The driving force to lead Vietnam in the new era

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang - Politburo member, Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council spent time discussing with reporters about outstanding results in theoretical research on socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam over the past 40 years.

Professor, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, what achievements have we achieved in developing the theory of socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam over 40 years of renovation?

- First of all, it is necessary to emphasize that the starting point of the country's renovation process is the innovation of awareness and theoretical thinking, and first of all, the awareness and theoretical thinking about socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the collapse of the socialist system following the Soviet model, theoretical work has provided solid scientific arguments to affirm that this is not the collapse of socialism in general, but only the collapse of the model of parliamentary socialism, rigidity, and distance from the basic principles of Marx-Leninism, especially the historical-specific principles, practical principles and the lack of adaptation to the constant changes of political-social life. That is also the result of serious mistakes in political guidelines, lax leadership role of the Party, political-ideological work, organizational work, especially the work of cadres of the ruling party during the reform process. Right from that extremely difficult and difficult time, our Party clearly affirmed that we must innovate thinking about socialism and the path to socialism. Our Party has also firmly declared that, according to the laws of civilization of history, humanity will certainly move towards socialism.

After nearly 40 years of conducting the National Innovation campaign, summarizing and drawing profound lessons from the process of building socialism in the world and in Vietnam before innovation; steadfastly applying and creatively developing Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh's ideology in the new context, theoretical work has played a very important role in the National Building Campaign in the period of transition to socialism in 1991, the Campaign (supplement and development) in 2011, gradually forming and perfecting the basic theoretical system on socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam, with the following core and outstanding contents:

Firstly, the socialist society that the Vietnamese people builds has characteristics that both demonstrate the value, identity and development aspirations of the Vietnamese people, in accordance with the specific conditions of the country; and carry the universal and progressive values of humanity. Regarding the goal, it is: rich people, strong country, democracy, fairness, civilization. It is necessary to further emphasize that, from the perspective of inheritance and development, at the 13th National Congress, our Party has identified two 100-year goals: By 2030, the 100th anniversary of the Party's founding, it will be a developing country with modern industry and high average income; and by 2045, the 100th anniversary of the country's founding, it will become a developed country with high income. The draft Political Report submitted to the 14th Congress reaffirms these two goals, with the determination to build a peaceful, independent, democratic, rich, prosperous, civilized, happy Vietnam, firmly moving towards socialism.

In particular, the outstanding characteristics are: socialism dominated by the people; having a highly developed economy based on modern productive forces and appropriate progressive production relations; having an advanced culture, imbued with national identity; having a prosperous, free, happy life, having conditions for comprehensive development; the ethnic groups in the Vietnamese community are equal, united, respectful and help each other develop together; having a socialist rule of law state of the people, by the people, for the people led by the Communist Party of Vietnam; having friendly and cooperative relations with countries around the world.

Second, the Vietnamese socialist model is built on three pillars: a socialist-oriented market economy; a socialist rule-of-law state of the people, by the people, for the people under the leadership of the Party; and a socialist democracy.

Third, the basic guidelines and directions for building Vietnamese socialism, inheriting the contents of the 2011 Platform, supplementing and updating them in the spirit of the 14th Congress are: building and synchronously perfecting institutions for rapid and sustainable development of the country; establish a new growth model, restructure the economy, promote industrialization and modernization, taking science, technology, innovation and digital transformation as the main driving forces; develop a socialist-oriented market economy; building an advanced Vietnamese culture, rich in national identity, building people, improving people's lives, realizing social progress and justice; firmly ensure national defense and security, social order and safety; implementing a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, multilateralization, diversification, proactive and positive international integration; build socialist democracy, promote the will and strength of the people and the great national unity combined with the strength of the times; building a socialist law-governed state of the people, by the people, for the people under the leadership of the Party; Build a clean and comprehensively strong Party and political system.

Fourth, always grasp, thoroughly grasp and handle well the major relationships reflecting issues of the law of caution in the process of building, developing the country and protecting the socialist Fatherland, which are: the relationship between stability, innovation and development; between economic innovation and political innovation; between complying with market rules and ensuring socialist orientation; between developing productive forces and building and gradually perfecting socialist production relations; between the State, the market and society; between economic growth and cultural development, social progress, environmental protection; between building and protecting the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam; between independence, self-reliance and international integration; between the Party, State management and People's democracy; between strengthening social order and ensuring social order.

In particular, from theoretical research and summarizing the practice of socialist-oriented innovation over the past 40 years, our Party has gradually built and perfected the theory of the innovation line; as the draft Political Report submitted to the 14th National Congress of the Party affirmed: "This is the application, supplementation, and creative development of Marx-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh's ideology in the period of innovation; is the addition and creative development of the theory of socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam, in accordance with objective laws, originating from national reality and trend of the times; inheriting the good traditions of the nation, selectively absorbing the quintessence, cultural values and development achievements of humanity; is the stepping stone to continue to guide our vision of the national strategy, achieving new goals and achievements in the development of the nation."

Professor, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang, what premise do these theoretical achievements create for leading our country in the new era?

- It is necessary to affirm that over the past 40 years, the innovation of theoretical thinking has always been one step ahead, demonstrating the content, orientation, and strategic orientation for policies and strategies for innovation in all fields of economy, society, culture, national defense, security, foreign affairs, Party building and the political system... Thanks to that, our country has achieved great achievements of historical significance, creating a solid foundation for strategic autonomy, pride, confidence, and entering a new era of development.

From the thinking of centralized planning, opposing the market economy to socialism, the work of theoretical research and summarizing practice has contributed to clarifying the awareness that the market economy is a product of human civilization, with many models developed and adapted to many different forms of socio-economics, under capitalism as well as socialism; developing the market economy on its own cannot go to socialism, but to successfully build socialism, it is necessary to develop the market economy. The socialist-oriented market economy is a creative breakthrough in the Party's theory and is a model of general economic development of Vietnam in the renovation period.

deeply assessing the causes and consequences of isolation, embargo, closure and closure, our Party has innovated thinking, led the process of opening up the country and promoting international integration; inherited and promoted Ho Chi Minh's diplomatic ideology to build a system of Vietnamese diplomatic theories in the new period as a basis for planning and implementing the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, multilateralization and diversification of foreign relations; proactively and actively integrating comprehensively, extensively, synchronously and effectively; being a friend, a reliable partner and an active, important and responsible member in the international community; enhancing the country's role, position and prestige in the international arena.

With the correct perception, research, and summary of experiences from successes and failures in building socialist models in the world, our Party has completed the scientific basis for transformation and leadership in building a socialist rule-of-law state; practiced the creative principle of state power as unity but with division, coordination and control in the exercise of legislative, executive and judicial rights; at the same time, proposed the operating mechanism of "Party in leadership, State in management, People in mastery" and the motto "people know, people discuss, people do, people inspect, people supervise, people benefit" associated with perfecting socialist democracy, ensuring that all power belongs to the people, promoting the strength of the people and the national unity.

The Party's theoretical research work has also contributed to the formation of the policy of building an advanced Vietnamese culture with strong national identity, comprehensive development, unity in diversity; building a national value system, a system of cultural values, a family value system and human standards of Vietnam in the new era; taking people as the center and subject of development; making culture and people a solid foundation, an endogenous goal, strength, resources and important driving force for rapid and sustainable development of the country.

Inheriting the traditional military ideology and art of the nation, developing the people's war guidelines in the struggles for independence, national liberation, national reunification, and national construction and defense, the Party has built a theoretical system on national defense and security protection, national defense strategy, military strategy and modern combat thinking in the new situation, as a basis for the policy of closely combining socio-economic development with consolidating and strengthening national defense and security; building the People's Army, the People's Revolutionary Police, to be disciplined, elite, modern, strong in terms of potential, strength and position; protecting the Fatherland early, from afar, from when the country is not yet in danger; building a strong people's heart in the face of national defense and security, a strong people's heart in the face of the people's foreign war.

At the 14th Congress, the establishment of theering on the Innovation guidelines as a part of the Party's ideological foundation is a very important decision, demonstrating the courage, intelligence, innovative thinking, and strategic vision of our Party. That affirms that innovation is a creative cause of great historical stature and significance on the path of building socialism in Vietnam, implemented by the Vietnamese people; the Doi Luong guidelines are not only a collection of viewpoints, policies and guidelines for a period of development, but have been raised to the height of theory, along with Marx-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh's ideology, forming an ideological foundation, a guiding principle to lead the cause of building and developing the country and defending the Fatherland of Vietnam in the new period.

What are the important theoretical issues that need to continue being studied in the medium of the 21st century, sir?

- In the coming time, it is necessary to focus on performing well a number of theoretical research tasks, summarizing the following practical tasks:

Continue to research and clarify some general problems of the "Vietnam Revolutionary Theory" background.

Study the application and supplementation, develop the creativity of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's ideology, the theory of the Party's reform guidelines; continue to affirm the sustainable values of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's ideology, clearly identify the contents that need to be more correctly recognized and applied, the contents that need to be supplemented in accordance with the new specific conditions of the country and the changes of the times, constantly perfecting the Party's ideological foundation, affirming the pioneering role, revolution and leadership, governance, and fighting strength of the Party.

Continue to research, supplement and develop theories on socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam; deepen the pillars and characteristics of the socialist model, the direction of building socialism and the resolution of major relationships in building and defending the socialist Fatherland of Vietnam. Focus on summarizing and deepening lessons about the cause of building socialism must always be placed under the leadership of the Party and the lesson of "people are the root", the people are the center and subject of the cause of building, developing the country and defending the Fatherland, affirming that these are two decisive factors for all victories of the Vietnamese revolution in general, of the cause of building socialism in Vietnam in particular.

Research and summarize theoretical and practical issues, historical lessons learned over 100 years of the Party's leadership in the Vietnamese revolution; summarize 40 years of implementing the Countryside for National Construction during the transition period to socialism 1991), form a comprehensive foundation to serve the construction of the Countryside for national construction and development and national defense in the new era, the era of national growth.

Focus on supplementing theories and summarizing practices on the Vietnam development model.

Strengthen the summary of practical development models and growth models of domestic localities and countries around the world, draw lessons, find effective, creative and highly feasible development methods in the digital age. Build a theoretical system on synchronously perfecting institutions for rapid and sustainable development, including foundational institutions, innovative institutions and breakthrough and outstanding development institutions in all areas of social life to help our country catch up with the trend of the times, even surpass in some areas with advantages, overcome the middle-income trap, become a developed country with high income. To deepen the idea of "taking people as the center," focusing on improving the material, spiritual and happiness life of the people on the principle of inclusive and sustainable development, ensuring that no one is left behind, all people have the opportunity to participate and enjoy the fruits of the development process.

On that basis, it is necessary to affirm and clarify the "Vietnam development model" with its own identity, with outstanding characteristics: rapid, inclusive and sustainable development, taking people as the center, operating on the principle of: "developing to stabilize, stabilize to develop quickly and sustainably the country, improving the lives and happiness of the people" to build a rich, democratic, prosperous, civilized and happy Vietnam.

Timely grasp and thoroughly analyze new problems in today's world.

In the context of a rapidly moving, complex and unpredictable world, it is necessary to strengthen and improve strategic forecasting analytical capacity. Theoretical work needs to be pioneering in researching contemporary changes; the formation of a new economic era under the impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution; major trends in the world in the first half of the 21st century; multi-dimensional movement of the global situation; strategic competition between powers and the ability to shape a new world order; future social model of humanity with profound impacts and cultural and social changes; crisis of values, traditional development models and drawing lessons...

In particular, focus on researching and distillating modern development teachings and ideas, the quintessence of development values of the East, inheriting, combined with the progressive elements of the West, continuing to perfect the national value system, cultural value system, family value system and Vietnamese human standards.

On the the theoretical foundation of modern scientific and practical socialism, continue to research and summarize the world's awareness of 21st century realism; focus on summarizing typical models of socialism, deeply studying the trends of democratic socialism, market socialism, ecological socialism, technological socialism (compared to digital entrepreneurship) ... contributing to providing a basis for perfecting the theoretical system on socialism and the path to socialism in Vietnam. Building a unique theoretical system that demonstrates breakthrough thinking and revolutionary development transformations in the new era, the era of the Vietnamese people's rise.

Clarify the content, conditions and methods of building new productive forces, provide arguments for the implementation and promotion of revolutionary development changes of the country, such as: breakthroughs in science, technology and innovation, digital transformation, green transformation, energy transition, restructuring and quality of human resources... Supplement and perfect the theory on developing socialist-oriented market economic institutions at a high level, focusing on breakthrough and outstanding institutions to strongly free up all resources, potential and new development space. Research and summarize new theoretical and practical issues in implementing the policy: culture and people are the foundation, goals, endogenous strength, resources and important driving forces for development; focus on continuing to arouse and promote patriotism, pride, confidence, national self-respect, the will for self-reliance, self-reliance, self-strengthening, and the aspiration for creativity and dedication of each Vietnamese people in the new era.

Completing the theory on social development management in line with the trend of social change in our country in the coming time. Forming a comprehensive theoretical system on Party building and the Vietnamese political system to orient towards perfecting the overall model of the political system; innovating the Party's leadership and governance methods, especially supplementing, developing and deepening the Party's leadership methods, organizational and operational principles; making breakthroughs in personnel work to meet the requirements of the new period; strengthening the close relationship between the Party and the people; controlling power, promoting democracy in the conditions of a ruling party; preventing and combating corruption, waste, bureaucracy, negativity and manifestations of degradation in political ideology, ethics, lifestyle, preventing "self-evolution," "self-transformation"...

Research theory, summarize new practices to continue perfecting the model of a socialist rule of law state; smoothly combine the universal values of the world and the specific values of Vietnam; innovate the thinking of law-making, shift from management thinking to national governance thinking, development governance; improve the effectiveness of assignment, coordination and control between executive, legislative and judicial agencies, promote decentralization, delegation and democratic practice, control of power, enhance publicity, transparency, accountability...

Build a theoretical system on national defense, national security protection and promote foreign affairs and international integration in the new situation; develop defense theory, military, security and military arts, national security protection art, social security as a basis for building the military force, revolutionary police force, disciplined, elite, modern; perfect and synchronously deploy national defense and security strategies. Develop a comprehensive and unique thinking on protecting the Fatherland early, from afar, and protecting the country before it is in danger. Continue to supplement and perfect the foreign policy theory system, demonstrating the unique foreign policy and diplomacy of Vietnam in the new era, "immutable, constantly changing", steadfast in principles, strategies and flexible, flexible in strategies to protect national and ethnic interests.

Sincerely thank Prof. Dr. Nguyen Xuan Thang.

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