Setting an example of 'Good people, good deeds' - Uncle Ho's great, humane vision in building and developing people

President Ho Chi Minh commented: In general, Eastern people are emotional and for them, a living example is more valuable than hundreds of propaganda speeches. Therefore, to encourage people to compete, one of the best ways is to set an example of "good people, good deeds".

In feudal times, Confucianism considered self-cultivation and being a good example (worrying before the world, being happy after the world) as the top moral requirements for educating people and managing society. However, Confucianism often only focused on setting an example for social managers, gentlemen, etc., while President Ho Chi Minh considered moral education to be the work of the entire Party and the entire people.

In our society, everyone is both the subject and the object of moral education. Therefore, everyone can and must always set an example in morality. President Ho Chi Minh especially emphasized that setting an example in morality by cadres and party members has a very high educational effect on the masses. He often reminded and required each cadre and party member to set an example in work and lifestyle, at all times and in all places; words must go hand in hand with actions for the masses to follow.

To promote exemplary revolutionary moral education, in 1959, President Ho Chi Minh launched and thereby created a vibrant and widespread emulation movement throughout society - the "New People, New Deeds" movement, later called "Good People, Good Deeds".

The idea of ​​using examples of "Good people, good deeds" to educate the ethics of cadres, party members and people shows the comprehensiveness and vision of the supreme leader of the nation towards the work of moral education, as well as the effectiveness of this work in building a new social regime. From his practice of "devoting his whole life to the country and the people", President Ho Chi Minh also set a shining example of revolutionary ethics, in which the most prominent and noticeable thing is the consistency between words and deeds, between moral education and moral practice.

President Ho Chi Minh's viewpoint on valuing the spirit of emulation, valuing the discovery, introduction, encouragement, and replication of examples of "good people, good deeds" from real life is always consistently and throughout many of his writings and speeches.

Uncle praised "The Hoang Dieu Self-Defense Force brothers are truly a model for all self-defense forces everywhere in every aspect." (postFollowing the example of the Hoang Dieu self-defense brotherspublished in the National Salvation Newspaper, No. 266, June 14, 1946); Uncle Ho wrote a letter to Mr. Phung Luc, an elder of the National Salvation in Ung Hoa (Ha Dong, now part of Hanoi) praising his good deed on his birthday (exempting the grand ceremony and donating 500 dong to the Resistance Fund)."set an example of enthusiastic resistance and an example of changing old customs and practicing a new way of life for all compatriots to follow." (published in the National Salvation Newspaper, No. 933, May 20, 1948).

Natural and simple, just like the way of expression that became Uncle Ho's outstanding style, he also added a few verses of poetry to his articles to increase the effectiveness of his propaganda.

The poems Uncle Ho wrote about the brave sacrifice of two ethnic minority teenagers are very touching: "I am Man, I am Meo - Both are descendants of poor farmers - Although poor, their spirit is very rich - Setting a heroic example, for future generations to pass on" (published in Nhan Dan Newspaper, No. 97, from March 1 to 5, 1953); the verses written about the enthusiastic example of the elderly in the production movement, irrigation work, or on the cultural front of Nam Dinh are filled with the revolutionary spirit of the "Dien Hong Tradition" of the past: "The older you get, the more flexible and resilient you become - The exemplary spirit never gives in to anyone - Urges children to do their duty - Strokes beard to celebrate the future society"(published in Nhan Dan Newspaper, No. 2387, October 1, 1960)…

How touching it is that a President, a Party leader who is busy, worrying about "everything", "for today and for tomorrow", yet every day Uncle still takes time to follow and gather examples of "good people, good deeds" in newspapers and news bulletins such as Nhan Dan, Lao Dong, Tin Viet Nam Thong Tan Xa, Quan Doi Nhan Dan,... local newspapers such as Nghe An, Nam Ha, Kien An- Hai Phong, Bac Giang, Song Thuong, Thai Binh, Ha Noi Moi... then asks the office to verify so that he can award the badge.

In the 12 years from the first article "Mother Dang" in the Women's newspaper on February 16, 1956 to the last article "Rush into the fire to save vehicles, save bullets" in the People's Army newspaper on December 30, 1968, in total, He followed the news of more than 70 types of newspapers and bulletins with more than 2,000 articles with His handwriting, nearly 4,000 badges and other awards He gave to typical individuals of the movement along with photos, talks related to the example of "Good people, good deeds" affirmed the purpose, importance, and His concern for this movement of special significance.

We can find simple yet noble examples from all walks of life, all industries, all ages, on all "fronts" that have been praised by the press and praised by Uncle Ho.

Directly on the front line against the US to save the country is the example of Heroic Pilot Nguyen Van Coc who shot down 9 US planes and was awarded 9 badges by Uncle Ho (the most); Heroic Hero Pham Thanh Ngan who shot down 8 US planes and was awarded 8 badges by Uncle Ho; the example of Ms. La Thi Tam, a daughter of La River, Ha Tinh province, who participated in protecting the safety of the main roads in the province, directly observed and bravely planted hundreds of time bombs; the example of Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu, a female militia in Hau Loc, Thanh Hoa, and her fellow militiamen who shot down 3 US planes...

Examples in labor and production such as: Irrigation team leader Nguyen Thi Vuong in Thach That, Ha Tay, had many initiatives in work, achieved high results (Ha Tay newspaper published on June 18, 1966); Mr. Le Van Thu, member of Dong Khe Cooperative, Tien Thinh commune (Tan Yen) had achievements in planting trees and afforestation (Ha Bac newspaper published on August 30, 1963); Ms. Tran Thi Son, driver of Hai Phong Port's motor vehicle team, drove safely for 9 consecutive years (Hai Phong newspaper published on September 20, 1965)..., to examples of brave, honest children who loved their friends such as Duong Van Thanh, 13 years old, 3rd grade student, Quyet Thang School (Hiep Hoa) who saved 2-year-old Ngo Thi Nhung and 3-year-old Nguyen Van Phi from drowning (Song Thuong newspaper published on May 26, 1962); Dao Thi Tinh, a first grade student at Xuan Huong School (Lang Giang), found lost property and returned it to its owner (Ha Bac newspaper published on July 8, 1963)...

President Ho Chi Minh respected those examples and emphasized: "We fight the enemy and build a new society through the diverse work of tens of millions of people like that, not just through a few outstanding and resounding deeds of a few heroic individuals."([1]).

On the other hand, seeing clearly the motivational effect of the badge award, Uncle Ho directed the work very closely and meticulously. After each month, he asked the office to summarize how much each province, each industry, each ministry, each school, each group, etc. received and to find out why some places had more, others had less, and if it was due to untimely reporting, he would remind the base to pay attention.

In early June 1968, Uncle Ho assigned the Central Propaganda Department to publish the book "Good People, Good Deeds". Pointing out the importance of the book, Uncle Ho told comrade Ha Huy Giap, the person assigned by the Central Propaganda Department to be in charge of this task: "The various examples of good people doing good deeds are valuable materials for you to build people. Using good examples from the masses, cadres and party members to educate each other is also a very vivid and persuasive method of educating the masses by the masses."([2]).

Following Uncle Ho's teachings, from there the books "Good people, good deeds" such as: "Heroic nation, pioneer class" of the working class; "Cooperative is the house, members are the owners" of the peasantry; "For the country and the people" of the armed forces; "Generation of Heroes" of youth; "Small things, big meaning" of the youth; "Brave and capable"Women's movements... were born one after another, contributing greatly to motivating and encouraging the emulation movement to kill enemies, gain achievements, and build the country,"express the patriotism, pure morality, and good customs of our people"([3]), contributing to promoting the ethical traditions of Vietnamese people.

The movement has truly become the yeast that nourishes the "good" in each person to "bloom like spring flowers"; pushing back bad habits, vices, and bad customs of the old society. Thereby, contributing to each citizen being more aware of their responsibility to the country, more confident in themselves, in the things they do, no matter how small, but for the common benefit of the collective and of society.

The movement also multiplied advanced models among the entire population, encouraged patriotism in each individual, creating a miraculous power that helped our nation defeat the American invaders and successfully build socialism in an extremely difficult and arduous historical period.

Until the last days of his life, when he was ill, President Ho Chi Minh still followed the movement. On his desk, the books "Good People, Good Deeds" and daily and weekly newspapers still bore his signature, clearly stating the badges awarded to those who did good deeds.

After Uncle Ho passed away, the Ho Chi Minh Relic Site at the Presidential Palace - where Uncle Ho lived and worked for the last 15 years of his life (1954-1969) became a place to preserve and promote the value of the priceless heritage he left behind.

One of the types of documents and artifacts that left a deep impression on visitors to the Relic Site were the books of the "Good People, Good Deeds" type that appeared at many relic sites such as: the first floor desk, the office and bedroom on the second floor of the stilt house; on the Politburo meeting table, and the H67 house where Uncle Ho was sick and breathed his last.

The small books written about the example of "Good people, good deeds" along with the documents and artifacts displayed at the Relic Site are precious heritages, deeply touching every Vietnamese person and international friend who visits this place. Because, President Ho Chi Minh not only talked about morality, not only was he an exemplary model of revolutionary morality, but his thoughts and actions aimed to set an example, to multiply real good people, real good deeds will help each of us feel the spread of those examples that are contributing every day to make the good and the good in each person grow and flourish; bad qualities, selfishness, individualism and evil will be pushed back; society will become better and better as he always wished:"Every good person and good deed is a beautiful flower, our whole nation is a beautiful flower garden!".

[1]President Ho with the press(1980), ibid, p.73

[2]President Ho with the press(1980), ibid, p.74

[3]President Ho with the press(1980), ibid, p.73