President Ho Chi Minh's Testament is a special historical document, of great value in both theory and practice, containing many profound contents on building the ruling Party, especially the issue of practicing democracy and the principle of democratic centralism in the Party. After 55 years, his teachings on this issue still retain their historical and contemporary value.
President Ho Chi Minh's Testament and the viewpoint that "practicing democracy is the universal key that can solve all difficulties" (1)
Practicing democracy and the principle of democratic centralism in the Party according to President Ho Chi Minhs Testament
It can be seen that the first thing in President Ho Chi Minh's Testament is the advice on building the ruling Party: "FIRST OF ALL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PARTY", He affirmed: "Our Party is a ruling Party" (2), the leadership of the Party is the decisive factor in the victory of our country's revolution. He pointed out that the Party's leadership of the State and society is a principle that demonstrates the Party's ruling role. The reason why the Party has the honor of holding such a great responsibility is because the purpose of the Party is nothing other than "leading the working masses to fight as a class to eliminate capitalist imperialism and realize a communist society" (3); therefore, "the Party is not an organization to become an official and get rich" (4). To prevent the risks of degeneration, corruption and the elimination of the "becoming an official and getting rich" ideology in the Party, in the Testaments that He wrote from 1965 until his death, it was clearly stated: "The first thing to do is to rectify the Party" (5). The work of rectifying the Party is a strategic task, a regular task to make the Party have enough capacity, intelligence and revolutionary morality, in order to maintain the Party's leadership and ruling role, "fulfilling the task of national liberation, making the Fatherland rich and strong, and the people happy" (6). To carry out this task well, the Party must practice widespread democracy. President Ho Chi Minh's Testament is the highest crystallization and summary of his system of views and thoughts on democracy and democratic practice in the Party. He paid special attention to and considered the practice and promotion of democracy in the Party as one of the core principles of Party building and rectification, making the Party have a strong internal strength and a solid foundation in the great national unity bloc. Only when practicing democracy, the Party can truly be worthy of being the representative of the class and the nation, and the people can truly unite around the Party and follow the Party's leadership. That is also the principle governing the relationship between "Party's will" and "people's heart". For that reason, he always showed sincerity, frankness, uprightness, kindness, charity, and respect for consensus and solidarity. Solidarity - Democracy - Consensus for development, that is a whole philosophy in President Ho Chi Minh's revolutionary actions and democratic practice. Practicing democracy is one of the five great, typical practices throughout the life and career of President Ho Chi Minh. They are: Practicing theory in practice; practicing democracy; practicing mass mobilization; practicing solidarity and great solidarity; practicing revolutionary ethics, diligence, thrift, integrity, and lifelong fighting against individualism as fighting against internal invaders.
In the logic of all practices, especially democratic practice, President Ho Chi Minh always consistently had a great ideology, which lies in the word "PEOPLE": Democracy - Mass mobilization - Nation - Great national solidarity, to spend his life for the people, to be closely attached to the people (7). Respecting, trusting and loving people is the fundamental, profound thing that made President Ho Chi Minh successful in practicing democracy.
Through his Testament, his thoughts on practicing and promoting democracy in the Party are expressed in the following basic contents:
- Regarding the building of the Party's organization and apparatus to meet the requirements and tasks in each revolutionary stage, President Ho Chi Minh emphasized that practicing democracy "allows everyone to say everything, listen to what is right, explain and correct what is wrong, in those agencies everyone is active and the disease of "whispering, whispering" is gone... Only with democracy can cadres and the masses come up with initiatives" (8).
- Regarding the building of solidarity and unity within the Party as a premise for practicing democracy within the Party, in his testament to future generations, President Ho Chi Minh pointed out: "Solidarity is an extremely precious tradition of the Party and of our people. Comrades from the Central Committee to the Party cells must preserve the unity and consensus of the Party as they preserve the pupil of their eye... We must keep our Party truly pure, worthy of being the leader and the truly loyal servant of the people” (9).
- Regarding the building of solidarity and unity within the Party as a premise for practicing democracy within the Party, in his testament to future generations, President Ho Chi Minh pointed out: “Solidarity is an extremely precious tradition of the Party and our people. Comrades from the Central Committee to the Party cells must preserve the solidarity and unanimity of the Party as if preserving the pupil of their eye... We must keep our Party truly pure, worthy of being the leader, the truly loyal servant of the people” (9).
- Regarding the work of mobilizing the masses, Party organizations, each cadre and Party member must do a good job of mobilizing and helping the people, respecting the people’s rights, creating conditions for the people to inspect and supervise the activities of the Party and the State. President Ho Chi Minh always reminded the Party, the State and people’s organizations to trust the people, know how to rely on the people, and promote all potential capacities within the people; “Maintaining close contact with the people and always listening to their opinions is the foundation of the Party’s strength and thanks to that, the Party will win” (10).
- Regarding the role and responsibility of each cadre, party member and party organization, He set out the requirement of creating conditions for the people to exercise their right to mastery. Democracy in His concept is not only practiced in the political field, but also in all other fields, such as: economic, cultural, social development, law-making, etc. In each of these fields, there is the responsibility of party organizations in practicing and promoting democracy.
The idea of democracy and practicing democracy in the Party and the political system is one of the very important ideas in Ho Chi Minh’s ideology. That is also the prerequisite to ensure that people exercise their right to mastery, which has been uniquely expressed in the provisions of our country's first Constitution - the 1946 Constitution - in all areas of social life. President Ho Chi Minh was early interested in the issue of people and human rights in practicing democracy. According to him, people are the driving force and goal of democracy. Human rights in democracy must first of all include freedom, prosperity, happiness, food, clothing, and education. Right from the early years of the country's independence, he determined: "We have won freedom and independence, but if people keep starving and freezing, then freedom and independence are useless. People only know the value of freedom and independence when they have enough to eat and wear. We must immediately: 1. Give people food. 2. Give people clothes. 3. Give people a place to live. 4. Make people educated” (11).
President Ho Chi Minh emphasized that people only know freedom and democracy when they are not only well-fed and warmly clothed but also educated. When the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was established, more than 90% of the population was illiterate and uneducated (12), so the provisional government chaired by President Ho Chi Minh issued Decree No. 17, dated September 8, 1945, on establishing a mass education movement to help the entire population eliminate illiteracy. Ignorance is as dangerous as famine and foreign invaders. Right after the first meeting of the Government (September 3, 1945), he announced that he would meet with representatives of organizations: “From this year on, I will be very happy to meet with representatives of organizations” (13). That is truly a democratic government that respects the people, trusts the people and is for the people. That is also the practical content of democratic practice that he has exemplary implemented since the first day of the Government's establishment, and it still retains its value and current significance.
Thanks to Ho Chi Minh's thought on linking democracy with mass mobilization and great national unity, all the country's work is resolved by the people's strength, aiming to serve the interests of the people and for the people. And this is the source for him to affirm that "practicing democracy is the universal key that can solve all difficulties" (14).
President Ho Chi Minh's testament identifies practicing democracy within the Party as "the best way to consolidate and develop the solidarity and unity of the Party" (15)
In his Testament left to future generations, President Ho Chi Minh mentioned the core, fundamental and important issues of the Vietnamese revolution. Regarding the issue of practicing democracy, he considered this to be the “best way” to build and increase internal strength as well as solidarity and unity within the Party. He advised: “In the Party, practicing democracy extensively, regularly and seriously, self-criticism and criticism is the best way to consolidate and develop the solidarity and unity of the Party” (16). Combining that with his instructions throughout his life on the issue of democracy, it can be seen that practicing democracy within the Party is practicing the principle of democratic centralism. He pointed out: “The Party is organized according to the principle of democratic centralism. That is: there is a unified Party chapter, unified discipline, and a unified leadership body. Individuals must obey the organization, the few must obey the many, lower levels must obey higher levels, and localities must obey the Central Committee” (17);
“The people elect representatives to carry out the government on their behalf. That is democracy. The government agencies are unified and centralized. From the people's councils and the administrative resistance committees of the communes to the National Assembly and the Central Government, the few must obey the many, the lower levels must obey the higher levels, and the localities must obey the Central Government. That is both democracy and centralization” (18); “From the province, district to the Party cell, we must follow the principle of collective leadership and individual responsibility. Internally, we must be truly united. All matters must be discussed democratically and collectively” (19). President Ho Chi Minh believed that “practicing democracy is the universal key to solving all difficulties”; however, democracy must be associated with centralization, and accordingly, we must implement the principle of collective leadership and individual responsibility. He emphasized: “Collective leadership and individual responsibility must always go hand in hand... Collective leadership is democracy. Individual responsibility is concentration. Collective leadership, individual responsibility, that is democratic centralism” (20). Correctly understanding and strictly implementing the principle of democratic centralism will make our Party increasingly stronger, unified in both ideology and action, so that “Although our Party has many members, when it comes to fighting, it is only like one person” (21).
Thus, President Ho Chi Minh deeply explained the nature of democratic centralism and considered it an important principle in Party building; at the same time, he emphasized that centralism and democracy are the dialectical unity of two elements, always going hand in hand; democracy must lead to centralism and centralism must be on the basis of democracy; collective leadership must go hand in hand with the assignment of individual responsibility. Democratic centralism includes centralism and democracy. These two elements are not contradictory to each other but are always unified with each other and impact and complement each other. Centralism is on the basis of democracy; democracy has leadership, is guaranteed by centralism. Only by maintaining concentration can democracy be implemented and expanded. Developing and expanding democracy is always associated with maintaining and strengthening concentration; on that basis, the more democracy develops, the more solid concentration becomes. Accordingly, all work in the Party must be discussed democratically. Every Party member has the right to express his or her opinion, but when making decisions, the minority must obey the majority, the lower level must obey the higher level, the whole Party must obey the Central Executive Committee and the highest level is the Party's national congress. According to President Ho Chi Minh, democracy is not opposed to concentration but only opposed to autocracy and dictatorship. Concentration is not opposed to democracy but only opposed to dispersion, arbitrariness, disorganization and lack of discipline. Democracy is the basis of concentration and concentration can only be effectively implemented on the basis of truly promoting democracy in the Party. Concentration on the basis of democracy is completely different from bureaucratic, arbitrary and dictatorial concentration. Democracy with the guarantee of centralization is also completely different in nature from formal democracy, anarchist democracy, unorganized and undisciplined freedom. In other words, centralization and democracy are two dialectically unified aspects that cannot be separated. Centralization supports and ensures that democracy is implemented within a framework and under control; democracy helps centralization be implemented flexibly and effectively in leadership and management. In terms of leadership and management, President Ho Chi Minh required the practice of democratic centralism to be closely linked to the implementation of collective leadership and individual responsibility. He affirmed: Collective leadership is democracy. Individual responsibility is concentration. Collective leadership and individual responsibility is centralized democracy. Thus, it both promotes the responsibility of individuals and promotes the power of collective intelligence. It is necessary to ensure maximum democracy in discussion and debate to seek the truth. When the truth has been found, freedom of thought becomes the freedom to obey the truth.
The historical practice of the collapse of the socialist regime in the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries is a painful lesson about the laxity, deviation, and incorrect implementation of the principle of democratic centralism of the communist party, leading to the loss of democracy within the party. Accordingly, some socialist countries tend to focus on bureaucratic centralism and rigid unity, leading to violations of democracy within the party, and a series of mistakes appear: patriarchy, authoritarianism, and personality cult. Some other socialist countries lower the centralism and unity, leading to chaos and anarchy. The mistakes in the perception and implementation of the principle of democratic centralism have seriously damaged the leadership role of the communist party, hindered development, and are one of the main causes leading to serious political, economic and social crises, eventually leading to the collapse of the socialist regimes of those countries.
The Platform for National Construction in the Transitional Period to Socialism (Supplemented and Developed in 2011) states: The Communist Party of Vietnam is the vanguard of the working class, at the same time the vanguard of the working people and the Vietnamese nation; a faithful representative of the interests of the working class, the working people and the nation. The Party takes Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought as its ideological foundation and compass for action, and takes democratic centralism as its basic organizational principle. The Party Charter approved by the 11th Congress (in 2011) states: “The Party is a tight-knit organization, with unity of will and action, and takes democratic centralism as its basic organizational principle” (24). Article 9 of the Party Charter states: “The Communist Party of Vietnam is organized according to the principle of democratic centralism” (25).
Thanks to the correct determination and strict implementation of the principles of Party organization and activities, especially the principle of practicing democracy within the Party according to the ideology and Testament of President Ho Chi Minh, together with the implementation of the resolutions and conclusions of the 4th Central Conferences of the 11th, 12th and 13th terms on Party building and rectification, associated with promoting the study and following of Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and lifestyle, in recent times, the work of Party building and rectification has achieved many important and comprehensive results in all aspects.
The current political requirements and tasks of our country are very great and heavy, requiring further improvement of the Party's leadership capacity and fighting strength. To do so, it is necessary to correctly identify and promptly overcome the limitations and shortcomings in implementing the principles of Party organization and activities, including the practice of democracy, especially the principle of democratic centralism, as pointed out by the 13th National Party Congress: “The implementation of the Party's organizational principles, especially the principle of democratic centralism, in some places is not strict, even violated, causing internal disunity, and in some places there are still manifestations of localism and group interests” (26).
In the new development stage of the Vietnamese revolution, the Party has promoted unity of will and action in the work of Party building and rectification, demonstrating its absorption of President Ho Chi Minh's ideology and teachings on the principle of practicing democracy in all Party activities. In order for our Party to always be clean, strong, and on par with new requirements and tasks, the application of Ho Chi Minh's thought on the principle of democratic centralism in all Party activities has become extremely important and urgent, a key issue, having a decisive significance for the prestige and leadership capacity of the Party, deciding the success or failure of the revolutionary cause. It can be said that practicing democracy, especially the principle of democratic centralism within the Party according to President Ho Chi Minh's Testament in the current situation, is an important strategic solution to promote Party building work associated with Party rectification, making the Party, the State and the political system clean and strong, consolidating the people's trust in the Party and the socialist regime. It is necessary to make the democratization process associated with legalization, tightening social order and discipline to build socialism and socialist democracy in our country. It is a long-term process of innovation, a practical school to train democratic consciousness, democratic culture and create a new step of development, a real maturity of democratic consciousness and capacity of the Party and all our people in the process of innovation and international integration.
As the leading force, guiding the nation, the Party must set an example in practicing democracy and implementing discipline and order. That is the premise for fully promoting democracy in society and strictly maintaining discipline and the law of the country. Accordingly, it is necessary to promote the practice of democracy, actively prevent and combat the degradation of political ideology, ethics and lifestyle of cadres and party members, especially leaders and managers at all levels; step up the prevention and combat of corruption and negativity; strictly handle individuals and organizations that violate democracy and disregard discipline and the law of the country.
In the coming time, to enhance the effectiveness of practicing democracy, especially the principle of democratic centralism within the Party according to President Ho Chi Minh's teachings, it is necessary to focus on implementing the following main solutions:
Firstly, continue to strengthen the building and rectification of a strong and comprehensive Party, improve the leadership, governance and fighting capacity of the Party, the stance, political mettle and intelligence of each cadre and Party member on practicing democracy and democratic centralism. Step up propaganda, education, dissemination and unification throughout the Party and give each Party member a correct understanding of the content of practicing democracy and the principle of democratic centralism within the Party. Strengthen the clarification of the content of practicing democracy and the principle of democratic centralism associated with each field, work and specific activities of each level, each sector, each locality, unit and the work of building the Party and the political system in our country.
The principle of democratic centralism and the issue of democracy are among the focuses that hostile and reactionary forces always try to distort and exploit to sabotage in order to carry out the plot to eliminate the Party's leadership role and change the political regime in our country. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the protection of the Party's ideological foundation, fight against and refute false, hostile, distorted arguments, denying the Party's principle of democratic centralism and activities that take advantage of the issue of democracy by hostile forces to sabotage the Vietnamese revolution. To do so, it is necessary to raise the theoretical thinking of the Party, step up the summary of practices, study the theory of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's thought on democracy and the principle of democratic centralism, ensuring that the Party's ideological foundation is firmly protected. Second, perfect and strictly implement the principles of Party building organization, Party regulations on democracy and promoting democracy at the grassroots level, ensuring the promotion of the intelligence of the entire Party and the entire people in building, perfecting and effectively organizing the implementation of the Party and State's guidelines, policies and guidelines; ensuring solidarity and unity within the Party and consensus in society. Continue to perfect, concretize and institutionalize the practice of democracy and the principle of democratic centralism in each field and aspect of Party building work. It is necessary to concretize the basic contents of this principle stated in the Party Charter with specific guiding documents for Party organizations and Party members to implement. In implementing the principles of Party organization and activities, Party members must have the courage and mettle to give constructive opinions, be aware of self-criticism and criticism frankly and sincerely, and have democratic exchanges, in order to reach consensus in perception and action on the basis of compliance with Party regulations and State laws. At the same time, we should not absolutize or oppose centralism with democracy. Democracy must be expanded to create stability and sustainable development of the political regime; democracy must be centralized and must be closely linked to discipline and order to bring about practical effectiveness and create motivation to promote social development; the more democracy is expanded, the higher the concentration must be. Third, applying Ho Chi Minh's thought on the principle of democratic centralism in the organization and activities of the Party must be associated with the requirements of collective leadership and individual responsibility in accordance with the provisions of the Party Charter and the resolutions issued by the Party. Only collective leadership can arouse the spirit of democracy in the Party and mobilize the entire intelligence of the vanguard. Individuals must be closely attached to and stay within the collective, always be aware of being responsible to the Party and the people; avoid the situation of "ignoring" the organization, violating the Party's discipline and order, and taking advantage of the principle of democratic centralism to overwhelm the collective, to be autocratic, arbitrary, and to go against the common interests of the collective and the people.
On the other hand, it is necessary to continue to promote and enhance the role and responsibility of leaders and key cadres in organizing the implementation of democracy and applying the principle of democratic centralism in the Party. Clarify and strengthen the responsibility of leaders and key cadres to set an example in practicing democracy and implementing the principle of democratic centralism, and promote self-criticism and criticism.
Fourth, practice democracy widely in the Party. Democracy in the activities of Party organizations must avoid formality or being carried out perfunctorily and perfunctorily. Properly and fully implement the regulations that all Party members strictly comply with the Party's resolutions, and speak and act with the sense of responsibility of a Party member. In the new conditions, many important, new and complicated issues, even unprecedented, are being raised, requiring handling. Any subjective, arbitrary and voluntaristic decisions are inevitably wrong, especially in the turning points of the revolution. To meet the requirements of reality, implementing the principle of democratic centralism according to Ho Chi Minh's thought, important policies must be discussed and decided collectively, complying with the principle of the minority obeying the majority, but allowing for reservations. Therefore, in the Party's leadership activities, it is necessary to periodically review reserved opinions and consider this a regular task to ensure the correctness of the process of implementing the principle of democratic centralism; thereby, minimizing errors and deviations, strengthening solidarity, unity of will and action of the Party organization and Party members. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen the inspection and supervision of the implementation of the principle of democratic centralism within the Party. Strictly and promptly handle party organizations and party members who do not strictly comply with regulations and rules on practicing democracy or violate the principle of democratic centralism, violate the Party Platform, Charter, resolutions, directives, regulations, policies and laws of the State, especially party organizations and heads of Party committees, party organizations, agencies, units, ministries, branches, localities, etc.
Practicing democracy and democratic centralism has become a basic organizational and operational principle of the Party and the political system. Therefore, the existence and development of the Party and the entire political system are closely and organically linked to the compliance, consolidation and development of that principle. That also means that if we deviate from or loosen that principle, the Party will gradually lose its vitality and strength, leading to degeneration and degradation, threatening the survival of the Party and the regime. Therefore, it is necessary to comply with and ensure the widespread practice of democracy and the principle of democratic centralism according to Ho Chi Minh's thought and the viewpoint of our Party; resolutely and persistently fight uncompromisingly against all manifestations of deviating from, loosening up and underestimating the principle of democratic centralism, which is the clearest manifestation of the Party spirit and revolutionary moral qualities of each cadre and Party member in the current conditions. Ho Chi Minh's thought on practicing democracy and the principle of democratic centralism in the organization and operation of the Party is a valuable legacy, a beacon to light the way, becoming the ideological foundation and guiding viewpoint for the work of building a clean and strong Party today./.
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(1) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, Publishing House. National Politics Truth, Hanoi, 2021, vol. 15, p. 325
(2) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid., vol. 15, p. 622
(3) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid., vol. 3, p. 5
(4) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid., vol. 5, p. 289
(5) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid., vol. 15, p. 616
(6) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid., vol. 5, p. 289
(7) See Hoang Chi Bao: Studying Ho Chi Minh's method, Publishing House. National Politics Truth, Hanoi, 2011
(8) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid, vol.5, p.284
(9) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid, vol.15, p.611 - 612
(10) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid, vol.5, p.326
(11) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid, vol.4, p.175
(12) See Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid, vol.4, p.7
(13) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid, vol.4, p.9
(14) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid, vol.15, p.325
(15) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid, vol.15, p.622
(16) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid, vol.15, p.622
(17) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid., vol.8, p.275
(18) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid., vol.8, p.263 - 264
(19) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid., vol.12, p.438
(20) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid., vol.5, p.620
(21) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, ibid., vol.6, p.17
(22) Communist Party of Vietnam: Complete Party Documents, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2004, vol.37, p.830
(23) Charter of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Publishing House. National Politics, Hanoi, 2011, p.5
(24) Charter of the Communist Party of Vietnam, op. cit., pp.16 - 17
(25) Documents of the 13th National Congress of Delegates, National Politics Publishing House Truth, Hanoi, 2021, vol. II, p. 225.
Author: Associate Professor, Dr. VU TRONG LAM
Director - Editor-in-Chief of National Politics Publishing House Truth
Source: https://tapchicongsan.org.vn