Communist Review - The viewpoints of President Ho Chi Minh on the political abilities of the revolutionary Party are of profound significance both in theory and practice for the Party building in politics at present. In the condition of promoting in a synchronous and comprehensive manner the renovation and intensive and extensive international integration, the contingent of cadres and party members of the Party has to be constantly ever more trained and raised with the political abilities, thus contributing to raising the Party’s leading capacities and fighting powers.

Ho Chi Minh abilities - political abilities of genuine revolutionary Party

Right from early 1920s of the 20^th century, when disseminating Marxism-Leninism in the workers’ movement and the patriotic movement of Vietnam, in preparation for the conditions to set up the Communist Party, leader Nguyen Ai Quoc - Ho Chi Minh had expressed His political abilities with His own and creative viewpoints. At that time, the Communist International (Comintern) was yet to see fully the role of the colonial revolution and held that the revolution in the colonial countries could only be successful when the proletarian revolution was successful in the capitalist countries (the main countries). In May 1921, Nguyen Ai Quoc held that the revolution in the colonial countries in Asia could be proactive in winning victories and also “could be able to help their brothers in the West in the task of liberating completely” (1). Being an enthusiastic international activist, particularly in the Communist International, Nguyen Ai Quoc had attached great importance to making the best use of the support, solidarity and help of comrades and international friends to the liberation of His nation. But He was clearly conscious that it was necessary to rely on our own strength for self-liberation, “if we want their help, then first of all we have to help ourselves” (2). The willpower of self-reliance of His is very clear and has become the willpower of the entire Party and the entire nation.

In such a backward feudal, colonial country as Vietnam, Nguyen Ai Quoc understood clearly the cruel policy of French colonialism; and from it, He wrote “An Indictment of French colonialist regime”. In a colonial country, the national contradiction was extremely fierce; therefore, the struggle for national liberation had to be placed on top of everything, not the class struggle as in the Western capitalist countries. This was very clear in the  viewpoint of Nguyen Ai Quoc. The exploiting classes in Vietnam (landlords, bourgeoisie) were all small, a part of it had a national and patriotic spirit to a certain extent. “The class struggle did not happen like in the Western countries” (3). “If the peasants almost had nothing, the landlords also did not have any big assets; if the peasants lived on the least necessities, then the life of landlords had nothing to be luxurious; if workers did not know how much they were exploited, then their employers did not know at all the instrument for exploitation was the machines; those who had not any trade union organization, the others did not have the trust.  Those who had to bear their fates, the others were plunged in their greediness. The conflict in their interests had been reduced. This is undeniable” (4). “Nationalism is the great motive force of the country” (5).

Due to the characteristics and such the national contradictions, class contradictions, when founding the Communist Party of Vietnam (February 1930), in the first Program of the Party, leader Nguyen Ai Quoc pointed out the strategic goal: To make Vietnam completely independent in an advance towards the communist society. The Party advocated to enlist people of all strata and all classes in the society to fulfill the task of national liberation.  The viewpoint of Nguyen Ai Quoc had not been correctly understood by the Communist International and by some comrades, even He was also regarded as having the manifestation of nationalism. However, Nguyen Ai Quoc was persistent in keeping His viewpoint in upholding the national struggle and until the 7^th Congress of the Communjist International (July 1935), some of the comrades in the Communist International had shared with the viewpoint of Nguyen Ai Quoc when the Communist International advocated that the communist parties should establish the National, democratic Front against the danger of fascism, the danger of a world war. On June 06, 1938, Nguyen Ai Quoc sent a letter to a comrade in the Communist International, pointing out that He had 8 years in “the inactive state”, that was why “I want to make a proposal to you that please don’t let me live in so long a time in the inactive state  and it is like living next to, outside the Party” (6).

In 1938, the Communist International agreed to let Nguyen Ai Quoc return to His country to lead the revolutionary movement. It needs being stressed that the revolutionary realities of Vietnam in the 1930s of the 20^th century had proved that Nguyen Ai Quoc’s viewpoints were right, creative, without being dogmatic. The Conference of the Party Central Committee (November 1939) chaired by General Secretary Nguyen Van Cu was held in Ba Diem (Hoc Mon, Gia Dinh); it had advocated to place the task of national liberation on top of all. On January 28, 1941, Nguyen Ai Quoc returned to the Fatherland in Ha Quang, Cao Bang. Here, He had convened and chaired the 8^th Conference of the Party Central Committee (May 1941). The Party Central Committee had completed the line on national liberation with the goal of winning at all costs the independence, with the spirit of independence above all else, the nation above all else, the Fatherland above all else. The class interests had to obey the national interests: “During this time, the interests of a part, of the class must be put under the life and death, the existence of the country, of the nation. During this time, if the national liberation has not been resolved, if independence and freedom of the entire nation have not been seized, then not only the whole country and nation have to endure the horse and buffalo life, but also the interests of a part, of the class cannot be reclaimed for thousands of years” (7).

This correct advocacy had united all the forces possible and promoted the strength of the entire nation to resolutely “devote our strength to liberate ourselves”, so as to win victory of the 1945 August Revolution. On the height of the consciousness, winning the independence and freedom for the nation, there were the interests of a part and the class in it. Having settled correctly the relationship between the national interests and the class interests had manifested the political abilities and the mind stature of President Ho Chi Minh and the Communist Party of Vietnam. Later, President Ho Chi Minh repeated the viewpoint that we had to always start from the realities of the country, and we  had better not “use the slogan of class struggle when we hear other people talk about class struggle, but we have to consider our country’s situation so as to carry it out correctly” (8).

In the 1945-1946 period, the Vietnamese revolution had to fight the enemy inside and outside the country, the situation was “like the Democles’ sword”. President Ho Chi Minh and the Party Central Committee had expressed the abilities and special sensitiveness in politics and were determined to defend the independence and the revolutionary power, firmly maintain he Party’s leadership, at the same time had the clever policy of “acting according the circumstances”. On November 11, 1945, the Party declared to dissolve itself, but actually it had withdrawn into clandestine operation to protect the forces. “The Party has to resort to all means to exist, to operate and to develop, for a more secret and effective leadership and for having more time to consolidate gradually the forces of the people’s administration, consolidate the Unified National Front. At that time, the Party could not hesitate. Hesitation will spoil all, so the Party had to resolve it very rapidly, had to use the methods – even these were the painful methods – to save the situation” (9).

In the leadership of the socialist revolution, President Ho Chi Minh had attached great importance to creative thinking, analyzing the concrete situation of the country, combining with the experience of the countries, without being banausic and dogmatic. In 1956, He was aware that “Socialism is to do how to make the people rich and the country strong” (10). “We cannot be like the Soviet Union, because the Soviet Union has the different customs and habits, the different history” (11). “And the bourgeois class in our country had the tendency against imperialism, the patriotic tendency, so if we can convince them cleverly, lead them wisely, they can follow the direction of socialism” (12). In 1957, President Ho Chi Minmh analyzed the conditions of Vietnam when the country had just got out of the feudalist and colonialist yoke, so it was very backward. “In such conditions, what method, what form did we have to use, what speed did we have to follow so as to advance gradually towards socialism? These are the immediate issues placed before our Party now” (13). He pointed out: “We have to improve the nurturing of Marxism-Leninism so as to be able to use the standpoint, viewpoint and method of Marxism-Leninism to sum up the experience of our Party and analyze correctly the characteristics of our country. So doing, we could be able to gradually understand the development law of the revolution of Vietnam, determine the lines and mottos, the concrete steps of the socialist revolution suitable to our country’s situation” (14).

In the process of leading and holding power, the Communist Party of Vietnam had also made certain mistakes and shortcomings, either in the great issues or in the narrow framework or in some party members.  They are the “leftist”mistakes in the Instructions on Party purging of the Trung Ky (Central part of the country) Regional Party Committee (1931), but the Party Central Committee had criticized in time the shortcomings of some comrades in the unprincipled collaboration with the Trotskist elements and in the propaganda and mobilization of the masses; the existence of two regional party committees (the  Tien Phong and Giai Ohong regional party committees) in Nam Ky (Southern part of the country) before the General Uprising in August 1945. When the Party held power, a number of cadres had committed errors: Illegal action, relying on power, depraved, division, arrogance and President Ho Chi Minh had criticized in time and requested them to correct these mistakes. When there were mistakes in the Land Reform (1956), the Party Central Committee and President Ho Chi Mimh had self-criticized before the entire people and were determined to make amends to these faults. Self-criticism when making mistakes was the demand for a genuine revolutionary party. He pointed out: “A Party hides its shortcomings is a wrong Party. A Party has the gut to recognize its faults, has made clear these faults, pointed out the reason why it has made these faults, considered carefully the situation in which these faults had been made and then tries to find ways to rectify them. So it is a progressive, brave, firm and genuine Party” (15).

President Ho Chi Minh is the founder, leader and trainer of the Communist Party of Vietnam. His ideology has been shining and will shine fore ever the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation. Ho Chi Minh’s abilities are the political abilities of the genuine revolutionary Party, reflected in the main contents: Firstly, the Party held high the aspiration for independence and freedom of the Fatherland, of the compatriots; placed the interests of the country and the nation above all, at the same time showed its absolute loyalty to the socialist ideology, the communist ideology; in any conditions or circumstances, the Party had not separated from these fundamental goals. Secondly, independence and autonomy, with the spirit always starting from realities of the revolution, of the country so as to apply creatively the scientific and creative theory of Marxism-Leninism, to select the suitable fighting form and method and the effective motto and path of socialist construction. To resolutely fight against revisionism, the “leftist”, the “rightist” opportunities; at the same time to combat against dogmatism, hastiness and voluntarism. Thirdly, to firmly grasp the revolutionary principle, while being flexible and supple in stratagem of “acting according to circumstances”; to be proactive and steadfast to overcome all difficulties and challenges, to be resolute to firmly maintain the independence in the interests of the country and the nation, show no confusion and wavering in the dangerous situation and strongly believe in the victory. Fourthly, to frankly admit the errors and shortcomings with the serious, progress-seeking attitude and with the determination to correct them. All the errors and shortcomings in the leading and power-holding process had been rectified effectively by the Party, and from it, the confidence of the people had been consolidated, the unification and unity in the Party and the consensus in the society had been strengthened.

Training, raising political abilities - important content in building Party to be pure and strong in general and building Party in politics in particular

Training, raising the political abilities has got the close relationship with the content of building the Party in politics and made great influence on even building the Party in ideology, theory, morality, organization and cadres. Raising the political abilities is the requirement set for the Party and also the requirements set for each cadre, party member, particularly the leading and managing cadres at the strategic level.

The Political Report, the Report on the Party building work and the implementation of the Party Rules and the Resolution of the 13^th Party Congress, all have placed the task of building the Party in politics, ideology, morality, organization and cadres above all else. All these fundamental contents in the Party building have got the close relationship and mutual decision, so as to direct to the political goal being the promotion of comprehensive and synchronous renovation, the successful building of socialism and firm protection of the Fatherland of socialist Vietnam. In the final analysis, the issue of building the Party in politics of such a revolutionary, power-holding party as our Party is of significance that decides the revolutionary nature, the working class nature, the the popular nature of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

The Political Report of the 13^th Party Congress stresses that to enhance the Party building in politics with the following fundamental content: “To be persistent and constantly to apply and creatively develop Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh thought in conformity with the realities of Vietnam in each stage. To be persistent in following the goal of national independence and socialism. To be persistent in taking the renovation line for the goal of the rich people, the powerful, democratic, equal and civilized country. To firmly maintain the Party’s working class nature, to persistently keep the Party’s principles. To raise the abilities, the forecast capacities and the quality of making the lines and politices to be in conformity with the realities of Vietnam and the tendency of the epochal development. To institutionalize, concretize in time, to deploy correctly and effectively the Party’s lines and advocacies, the State’s policies and laws, overcome the weaknesses in leadership, guidance and organization of implementation. To raise the political standpoint and abilities, the level, mind, the fighting character of the party committee levels, party organizations and of each cadre, party member, first of all, of the key leading and managing cadres at different levels and at the strategic level. To practice democracy within the Party in close association with the intensification of the Party’s disciplines and rules” (16).

From the new realities, the Communist Party of Vietnam has withdrawn a lot of experience lessons. In which, the primary lesson is: “The Party building and revamping must be deployed resolutely, comprehensively, synchronously and regularly in politics, ideology, morality, organization and personnel” (17). The first and foremost experience in the Party building work is “to raise the political abilities; to persistently apply and creatively develop Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh thought, strictly implement the Party’s principles; to sum up in time the practical work, to develop theory for innovation, against conservativeness and inertia; to resolutely struggle against all the manifestations of political opportunities” (18).

From the guidances of President Ho Chi Minh, from the experience and lesson of the Party building in the renovation period, the content, direction of building the Party in politics at present, it is necessary to pay attention to the following big issues:

Firstly, on the basis of summing up the realities, developing theory, constantly adding and developing the renovation line, the program on the national construftion on the path to socialism.

In the Party building in politics, the primary issue is to build, perfect and ensure the correctness of the program, the line, strategy and stratagem of the Party. This is also the fundamental condition for the successful leadership and power-holding of the Communist Party. The program and line are always the combination between the theoretical principle, the objective law and the historical characteristics and situation of the country, of the revolution in each period and they have always originated from the realities so as to apply and develop theory in a creative way. Thanks to the correct and creative application of the theoretical principle of Marxism-Leninism on the revolutionary war that the Party had mapped out the suitable liberation revolutionary line and the resistance war line to take the cause of the national liberation to complete victory. In the line of the socialist revolution before the renovation, sometimes we were yet to be correctly aware of the law, thus falling into hastiness, subjectiveness and voluntarism, resulting in committing the errors and shortcomings. The renovation line of the 6^th Party Congress (December 1986) had both corrected the shortcomings and renewed the theoretical mindset so as to be aware more clearly of socialism and the transititonal period to advance towards socialism in Vietnam. The Party’s renovation line has been constantly added and developed. The Program on national construction in the transitional period to socialism (1991), added and developed in 2011, are really the continuity of that mindset. The 13^th Party Congress continued to develop the theory, sum up the realities so as to make clear a lot of new issues due to the movement and development of the country and of the time.

The 13^th Party Congress has also stressed the relationship between the loyalty to the theories of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh thought and the constant development of the theory and renovation of consciousness. Loyaltry without being able to develop will fall into dogmatism, conservativeness, inertia; development without loyalty will possibly commit revisionism, opportunism and deviation.  The relationship between the consistency in principle and innovation must be always put to the Party, to each cadre and party member, particularly the leading and managing cadres at the strategic level – the contingent with the role of the line planning.

Many issues on the Party building in politics have been posed to the big lines and advocacies, the Party’s strategic decisions must have the solution to timely treatment, in close association with the perfection of policies and laws of the State. The 13^th Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam stresses the relationship between the laws of the market and the socialist orientation, between the State and the market and society. In the condition that the Party is in power and the building of the socialist rule-of-law State of the people, for the people and by the people, then the policy and law of the State are the institutionalization of the Party’s line and therefore, it has the close relationship with the Party building in politics. The more perfect and effective are the policies and laws, the more effective the realization of the Party’s lines and Program is. The 13^th Party Congress has added a very important great relationship, it is the relationship between the practice of democracy, enhancement of legal system and ensurance of social discipline. This is the big social and political problem of the power-holding Communist Party. The motto of “The people know, the people discuss, the people do, the people inspect, the people supervise and the people enjoy the benefits” also belongs to the category of the Party leade politics, builds the politics for the people and so it is the requirement of the Party building in politics.

Secondly, to firmly maintain the working class nature, raise the political abilities and level and mind of the Party of of each cadre and party member, particularly the leading and managing cadres at the strategic level.

The Party’s working class nature is the sacrifice and striving for the national independence and freedom, for socialism, for the thorough liberation of nation, class, society and human beings; is the revolutionary vanguard in the liberation struggle and aspirations for construction and development of the powerful, prosperous and happy country; is the noble political quality, the sacrifice, the consciousness of organization and discipline, the serious style of work, the close collective spirit with the industrial style. In the scientific-technological revolutionary time, the knowledge-based economy, artificial intelligence have been developing vigorously, then the working class nature is also the intellect level, the modern education. The Party and each cadre and party member, particularly the leading and managing cadres, must be really the symbols of intellect.

The Party’s political abilities must be deeply perceived as the condition to ensure for the Party to complete the mission of a genuine revolutionary party that leads the country and society. The 13^th Party Congress stresses that in the condition that the world has seen a lot of unpredictable changes, it is necessary to raise “the forecast capacities”, analyze and judge correctly the realities of the country and the “trend of the epochal development”. This has demanded the Party and the contingent of cadres and party members to always raise the spirit of independence, autonomy, creativity and special sensitiveness in politics. The political decisions of the Party must ensure the correctness and preciseness, without being landed in passivity and surprise in all fields. The Party’s political abilities have required that all the party organizations, the party committee levels, each cadre and party member must, “first of all, the key leading and managing cadre and the strategy-level cadre”, raise high their fighting characteristics. To resolutely criticize and eliminate the wrongdoings and shortcomings, to protect the right things, to protect those cadres who dare to speak, dare to do and dare to bear responsibilities for the common interests; who dare to carry out renovation, innovation, dare to overcome and with enough abilities and capacities, to overcome difficulties and challenges to fulfill the tasks.

Building the Party in politics has always directed towards the possibility of realizing the best and most effectively the Party’s programs and lines, or it means implementing the political goals of the Party, of the class and the nation. After having the correct line, then the entire problem lies in the capacities of implementing the lines, the practical action.

Thirdly, the Party building in politics is to practice the broad democracy within the Party, uphold the Party’s responsibilities before the country and the people.

In the renovation work, the Party is consistent in leading the construction and development of the country on the socialist path. The renovation realities have shown ever more clearly the awareness of socialism in Vietnam with 8 characteristics already determined in the Program (added and developed in 2011). One of these characteristics is to build a society “of the people being the masters”; that is why, it is necessary to build and constantly perfect the socialist democracy. Practising the socialist democracy in society is a very important basis and also an objective requirement to promote and practice the broad democracy within the Party. The 13^th Party Congress stresses the content “To practise democracy in the Party is closely associated with the enhancement of discipline and rules in the Party”. It is the content that needs being well aware of and being persistently implemented. When starting the renovation work, the Party stressed the need for renovation of working style, overcoming the state of bureaucracy and separation from the realities, from the people; leading by the democratic method on the basis of promoting  democracy.

It is necessary to be well aware that the content of the Party building in politics stressed at the 13^th Party Congress is to affirm the goal of national independence and socialism. To be persistent in the renovation line for the rich people, the powerful, democratic, equal and civilized country. This persistency reflects the high responsibility of the Party for the country and for the people on the development path, at the same time also the responsibilities before the history, before the path already taken by the Party, Uncle Hồ and the Vietnamese people – the resolute selection since 1930 when the Communist Party of Vietnam came into being. The political goal of the Party, of the nation and that development path is the sole correct path and there will not be any other paths.

The Party’s political responsibility for the national development, in the interests of the country - the nation and peace in the people’s life is very important. It is not only the mission, the principle, but also the conscience and honour of the Party. Article 4 of the 2013 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam prescribes: “The Communist Party of Vietnam is intimately associated with the People, serves the People, under the supervision of the People and is held responsible before the people for its decisions”. The responsibilities of the party committee levels, party organizations and administration, particularly the responsibilities of the heads have all been mentioned  in many resolutions of the Party on the Party building and the 13^th Party Congress continues to affirm it. The fact shows that in any sector, any area, any locality or any unit where responsibilities have been upheld and strictly carried out, it is where a lot of fruits have been obtained in the development, the people’s confidence have been consolidated, the leading and power-holding capacities and the fighting powers of the Party have been lifted. All the manifestations of indifference, impassiveness and lack of responsibilities have brought about the negative consequences for the revolutionary cause of the nation; that is why, all the party organizations and the contingent of cadres and party members of the political system must be strict and proactive to prevent and push them back, making a contribution to building the Party to be pure and strong to be worthy of the trust and effection of the people./.

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(1) Ho Chi Mimnh: Complete works, the Truth National Political Publshing House, Hanoi, 2011, tomb 1, p. 48

(2) Ho Chi Minh: Complete works, Ibid, tomb 2, p. 320

(3), (4), (5) Ho Chi Minh: Complete works, Ibid, tomb 1, p. 508, 509, 511

(6) Ho Chi Minh: Complete works, Ibid, tomb 3, p. 117

(7) Complete Party documents, the Truth National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2000, tomb 7, p. 113

(8) Ho Chi Minh: Complete works, Ibid, tomb 5, p. 312

(9) Ho Chi Minh: Complete works, Ibid, tomb 7, p. 27

(10), (11), (12) Ho Chi Minh: Complete works, Ibid, tomb 10, p. 390, 391, 391

(13), (14) Ho Chi Minh: Complete works, Ibid, tomb 11, p. 92

(15) Ho Chi Minh: Complete works, Ibid, tomb 5, p. 301

(16), (17) The documents of the 13^th Party Congress, the Truth National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2021, tomb I, p. 180-181, 95

(18) The documents of the 13^th Party Congress, Ibid, tomb II, p. 225-226

This article was published in the Communist Review No. 988 (Avril 2022)