Identify and combat individualism

Individualism, also known as individualism, individualism; is a term used to describe a social, political, or moral outlook that emphasizes the interests of each individual, human independence, and the importance of individual freedom and self-reliance.

When we talk about opposing individualism, we are talking about opposing the way of thinking and living that only emphasizes and cares about the interests of each individual. It absolutely does not mean ignoring the interests of each individual or trampling on the freedom and self-reliance of each individual.

Individualism - "a very poisonous germ". Photo source: internet

Individualism often manifests itself in many different ways. There is the phenomenon of deference and avoidance. When a comrade makes a mistake, he should have disciplined him with an appropriate form, but he only criticized him perfunctorily to get the matter over with. He even covers up for each other, "ingratiates", deceives superiors, and hides from the organization. Uncle Ho pointed out: "If because of love and hate, because of relatives, because of deference, no one will be convinced, and it will cause trouble in the Party. That is a crime against the Party, a crime against the people".

There is a phenomenon of forming cliques, forming factions, localism, and favoritism that Uncle Ho often used the term “clan” among a group of officials with positions and power. They attract relatives, children, grandchildren, people from the same hometown, etc., then “drink with uncles and brothers”, praise and support each other. They use the majority, take advantage of and distort the principle of democratic centralism, and “mold” the process. “Whoever is compatible with them, even if they are bad, they consider them good, their bad deeds are considered good, then they cover up for each other, support each other. Whoever is not compatible with them, they consider their good deeds to be bad, their good deeds are considered bad, then they find ways to slander, speak ill of, and find ways to bring that person down”. They push down people who are good, talented but not “compatible” to “destroy”, to divide and manipulate.

There are cases where they even pretend to be “gentle”, “virtuous”, “carefree” people… In meetings, they do not defend what is right, do not fight what is wrong, and please everyone. If they do speak, they rely on others, speak perfunctorily, speak superficially, and even “go with the flow”. Whichever side tends to “win”, they follow suit. Then they bow and bow, go through the “back door”, say yes, yes, yes, fawn, and flatter. Once these people have achieved their goal of “climbing up”, they start to push others aside, form cliques, and form factions…

They are often very greedy. “They put their own interests above the interests of the Party and the nation, and thus are only “selfish”. They use public property for private purposes. They rely on the Party’s power to pursue their own goals. They live lavishly and spend money recklessly. Where does that money come from? If not from the Party, then from the people. They even do black market smuggling. They are not afraid of losing the Party’s reputation, not afraid of losing their own reputation.”

They are very lazy. They have no intention of self-studying and self-training to improve their knowledge and skills. “Easy tasks are taken for themselves. Difficult tasks are pushed to others. Dangerous tasks are avoided”,...

During his lifetime, President Ho Chi Minh was very interested in the fight against individualism. He “hated individualism with all his heart”. He believed that: To build a clean and strong Party in terms of politics, ideology and organization, at all times, before any task, it must be associated with fighting individualism.

In the work “Reforming the way of working”, Uncle Ho called it “mother disease”, which gave birth to many “child diseases” and pointed out 15 dangerous diseases in the Party that all originated from individualism such as: greed, laziness, arrogance, fame-seeking, lack of discipline, narrow-mindedness, localism, leader mentality, “famous but not real”, “cliques”, myopia, individualism, jealousy, “flattery, sycophancy”, etc. It binds and blinds its victims. These people do anything out of their greed for fame, profit, and position for themselves, without thinking about the interests of the class and the people”. Individualism is very dangerous, it is the biggest obstacle to the revolutionary cause. Revolutionaries must destroy it.

He said: As long as individualism exists, it will "prevent" cadres and party members from striving for the goals and ideals of the Party and the nation, and cause the people to lose confidence in the Party. "A nation, a Party and each individual, who were great yesterday and had great appeal, will not necessarily be loved and praised by everyone today and tomorrow, if their hearts are no longer pure, if they fall into individualism."

In the fight against individualism, it is necessary to clearly distinguish between the legitimate interests of the individual and individualism. The legitimate interests of each individual need to be promoted because they are the main and decisive cause for the existence and development of each person as well as the development of each locality, unit and country. The legitimate interests of each individual are both the goal and the driving force of the revolution. Therefore, the fight against individualism is inevitable and important, but it absolutely must not trample on the legitimate interests of each individual.

The 4th Resolution of the 12th Central Committee on Party building and rectification has identified 27 manifestations of degradation in political ideology, morality, and lifestyle, "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the Party. At the same time, step by step, we must fight and push back individualism with its diseases, such as: opportunism, pragmatism, bureaucracy, corruption, waste, degradation in ideology, politics, morality, lifestyle, ambition for power, seeking positions and power, group interests, localism, apathy; negative aspects in the fields of national defense, security, education, health care, land, planning, construction... among some cadres and Party members, especially those with positions and power.

Individualism is an “internal enemy”. It “hides” within comrades, teammates, and within oneself – especially those in positions of power and authority, so the struggle and elimination of it is extremely arduous, difficult, and dangerous. One must be brave to identify it. One must honestly “criticize and criticize oneself”. One must strengthen inspection and supervision activities. One must be frank and direct in fighting in many forms and severely punish those who are eroding the people’s trust in the Party.