Monday, February 13, 2023 10:58

Communist Review - The ideological work is an important part in the Party building, the primary important factor to ensure the successful implementation of the revolutionary tasks. At present, the new context is demanding that it is necessary to raise further the combat, persuasiveness and effectiveness in the ideological work with a view to creating the high unanimity of willpower and action in the entire Party, people and army so as to organize the successful implementation of the goals and tasks worked out by the 13^th Party Congress.

Communist Party of Vietnam is imbued deeply with Ho Chi Minh thought, always upholds role of ideological work, considering it as “most important work” in  whole process of its revolutionary leadership

President Ho Chi Minh has always attached importance to the role of the ideological work in the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation. He stresses: “The ideological leadership is the most important work. The Party, inside or ouside of it, has recognized clearly the new situation, understood clearly the new tasks, and then ideology has been unified and when the ideology has been unified, the action can be unified. Once the ideology and action are unified inside and outside the Party and from the higher to the lower levels, then the tasks, however heavy they are, the work, however difficult and complicated it is, we are certain to be victorious” (1). At the same time, when laying stress on the importance in the ideological education and leadership, He is also resolute to fight against the “disease”of disregarding ideology and theory: The ideological education and the ideological leadership is the most important work of the Party, so the attitude of disregarding ideology must be resolutely opposed.

Propaganda and encouragement are the important links in the Party’s ideological work with the aim of disseminating and propagandizing the advocacies, lines, viewpoints and ideology of the Party to the masses. That is why, President Ho Chi Minh has paid special attention to the objects, characteristics and methods of propaganda in such a way as to be really “specific and practical”, as to “be easy to understand, to speak how to make people understand and understand to do it” (2); here, it is also necessary to pay attention to the method of persuasiveness “with reason and sentiment”, in combination with the method of setting an example, because “a living example is a hundred times more valuable than a propaganda speech” (3).

Having deeply imbued and grasped Ho Chi Minh thought, in the revolutionary stages, the Communist Party of Vietnam has always attached importance to the role of the ideological work, stressing that the ideological work is “the soul” of all  the oher works; it is not only aimed at carrying out the specific, urgent tasks in the immediate, but also the long-term tasks. The Party has always determined that the ideological work is the constituent part of primary importance in the whole leading activities of the Party; is the important field to build the confidence in the revolutionary ideology, to propagandize, educate, encourage and organize the people to promote the strength of the great national unity, to implement successfully the goals and the revolutionary tasks through the stages.

In the anti-aggressive heroic wars of resistance, the ideological work had passed “the flame” onto different generations, in which “the father generation goes first, the children generation follows/to become comrades sharing the same marching song”, winning the great victories over the French colonialists, over the US imperialists and the resilient fighting spirit to defend every sacred inch of land, every stretch of water of the Fatherland in the border areas and on the islands. Especially, in the national renovation, the Party has regularly mapped out the advocacies, tasks and solutions to enhance and renew the ideological work (4),  with the aim of creating the high unification in willpower and action of the whole nation, creating the general strength to implement successfully the political tasks; through which, it also affirms the leading position and role of the Party in building and defending the Fatherland of the socialist Vietnam.

Inheriting the viewpoints of the previous Party Congresses, sticking closely to the new situation, the 13^th Party Congress has made it clearer the role of special importance of the ideological work in the basic aspects: 1- To grasp thoroughly the “thorough-going leading ideology of the entire Party, people and army is to be consistent and to apply, develop creatively Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh thought; consistent in following the goal of national independence and socialism; consistent in following the Party’s renovation line; consistent in the principle of the Party building; the top interests of the country-nation must be ensured on the basis of the fundamental principles of the international law, equality, cooperation, mutual interests to build and defend firmly the Fatherland of the socialist Vietnanm. This is the issue of principle character, of vital significance for our regime, the solid foundation of our Party, nobody is allowed to wave, to hesitate” (5); 2- To determine that the ideological work is the important field to enhance the unity, unanimity, unification in ideology and politics in the Party, the consensus in the society; to promote the strength of the great national unity, the socialist democracy, to build and strengthen the political and spiritual foundation of the socialist regime in our country, contributing to carrying out successfully the ever more difficult and complicated political tasks.

At the same time, the 13^th Party Congress has also poined out the guiding viewpoint: “To continue to renew strongly the content and mode in the ideological work in the direction of being proactive, practical, in time and effective; to raise the combat, education and persuasiveness in the propaganda and in the study of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh thought, the viewpoint and line of the Party, the policies and laws of the State. To firmly grasp, forecast correctly, orientate precisely, treat correctly and in time the ideological issues in the Party, in society” (6) in order to create the unification in ideology and action in the entire Party, army and people.

Promoting recorded achievements, being determined to overcome difficulties and limitations; continuing to improve combat, persuasiveness, effectiveness of ideological work, meeting revolutionary requirements and tasks in new stage

The ideological work in recent time has smade worthy contributions to the great achievements of historic significance of the country. Specifically:

The political, ideological education, the study of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh thought continue to be promoted, the contents and forms are more diverse and abundant. The training and fostering of political theory has been renewed boh in content and in method; the training and fostering quality has been improved; the state of being lazy or fearful for learning the political theory among the contingent of cadres and party members has been gradually overcome. The study, grasp and deployment of implimening the Party’s resolution have seen a lot of renovations, thus creating the unification in awareness and action in the entire Party, thus taking the resolution into practical life soon; the quality of study and grasp has been improved, saving time and expenditure.

The theoretical study and the practical summary have been accelerated. Especially, the theoretical system of the renovation line, of socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam continue to be added and developed; contributing to renewing, adding and developing the theoretical thinking, to unifying the awareness of the issues of the foundation political theory; affirming the sustainable values of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh thought as well as the process of creative application in the facts; supplying the arguments for the struggle, criticism, refutation of the wrong and hostile viewpoints, contributing to improving the combat and persuasiveness to protect the Party’s ideological foundation.

The propaganda and popularization of the lines and advocacies of the Party, the policies and laws of the State have made an active contribution to improving the awareness, unification of willpower and action in the contingent of cadres and party members, particularly in the struggle to prevent corruption, wastefulness, to guard against and push back the degeneration in the political ideology, morality, lifestyle, the mainfestations of “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” from within. The Party has been focusing on leading and guiding the protection of the Party’s ideological foundation, on the struggle to refute the wrong and hostile viewpoints, particularly on the cyberspace and the marked results have been made. Together with it, the leading and guiding work of the press and publishing agencies have also seen the positive changes.

It is necessary to have the timely, close and effective measures to overcome all the limitations, weaknesses and inadequacies. Specifically: The ideological work somewhere, sometime still lacks the timeliness and incisiveness while the persuasiveness is not yet high; the political and ideological education for cadres and party members is yet to be carried out constantly; a part of party members is yet to grasp the Party’s line and advocacies. Even though a lot of efforts have been made in learning the political theory, it is yet to meet the requirements. The propaganda and dissemination of information about the Party’s lines and advocacies, the State’s policies and laws are yet to be in time and the forms are yet to be abundant. The combat in the struggle and refutation against the wrong and hostile viewpoints somewhere, sometime is not yet high, even in the passive, confused position. The forecast and grasp of the ideological situation of cadres and party members, the moods and aspirations of the people and the orientation in the social public opinion are yet to be timely. The results of implementing a number of advocacies of the Party in the press, communications and publishing management, the Internet and the social network management are still left much to be desired. The role of literature and art in the ideological work is yet to be promoted as required. The practical summary and the theoretical research are yet to be paid with proper attention and are yet to meet the requirements; a number of new, difficult and complicated issues are yet to be made clear (7).

The new stage has got a lot of favourable conditions, at the same time, made the new and ever higher requirements for the ideological work. The 13^th Party Congress has pointed out that in the coming years, the regional and world situation will witness a lot of rapid, complicated and unpredictable changes and will make direct impacts on our country, creating the alternative opportunities and challenges. Globalization, international integration continue to develop, the fourth industrial revolution will develop vigorously, creating the breakthrough in many areas, bringing about both opportunities and challenges to all countries. The Asia-Pacific region continues to have the important strategic position. In the Southeast Asia, the security environment, the dispute of sovereignty over the East Sea will still see complicated developments.

Four dangers pointed out by the Party have still existed, even certain aspect is still fiercer, particularly the danger of being left behind, of being fallen into “the middle-income trap” is still big there; the state of denegeration in the political ideology, morality and lifestyle, the manifestation of “self-evolution”, “self-transformation” in a part of cadres and party members, civil servants, public servants are still happening complicatedly; bureaucracy, corruption, wastefulness and negativities are still not pushed back effectively yet. The hostile, reactionary forces have sabotaged the revolutionary cause in an ever fiercer, particularly on the cyberspace. Globalization and international integration are ever more intensive and extensive, the Fourth Industrial Revolution has not only brought about opportunities, but also challenges, particularly in building an independent, autonomous economy, in protecting the domestic market, firmly maintaining independence in politics, protecting the national cultural identity and effectively resisting the activities that take advantage of the technological achievements to sabotage against the Party, the State, especially sabotage in the ideological area. Together with it, the COVID-19 epidemic has still happened complicatedly, causing difficulties and obstructions to the economic and social development and the pschychological uncertainty and unpredictability.

The above-said situation will make a strong, multidimensional impacts on psychology and ideology of cadres, party members and the people, demanding that the ideological work of the Party has to raise higher the combat, persuativeness and effectiveness. At the same time, the new context also requires an urgent demand of synchronous development in many important tasks and solutions so as to take the ideological work into the depth, specifically:

Firstly, enhancing the Party’s leadership in the ideologkcal work; closely coordinating all “the arms” on the ideological front, creating the general strength, meeting the requirements and tasks in the new situation. The Party’s leadership is the most decisive factor to enhance the combat, persuasiveness and effectiveness of the ideological work in the new stage. To raise higher the combat, persuasiveness and effectiveness of the ideological work, the party committees levels and organizations need to grasp deeply, stick closely and deploy the plan so as to concretize the Party’s resolutions on the ideological work, particularly the Resolution of the 5^th Plenum of the 10^th Party tenure, ”On the ideological, theoretical and press work befofe the new requirements” and the new viewpoints on the ideological work mapped out by the 13^th Party Congress.

Especially, it is necessary to enhance the propaganda and education of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh thought, the fine cultural tradition of the nation and the glorious revolutionary history of the Party, the unity, unification of the entire nation; to contantly improve the level of political theory for cadres and party members. To renew fundamentally the program, content, method of education of political theory in accordance with the motto “science, practicality, creativity and modernity”. To enhance the intensive and extensive propaganda of the Party’s lines and advocacies, the State’s policies and laws in combination with the boosting of the patriotic emulation movements with a view to creating the tremendous change, the consensus in awareness, unification of action in the Party and the people.

Secondly, to concentrate on the practical summary, combining the practical summary with the theoretical development, raising the theoretical level of the Party on the renovation line, on socialism, the path to advance towards socialism in Vietnam and to explain the new, difficult issues that realities have been posing. The “theoretical gaps”, if they are not settled thoroughly, will create “loopholes” for the hostile and reactionary forces to attack the Party’s theoretical basis. As for the difficult, complicated theoretical issues which still have different ideas, it is necessary to have it put to the extensive democratic discussions, to the final debate so as to be able to step by step iron out the differences before making any decisions, absolutely avoid any discussions in a formal, perfunctory way. The study, application and creative development of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh thought have to always combine with the struggle to protect the Party’s ideological foundation, raise the combat on the ideological, theoretical front; because this is the two sides of the theoretical work having the close, insaperable  relationship; it has to become the primary, constant task in the political, ideological and theoretical work of the Party.

Thirdly, to regularly grasp the ideological situation in the Party, in the people, to make the close and correct forecast of the social public opinion in combination with the active renewal in learning, thorough grasp and propaganda of the Party’s resolution. To raise higher the persuasiveness and effectiveness of the ideological work, it is necessary to firmly grasp, to correctly forecast, to precisely orientate, to treat correctly and in time the ideological issues in the Party, in the society; to pay attention to grasp and orientate the social public opinion; whence, there can be the correct, close orientation, to ensure the ideological unification in the Party, the high consensus in the society. In grasping and propagandizing the Party’s resolution, it is necessary to pay attention to thoroughly grasping and disseminating the fundamental, core contents, the new points in the resolution; to sticking closely to the areas, objects with the realistic interests, to paying attention to the pressing problems, the conflicts arisen in the process of development in realities. To diversify the modes of learning, to thoroughly grasp and propagandize the Party’s resolution, such as the direct connection with on-line so as to increase the persuasiveness, attraction and effectiveness.

Fourthly, the ideological work has to enhance the protection of the ideological foundation of the Party, to resolutely and regularly struggle to refute the wrong, hostile viewpoints, particularly on the cyberspace; to be proactive in supplying information in a timely, precise and objective manner with the correct orientation so as to prevent against “the peaceful evolution”, the malicious, malware information in the Internet, social network; To do so, it is necessary to identify clearly the distorting allegations of the hostile and reactionary forces on the Internet and social network; at the same time, to carry out in a methodical, basic way the research work of the Party’s ideological foundation. To concentrate on building the contingent of cadres who do in the specialized, deep theoretical work, who have profound knowledge and good qualification to struggle effectively on the ideological and theoretical front. So doing, we can be able to increase the combat, to protect effectively the ideological foundation of the Party, enhance the people’s confidence and the consensus in the society; at the same time, any activities making use of “ideological freedom”, “academic freedom” to propagandize the wrong, hostile and sabotageous viewpoints against the Party, the State, the regime, to divide the great national unity block, causing the social instability, obstructing the development of the country will not be allowed to happen. To carry out the struggle to protect the ideological foundation of the Party not only by the scientific, logical theory, but also  by the factual data, through the specific models, through “the good people, dood deeds” examples; through the use of the forms of modern communications, the multimedia communications, in combination with the application of the scientific and technological achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It is the practicality of the struggle in the areas full of difficulties and challenges that an urgent demand is made for the necessity to enhance further the combat and the persuasiveness of the arguments; through that, it will be strong enough to break to the root, to refute in a trenchant way the wrong, hostile viewpoints aimed at denying the leading role of the Party and the great achievements of historic siginificance that our Party and pepple have recorded.

To promote further the role of the press, literature and art on the ideological front and in the orientation of public opinion. The press has to enhance further  the combat, persuasiveness and effectiveness; has to be proactive to make timely response to the communications crisis; to make a contribution to forming the healthy social public opinion, to commending the “good people, good deeds” examples, to promoting the social consensus and consolidating and raising the people’s confidence in the Party’s leadership. The 13^th Party Congress stresses: “To enhance the management and orientation of the activities of the press agencies, reporters, editors to have the political abilities, the pure qualities and morality and to be the experts in professions so as to increase the effectiveness in the propaganda work; according to the stipulations of the Party and the laws of the State, to treat seriously the press agencies and reporters who have published the information which is yet to be verified and checked or which is groundless, thus causing no good influence to the social public opinion; to promote further the role of literature and art on the ideological front; to accelerate the application of the scientific and technological achievements in service of the propaganda work, ensure the ideological security on the cyberspace environment” (8).

Sixthly, the ideological work has to encourage and enhance the responsibility of  setting examples by cadres and party members, particularly the cadres of strategic level and the heads of agencies, localities and units; to combine it with the prevention of degeneration of the political ideology, morality, lifestyle, manifestations of “self-evolution”, “self-transformation”, to implement seriously, resolutely and thoroughly the Resolution of the 4^th Plenum of the 11^th, 12^th and 13^th Party Congresses. The ideological work has to increase and make more deeply the awareness that can move the hearts of the people, especially the contigent of cadres and party members, about the honour and value of life of each human being; to be conscious of and highly responsible for the self-respect and dignity to become a man. Each cadre and party member has to be conscious that they live amid the people, for the people, to understand thoroughly and try to meet the legitimate requirements and aspirations of the people, so that the people believe in the Party, love the Party, follow the Party, carry out in an active and creative way the advocacies, lines and resolutions of the Party, the policies and laws of the State.

Seventhly, to have the plan and strategy for development in a basic, methodical way of the contingent of cadres who do the ideological work, particularly the contingent of leading experts, along with the building of the policies on satisfactory and timely attraction and treatment. In the condition that the contingent of cadres and experts doing the ideological work is still small, then it is necessary to rapidly have the strategy and breakthrough solution for this issue. The fact shows that it is impossible to raise the combat, persuasiveness and effectiveness of the ideological work if it does not concentrate on the strategy of developing the contingent of cadres doing the ideological work. It is necessary to build and develop the contingent of cadres, select the experts in the spirit of meritocracy, of having the reasonable policy to encourage cadres to dare to think and to dare to do, to bring forward the proposals and solutions of breakthrough character to resolve the important and urgent ideological issues posed by the developing realities. To intensify the intensive and regular training and fostering of the contingent cadres doing the ideological work; to create the basic and long-term source for the development of this contingent. To perfect the regime and policy of special priority for those who do the ideological and theoretical work; to have the form of honouring and rewarding at the high degree for those who have made a lot of remarkable contributions, along with the great efforts to arouse the pride, raise the responsibility and work ethics of the contingent of cadres doing the ideological work.

Eighthly, the current ideological work has to make a contribution to promoting to the highest degree the willpower of self-reliant, self-strengthening, to arousing the spirit of creativeness, aspiration for the development of the prosperous and happy country, to carry out successfully the Resolution of the 13^th Party Congress. To focus on raising the awareness, to grasp deeply, regularly and continuously for the contingent of cadres and party  members to grasp firmly the content of the key ideologies reflected in the themes of 13^th Party Congress: To promote the building and revamping of the Party and of the political system to be pure and strong; to arouse the aspirations for the national development, to bring into full play the willpower and strength of the great national unity in combination with the epochal strength; to continue pushing ahead in a comprehensive and synchronous manner the renovation; to build and defend solidly the Fatherland, to firmly maintain the environment of peace, stability, to strive to the middle of the 21^st century, Vietnam will become the socialist-oriented developed country./.

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(1) Ho Chi Minh: Complete works, the National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, tomb 8, p. 554-555

(2) Ho Chi Minh: Complete works, Ibid, tomb 14, p. 159

(3) Ho Chi Minh: Complete works, Ibid, tomb 1, p. 284

(4) Resolution No. 05-NQ/TW, November 28, 1987, of the Political Bureau, the 6^th Party tenure, “On the renovation and improvement of the level of leadership,  management of literature, art and culture, promotion of the creative abilities, taking literature, arts and culture to develop to a new step”; Resolution No. 07-NQ/TW, on  August 24, 1989, of the 7^th Plenum of the 6^th Party tenure, “On a number of urgent issues on the ideological work before the current domestic and international situation”; Resolution No. 16-NQ/TW, on March 18, 2002, the 5^th Plenum of the 9^th Party tenure, “On the main task of the ideological, theoretical work in the new situation”; Resolution No. 16-NQ/TW, August 1, 2007 of he 5^th Plenum of the 10^th Party tenure, “On the ideological, theoretical and press work before the new requirement”; Resolution No. 35-NQ/TW, on October 25, 2018, of the Political Bureau, the 12^th Party tenure, “On the enhancement of protecting the Party’s ideological foundation, struggling to refute the wrong, hostile viewpoints in the new situation”; Conclusion No. 01-KL/TW on May 18, 2021 of the Political Bureau, the 13^th Party Congress, “On the continuity of implementing Instructions No. 05-CT/TW of the Political Bureau,  “On the enhancement of learning and following Ho Chi Minh ideology, morality and lifestyle”….

(5), (6) Documents of the 13^th National Party Congress, the National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2021, tomb I, p. 33, 181

(7) See: Documents of the 13^th Party Congress, Ibid, tomb II, p. 172 - 173

(8) Documents of the 13^th Party Congress, Ibid, tomb II, p. 234

This article was published in the Communist Review No. 995 (August 2022)