environment. Movements of afforestation are boosted. Tree planting festival is a unique beauty in Viet Nam. “On average, the whole country grows 279.9 thousand hectares of concentrated forest every year, of which 94% are production forests” ⁽¹³⁾ with high economic value. All-people voluntary movements to clean up rivers, seas and land have been widely deployed by all social, religious, and mass organizations. Viet Nam does not only take care of its domestic environment, but also plays an active role in global environmental protection by participating in a series of international treaties on environmental protection and adaptation to climate change. These are really powerful examples illustrating the real value of socialism in the national development process, which pays great attention to the life of people both at present and in the future.

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(1) Nguyen Phu Trong: "Some theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the path to socialism in Viet Nam", Communist Review, No. 966, May 2021, p. 5 - 6

(2) See: Document of the 13^th National Congress of Deputies, National Politics and Truth Publisher, Hanoi, 2021, vol. II, p. 9

(3) See: General Statistics Office: Statistical Yearbook 2020, Statistics Publisher, Hanoi, 2021, p. 246

(4), (5), (6) See: General Statistics Office: Statistical Yearbook 2020, Sdd, p. 879, 853, 872

(7), (8) See: General Statistics Office: Statistical Yearbook 2020, Sdd, p. 888, 884 - 897

(9) Documents of the 13^th National Congress of Deputies, Sdd, vol. II, p. 23

(10), (11), (12) See: General Statistics Office: Statistical Yearbook 2020, Sdd, p. 777, 840, 841

(13) Documents of the 13^th National Congress of Deputies, Sdd, vol. II, p. 23

This article was published in the Communist Review No. 972 (August 2021)