"Individualism leads people down a spiral of decline."

Fifty years ago, when the Party turned 39 and President Ho Chi Minh, the beloved leader of the Vietnamese nation, entered his 79th year, he wrote a famous work entitled: "Raising Revolutionary Morality and Eradicating Individualism," with the purpose of serving as a study material for the entire Party.

Professor, Doctor Hoang Chi Bao.

Fifty years have passed, further confirming that "individualism" corrupts and leads to a rapid decline in human character. Therefore, taking diligence, frugality, integrity, righteousness, and selflessness as guiding principles; strengthening the education of the entire Party on communist ideals, on the Party's guidelines and policies, and on the duties and ethics of Party members... are the directions to implement Uncle Ho's teachings, uphold revolutionary ethics, and eradicate individualism.

Fifty years ago, on the front page of the Nhan Dan newspaper on February 3, 1969, President Ho Chi Minh wrote the work "Raising Revolutionary Morality, Eradicating Individualism." Initially, when drafting the outline, President Ho Chi Minh titled the work "Eradicating Individualism, Raising Revolutionary Morality." He also avoided the phrase "combating individualism," instead clearly stating "eradicating individualism."

According to him, individualism is characterized by: prioritizing one's own interests in everything; not caring about "one for all" but only wanting "all for one"; avoiding hardship and difficulties; falling into corruption, decadence, waste, and extravagance; seeking fame and profit, desiring status and power; being arrogant and conceited, disregarding the collective, despising the masses, being autocratic and dictatorial. Also noteworthy is detachment from the masses and reality, suffering from bureaucracy and authoritarianism. Lacking the spirit of striving for improvement and unwilling to learn and progress... These manifestations highlight the tasks of "building" and "combating" in the building and rectification of the Party. This is an issue he consistently focused on in the process of building and training our Party.

Professor, Doctor Hoang Chi Bao - former member of the Central Theoretical Council, Senior Lecturer at the Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy - affirmed: Individualism corrupts people, causing them to spiral downwards uncontrollably: “If the Party falls into decline and degeneration, this is President Ho Chi Minh's greatest worry when the Party is in power. Therefore, why did Uncle Ho focus so much on combating bureaucracy, corruption, and, more profoundly, combating internal enemies and individualism? A clean party is a strong party, and that cleanliness is a condition of revolutionary morality.”

For the past 50 years, President Ho Chi Minh's work "Raising Revolutionary Morality, Eradicating Individualism" has truly become a guiding principle for Party building and personnel work, serving as a motto for action and self-improvement for every cadre and Party member. According to him, to combat manifestations of degeneration and eradicate individualism, the Party must strive to strengthen the education of the entire Party on communist ideals, on the Party's guidelines and policies, and on the duties and ethics of Party members. Diligence, frugality, integrity, righteousness, and selflessness must be the guiding principles of life. These must be the core foundation for building a clean and strong Party.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Quoc Bao - former Head of the Ho Chi Minh Thought Department, Academy of Journalism and Communication: Political and ideological education, self-criticism and criticism are central, continuous tasks and the most important solutions in building and rectifying the Party. He is concerned about Party members holding positions of power; if their ideals fade, they stray from their ideal goals, and individualism prevails, the consequences will be immeasurable.

“The issue of ideals and political enlightenment is extremely important, especially in the current context of integration, where the negative aspects of the market economy, individualism, selfish and opportunistic lifestyles, and the pursuit of money are prevalent. As the 4th Central Committee Conference clearly pointed out: the pursuit of fame, titles, and power. These things can easily lead to corruption if we lack a firm stance, strong character, and the cultivation of our political ideals,” said Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Quoc Bao.

With the sensitivity of a great politician and thinker, half a century ago, he warned about individualism – the root cause of the decline in political ideology, morality, lifestyle, and "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" in a significant number of cadres and party members.

It is noteworthy that, previously manifested as greed, selfishness, rivalry, and envy among a very small number of officials and Party members, it is now becoming a way of life, creating a sense of "conformity" and "continuation" among a significant portion of officials and Party members, especially those in positions of power. What was once small-scale personal gain has now evolved into large-scale group interests, profiting the entire group.

Dr. Nguyen Viet Chuc, former Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture, Education, Youth, and Children, stated that: Every Party member must self-examine, educate, train, and cleanse themselves of individualism, and combat "self-evolution" and "self-transformation." Implementing the four solutions outlined in Resolution No. 4 of the 12th Central Committee provides guidance for following President Ho Chi Minh's teachings, upholding revolutionary ethics, and eradicating individualism.

"The decline in morality and lifestyle is 'self-evolution,' not just in words, but in actions. When Party members no longer fulfill their leadership roles, are no longer exemplary role models in life, and are no longer good people, that is 'self-evolution.' Clearly, purifying and strengthening the Party is the most fundamental and profound measure to combat self-evolution," shared Mr. Nguyen Viet Chuc.

Looking back over the past 50 years, we see that Ho Chi Minh's thoughts on Party building and rectification – "Raising revolutionary ethics and eradicating individualism" – have immense theoretical and practical significance for the Party. Reflecting on the urgent issues the Party is currently facing in its building and rectification efforts, we see that what he raised not only served as a stern warning at the time but also holds true for the present situation. This is the contemporary significance that every Party member must internalize and always consciously adhere to.