Lessons from 50 years of implementing President Ho Chi Minh's Testament

His thoughts inTestamenthas been illuminating the path to socialism and the cause of innovation and integration of the Vietnamese people. These are not only strategic guidelines for determining the direction, guidelines, tasks, policies, and legal system of a ruling Party; for building and rectifying the Party; for innovation and development; for steadfastness in the goal of national independence and socialism,... for building and protecting the country, but also outlines in the action program of the entire Party, the entire people, and the entire army to build a country that develops sustainably and modernly.

01.
Lessons on the Party's optimism and revolutionary scientific mettle

President Ho Chi Minh's Testament was written in the context of our nation's resistance war against the US to save the country being in a fierce phase. Deep belief in the resistance war against the US to save the country "complete victory is certain. That is a certainty.”In Uncle Ho's Testament, he instilled the flame of faith in every person and created a great strength - the strength of faith, of the revolutionary will of the entire Vietnamese people, creating the historic Great Victory of Spring 1975. In the early 80s of the 20th century, we had to face the weaknesses and inadequacies of the bureaucratic and subsidized administrative mechanism, and the economy fell into a serious crisis.

The 4th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Hanoi, December 1976. Photo: Baotanglichsu

It was in that context that our Party demonstrated its scientific and revolutionary mettle by initiating, organizing and leading the country's renovation.

At the 4th Congress, our Party "looked straight at the truth", conducted self-criticism and criticism, and seriously drew historical lessons from the Vietnamese revolution: "taking the people as the root", "respecting and acting according to objective laws", "uniting the entire people" to promote the combined strength to defend the Fatherland and build socialism.

02.
Lessons on solidarity and unity in the Party

In his Will, Uncle Ho affirmed“Solidarity is an extremely precious tradition of our Party and people.”. Maintaining solidarity and unity within the Party is the decisive factor for success in all tasks, "progressing from one victory to another". Thanks to solidarity, our Party led the people to successfully carry out the August Revolution, establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Thanks to solidarity and unity, we defeated the French colonialists and American imperialists, gained independence, unified the country, and advanced to socialism. Thanks to solidarity and unity between the Party's will and the people's will, our country successfully carried out the renovation process, escaping the socio-economic crisis.

Uncle Ho with delegates of the Viet Minh - Lien Viet Unification Congress, 1951. Photo courtesy

Unity within the Party must be considered a long-term strategy for the revolutionary cause. As the only ruling Party, our Party must build and consolidate unity.“preserve the unity and solidarity of the Party as you preserve the apple of your eye.”

The Party's unity is a mirror for the entire political system and is the decisive factor in ensuring great national unity.

03.
Lessons on practicing democracy widely, regularly, seriously self-criticizing and criticizing

To build the solidarity and unity of the Party according to President Ho Chi Minh's Testament, our Party must practice true democracy. Thanks to democracy, our Party has aroused and promoted the highest intelligence, improved its leadership capacity and fighting strength. Thanks to democracy, the Party has gradually overcome factionalism, localism, bureaucracy, authoritarianism, and alienation from the masses.

Practicing democracy widely means real democracy, regular democracy, democracy from the Central to the grassroots. However, democracy must be associated with centralization. Democratic centralization is a vital principle and also the best measure to build our Party. Resolutely fight against manifestations of formal democratic practice. Taking advantage of democracy to spread personal views and ideologies, harming the common interests, causing disunity in the Party and in society.

President Ho Chi Minh's Testament: Typewritten in 1965, handwritten version revised and supplemented in 1968 - 1969. Documentary photo

Regularly and seriously self-criticize and criticize. Self-criticism and criticism are the principles and laws of the Party's development. In his Testament, Ho Chi Minh considered this the best measure to consolidate and develop the Party's solidarity and unity. The person who requests self-criticism and criticism must be regular, serious, not indulgent, superficial, or formal. The purpose of self-criticism and criticism is to help oneself and one's teammates to progress more and more; absolutely do not criticize in the style of "looking for worms in leaves", "nitpicking" to suppress, fight, and bring down each other because of personal conflicts or personal motives.

According to Ho Chi Minh, self-criticism and criticism are regular tasks; to stop self-criticism and criticism means to stop progressing and to regress.

04.
Lessons on paying special attention to the young generation, the future owners of the country

Union members and young people are the successors of the Party's revolutionary cause. Good seeds will sprout and grow into green shoots for the country and homeland. Uncle Ho advised:“The Party needs to take care of educating them in revolutionary ethics, training them to become successors in building socialism who are both “red” and “expert”. Nurturing the next generation of revolutionaries is a very important and necessary task.”. This work is “important” because no one else but the younger generations will continue the revolutionary cause. This work is “necessary” because of its immediate urgency as well as its long-term cause; the training of revolutionary ethics and the building of a revolutionary generation require a time of testing.

Uncle Ho talks to delegates attending the 2nd National Youth Union Congress in 1956; Uncle Ho gives gifts to ethnic minority elders living near the apatite mine in Lao Cai (1958); Uncle Ho visits the Hoa Binh Socialist Labor Youth School (August 17, 1962); Uncle Ho visits farmers harvesting rice in the fields of Hung Son commune, Dai Tu district, Thai Nguyen. Photo archive

05.
Lessons aboutcare for and constantly improve people's lives

Caring for the people is the duty and responsibility of the Party because the interests of the Party are not outside the interests of the nation and the people. Only then will the people have firm faith in the Party; wholeheartedly follow the Party so that life will become more and more perfect.

06.
Lessons on the spirit of dedication to revolutionary ideals

When talking about his personal affairs in his Testament, Uncle Ho “only regretted not being able to serve longer and more” for the Fatherland, for the revolution and for the people. He emphasized the word “serve” to clarify that the duty of a revolutionary is to selflessly “serve” the Fatherland and the people. A cadre is both a leader and a loyal “servant” of the people, not demanding any personal benefits for himself, dedicating his whole life to the people and the Fatherland.