Comrade Vo Van Thuong: Ideological work before the requirement to prevent moral and lifestyle degradation

On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the Propaganda Sector's Traditional Day (August 1, 1930 - August 1, 2020), Politburo member, Party Central Committee Secretary, Head of the Central Propaganda Department Vo Van Thuong wrote an article "Ideological work in response to the requirement of preventing and repelling moral and lifestyle degradation in the new situation". We respectfully introduce the full text of the article.

1. The role of ethics and lifestyle in social life

Ethics is a form of social consciousness, a synthesis of principles, rules, and standards in the relationship between people and people, between individuals and society. Thanks to ethics, people do not do things that go against the universal values ​​of society that are summarized into standards; helping society to be maintained stable and develop in an orderly manner, and social relations to be regulated harmoniously.

The most vivid expression of morality is the practice of moral standards by the urge of conscience, self-awareness, sacred duty, thereby liberating all endogenous capacities to serve the revolutionary ideal, serve the nation - people, sacrifice for the right values, even sacrifice life. Morality is also the support, leading talents to develop in the right direction, serving noble purposes to develop people and society. The factor that clearly shows the moral qualities of a person is the lifestyle, the process of forming and expressing the moral values ​​of each individual person.⁽¹⁾. Human lifestyle is also the process of realizing cultural values ​​through life activities.

Vietnamese people attach great importance to ethics and lifestyle. Ethics is considered one of the three values ​​of truth - goodness - beauty that people always strive for. The historical and cultural process of the nation from the Hung King era to the Ho Chi Minh era has witnessed many successive generations working together to prevent and combat natural disasters and foreign invaders to build and defend the country. That process has fostered in the Vietnamese people good ethical traditions such as: ardent patriotism, national self-reliance; spirit of solidarity, community awareness connecting individual - family - village - Fatherland; compassion, tolerance, respect for love and morality; diligence, creativity in work, delicacy in behavior, simplicity in lifestyle.⁽²⁾.

Thai Binh's "Three Ready" youth movement: Some went to fight, others stayed behind to compete in production under bombs and bullets (August 1964) after the US expanded its air strikes to the North. Photo courtesy

Inheriting the quintessence of the nation's ethics, President Ho Chi Minh created a new ethics suitable to reality, meeting the development needs of Vietnamese society and the progress of humanity - revolutionary ethics, ethics for the common interests of the Party, of the nation, of humanity.⁽³⁾Revolutionary ethics guides people to consciously adjust their behavior to overcome all temptations, defeat individualism, know how to put the interests of the Party, the nation and the working people above and before their own personal interests, the highest of which is impartiality.⁽⁴⁾.

President Ho Chi Minh often reminded and required our Party to be worthy of “being moral and civilized”, each Party member and cadre must be truly imbued with revolutionary morality, truly diligent, frugal, honest, upright, impartial and selfless. We must keep our Party truly clean, worthy of being the leader, the truly loyal servant of the people”⁽⁵⁾He left behind a system of ethical views and he himself is a shining example of practicing revolutionary ethics. The ethical standards he pointed out have become ethical standards in contemporary Vietnamese society.

President Ho Chi Minh taught that for cadres and party members, revolutionary ethics is the root; without revolutionary ethics, even talent becomes useless.⁽⁶⁾He said: “Just like a river must have a source to have water, without a source the river will dry up. A tree must have roots, without roots the tree will wither. A revolutionary must have morality, without morality, no matter how talented, he cannot lead the people. Liberating the nation, liberating humanity is a great thing, but if you do not have morality, do not have a foundation, you cannot do anything.”⁽⁷⁾He affirmed: "The key to success or failure depends on whether the cadres are imbued with revolutionary ethics or not."⁽⁸⁾. Lack of ethics is the root cause of negative phenomena in the Party and in society.

He pointed out: "Because of the lack of strong revolutionary ethics and a lack of responsibility, people end up being corrupt, such as stealing public property, wasting money and materials of the State and the collective, harming economic and cultural development to improve people's lives."⁽⁹⁾. He warned: “In front of the masses, we cannot be loved by them just by writing the word “communist” on our foreheads. The masses only love people with character and morality.”⁽¹⁰⁾; "A nation, a Party and each person, who were great yesterday, had great appeal, are not necessarily still loved and praised by everyone today and tomorrow, if their hearts are no longer pure, if they fall into individualism"⁽¹¹⁾.

In order to apply revolutionary ethics to life, suitable for each specific situation, President Ho Chi Minh made specific requirements for each subject. Cadres and party members have different standards, live and work in different environments, but all have the common requirement of being worthy of being public servants of the people - those who both serve the people and lead the people to implement the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws to build a country of "rich people, strong country, democracy, fairness, civilization". Revolution is the cause of all people, but cadres and party members must be role models for the people to trust, love, and follow.

It can be affirmed that morality is the root of human beings in all ages, although moral standards are always historical and specific. In the process of carrying out the mission of leading the Vietnamese revolution to fight for the goal of national independence associated with socialism, the Party attaches special importance to the work of Party building and rectification, training of cadres and Party members, fighting to prevent and stop signs of degradation in political ideology, morality, lifestyle, "self-transformation", "self-evolution" within the Party, considering this a key task, decisive to the survival of the Party and the regime. This is both a fundamental, long-term issue and an urgent requirement on the Party's ideological and cultural front today.

2.Current status of ethics and lifestyle among cadres and party members

Currently, the majority of cadres and party members are steadfast in the goal and ideal of national independence associated with socialism, promoting patriotism, upholding responsibility to the Party, mobilizing, educating and organizing the masses to implement the Party's Platform and guidelines, and the State's policies and laws. The majority of leaders and managers have a clearer awareness of their obligations and responsibilities, are conscious of cultivating and training their qualifications, ethics and maintaining internal solidarity; improving their professional capacity and leadership capacity, especially the capacity to organize and implement, and better approach and solve the tasks of the period of innovation and international integration.

The 6th National Congress of the Party was held in Hanoi from December 15 to 18, 1986. Photo: Archive

Many key cadres at all levels and sectors clearly demonstrate enthusiasm, responsibility, dynamism, creativity, daring to think, daring to do, having a democratic working style, determination, and political courage in performing their duties and tasks. They always uphold revolutionary ethics, honesty, simplicity, and closeness to the people, and are trusted by the people; they are the core force, attracting the masses in patriotic emulation movements, promoting socio-economic development, and achieving many important achievements in the cause of national renewal. Many of them have become typical examples in studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality, and style.

Overall, in all aspects of social life, the work of building new people and a new society has achieved important results. The dynamism and creativity of all classes of people have been promoted, socialist democracy has been increasingly expanded, social security work has had clear changes, bringing practical rights and benefits to the people. The material and spiritual cultural life of the people has been significantly improved. The majority of the people believe in the leadership of the Party and are excited about the achievements of the country.

The spirit of solidarity, mutual love, mutual awareness of traditional historical values ​​of the nation, protection and promotion of national cultural identity are highly valued by all classes of people. More and more people are interested in learning about the Party's policies and resolutions, the State's policies and laws, and actively participating in social activities. Movements towards the roots, volunteering, building a strong homeland, harmonious families, and the movement "All people unite to build a cultural life" are welcomed and responded to by all classes of people.

Since the Party's founding, revolutionary ethics, when widely educated, has had the meaning of guiding people's behavior, bringing about revolutionary changes in labor, production and combat, in the work and daily life of each cadre and Party member, directly contributing to ensuring the victory of the people's national democratic revolution and the great achievements of historical significance of the renovation period.

However, the degradation of political ideology, morality and lifestyle among cadres and party members has negatively affected the revolutionary cause of the Party. “The degradation of political ideology, morality and lifestyle among a significant number of cadres and party members and the evils of bureaucracy, corruption and waste have not been pushed back. Crime and social evils are still complicated; social morality has seriously degraded. Socialist democracy and the strength of great national unity have not been fully promoted; discipline is not strict.”⁽¹²⁾.

Resolution 4 of the 12th Central Committee clearly pointed out the signs of degradation in political ideology, morality, and lifestyle among a significant number of cadres and party members.⁽¹³⁾This state of degradation has caused negative consequences in many aspects: loss of assets and capital of the State and the people; corruption of cadres and Party members; affecting the leadership role of the Party and the management of the State; reducing people's trust in the Party and the regime; weakening the Party and the State apparatus internally, becoming a threat to political stability and the survival of the Party and the regime.

The decline in morality and lifestyle not only affects the stability and development of each individual, family and society, but also negatively affects the image of the Vietnamese people and country in the international arena. This issue is one of the factors that hinders the development of society and the country's renewal.

The deep, fundamental cause of this current situation is the lack of cultivation and training of moral qualities, falling into individualism, being tempted by material benefits, money, and fame. The other part is the deference, avoidance, indifference, apathy, fear of collision, fear of fighting and criticizing, preventing signs of degradation in many party organizations, especially the situation of not defending what is right, not fighting what is wrong. Therefore, the requirement is to have more drastic and stronger measures to prevent, combat and truly effectively stop signs of degradation in morality and lifestyle among cadres and party members. This is the task of the entire political system, the entire Party, the entire people, the vanguard being the ideological work front.

3.Strengthen ideological work, fight against individualism, opportunism and pragmatism, and push back moral and lifestyle degradation.

Strengthening ideological work is an important measure to educate revolutionary ethics for cadres and party members. Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh's thought have pointed out the special importance of ideological work for ideological unity - one of the sources of strength that brings about revolutionary victory. Lenin once advised: We must not forget that ideological unity is the basis of all unity.⁽¹⁴⁾; ideological unity is the propagation of certain ideas - the ideas of the vanguard class; it is the demarcation of ideological boundaries⁽¹⁵⁾President Ho Chi Minh also affirmed many times: "Ideological education and ideological leadership are the most important tasks of the Party. We must resolutely fight against the habit of taking ideology lightly."⁽¹⁶⁾.

Delegates attend the forum "Youth participate in protecting the Party's ideological foundation" within the framework of the 6th Congress of Advanced Youth Following Uncle Ho's Teachings. Photo: CPV

Through the congresses, the Party has issued many important resolutions and directives.⁽¹⁷⁾to build and rectify the Party, build new people, a new society, build a contingent of cadres and party members who are both "red" and "professional". The promotion of the implementation of the Party's resolutions and directives throughout the political system has created many important changes in the awareness of cadres and party members.

In particular, the continuous implementation of Directive No. 03-CT/TW on continuing to promote the study and follow of Ho Chi Minh's moral example in conjunction with Resolution of the 4th Central Conference (11th tenure) on some urgent issues in Party building today; Directive No. 05-CT/TW on promoting the study and follow of Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and lifestyle in conjunction with Resolution No. 04 (12th tenure) on Party building and rectification has demonstrated the determination to prevent and repel the degradation of political ideology, morality, lifestyle, and manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the Party, which has brought about initial positive results.

Our Party is the only ruling party, responsible for all major issues of the country. Therefore, to fight, prevent and push back the degradation of morality and lifestyle, we must further strengthen Party building and rectification.

Firstmust start with raising awareness.

Raising awareness of the importance, position and role of ideological work in Party building and rectification to unify ideology in the entire Party and people, which was given the top position by President Ho Chi Minh during his lifetime: "Ideological leadership is the most important"⁽¹⁸⁾. To rectify the organization, we must first rectify the ideology because there are party members who have joined the Party but have not yet joined the Party in their ideology. Their minds still contain the evils of the exploiting class; they do not really understand what proletarian ideology is, what the Party is.⁽¹⁹⁾.

The close combination of “building” and “fighting” is a matter of principle in preventing and repelling moral and lifestyle degradation and other negative manifestations. Therefore, it is necessary to build a model of morality and lifestyle as a reference system to guide people to adjust themselves, in which Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style are typical models of that reference system. When studying Ho Chi Minh, domestic and foreign scientists, although approaching him from many different angles: an outstanding revolutionary soldier, a great leader, an outstanding culturalist, a national liberation hero... all admit that his ideology, morality and style are the most outstanding and brilliant values ​​in his entire life and career.

Preventing and repelling moral and lifestyle degradation is both a fundamental issue that must be carried out regularly and over a long period of time; and an urgent issue that must be carried out with drastic and effective solutions, without being subjective about initial results. When moral and lifestyle degradation has become “serious and prolonged”, when it has penetrated even strategic-level cadres, eroding the people’s trust, preventing and repelling it must be carried out with special solutions.

The people have an extremely important position and role in the fight to prevent and repel moral and lifestyle degradation and other negative manifestations. Our regime is a democratic regime - a regime in which the people are the masters, the people are the masters - so mobilizing and gathering the people to participate in building and rectifying the Party plays an extremely important role. President Ho Chi Minh affirmed: "Building ideology, politics, and organization is the Party building policy. That is not only the work of the Party and Party members but also of our people. The people help build the Party by: understanding the Party, supporting the Party, responding to the Party's calls, and making efforts to help the Party understand the situation among the people."⁽²⁰⁾.

He affirmed: Once inside and outside the Party, the situation is clearly understood, the tasks are clearly understood, then the thoughts are unified, and when the thoughts are unified, the actions are unified. If inside and outside the Party, from top to bottom, from inside to outside, the thoughts and actions are unified, then no matter how heavy the tasks are, how difficult and complicated the work is, we will definitely win.

Monday,Enhance the working class nature of the Party, set strict regimes for training, self-cultivation, moral qualities, and lifestyle of cadres and Party members.

Self-criticism and criticism must be seriously implemented, first of all in the activities of Party committees and leadership bodies at all levels. While conducting self-criticism and criticism within the Party, it is essential to have the active and effective participation of mass organizations. There must be plans, mechanisms and institutions to ensure that the people can promote their role and supervisory rights, and the right to contribute opinions to Party organizations and Party members.

It is necessary to strictly implement regulations on what party members are not allowed to do; Regulation No. 101-QD/TW on the exemplary responsibility of cadres and party members, especially key leaders at all levels; Regulation No. 55-QD/TW on a number of things that need to be done immediately to strengthen the exemplary role of cadres and party members; Regulation No. 08-QDi/TW on the exemplary responsibility of cadres and party members, first of all members of the Politburo, members of the Secretariat, and members of the Central Executive Committee. Thereby, on the one hand, enhancing the prestige of cadres and party members. On the other hand, bringing self-criticism and criticism into practice, becoming a good moral practice in the Party and the whole society.

Strengthening theoretical work, political education, ethics, and lifestyle for cadres, party members, and the masses, as required by the 12th Party Congress document: "Promoting propaganda and studying Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's thought, the Party's viewpoints and guidelines, and the State's policies and laws in accordance with each subject in a specific, practical, and effective direction"⁽²¹⁾.

Plan and regularly carry out training and updating of knowledge, ideology and theory for cadres and party members at all levels, especially at the strategic level. Focus on innovating the content and training programs, theoretical training in a practical, flexible and appropriate manner for each target group. Through studying political theory, each cadre and party member must promote the spirit of self-reflection and self-correction, especially in the face of limitations and shortcomings such as: poor theory, empty theory, far from reality, bias and localism.

Tuesday,Strengthening propaganda work in various, vivid, practical and effective forms on the extensive implementation throughout the political and social system of Directive 05-CT/TW on promoting the study and following of Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and lifestyle in conjunction with the implementation of Resolution 04 (term XII) on Party building and rectification; preventing and repelling the degradation of political ideology, morality and lifestyle, and manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the Party. The key to the success of studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and lifestyle is to well implement the regulations on setting an example for each cadre and party member, especially senior cadres and their families.

Therefore, in many forms, create a strong spread of President Ho Chi Minh's moral values, the precious traditional moral values ​​of the nation through vivid lessons of history and real life. At the same time, actively build a cultural lifestyle, social ethical standards in the period of promoting industrialization, modernization and international integration and use those standards and healthy public opinion, along with the law to prevent and repel unethical and anti-cultural behaviors.

Build strong enough sanctions to promote, monitor and inspect the implementation of regulations on setting examples by cadres and party members, so that studying and cultivating ethics and lifestyle gradually become ingrained habits in the work and daily life of each person. From there, forming in each person, first of all from cadres and party members, the habit of practicing ethics, unifying words and actions, practicing thrift, integrity, impartiality, and building relationships between people...

Wednesday,resolutely fight against anti-cultural and anti-ethical ideologies that are imported and spread along with the negative aspects of the market economy, globalization and "peaceful evolution" of hostile forces.

The development of market economy and international integration, besides creating new driving forces for development, also has negative aspects that cause social ethics and lifestyles to face challenges, especially individualism, hedonism, extravagance, worship of money, and disregard for morality. Hostile forces are trying to take advantage of globalization and international integration to spread and export ideas that promote individual freedom, causing the corruption of social ethics and human lifestyles, and having internal transformational effects.

Therefore, “building” must be closely linked to “fighting”, resolutely fighting, preventing from the root, from afar the factors that cause and promote bourgeois and reactionary morality, which go against revolutionary moral standards. It is necessary to create for each cadre, party member and citizen “filters” for diverse information of an open society; strictly handle the propaganda of toxic, reactionary and backward publications on all media; actively promote the example of “good people, good deeds” according to the motto “using beauty to eliminate ugliness”.

Thursday,Strongly innovate the work of organizing cadres, build a contingent of cadres with qualities, capacity, and prestige, thoroughly overcome the mechanism of asking and giving, the phenomenon of "buying positions" and "buying power", resolutely eliminate from the Party and the State apparatus those elements with degraded morality, opportunism, incompetence, and populism. We must seriously perceive the principled issue: "all successes or failures are due to good or bad cadres", "cadres are the root of all work", cadres must have "the courage to take responsibility, the courage to work".

Promote democracy, strengthen supervision, criticism and suggestions from the people. Raise the responsibility of the heads of Party committees, authorities, Fatherland Fronts, and socio-political organizations at all levels in personnel work, as well as the responsibility of those who recommend cadres to certain positions. Innovate the method of evaluating cadres based on standards and the level of completion of assigned tasks, taking actual work efficiency and the trust of cadres, party members and the people as the yardstick. Develop fair and reasonable remuneration and salary policies, ensuring that cadres and civil servants have enough to live and live well with honest wages.

Friday,seriously implement the principle of democratization of social life according to the teachings of President Ho Chi Minh: "Practicing democracy widely, regularly and seriously self-criticizing and criticizing is the best way to consolidate and develop the solidarity and unity of the Party"⁽²²⁾. This is the universal key to solving all difficulties. There must be a mechanism and law to ensure that elected bodies are truly representatives of the people, voluntarily chosen by the people under the leadership of the Party. Promoting democratic rights also means exercising the people's right to supervise the agencies, organizations and officials of the Party and the State. Democracy must go hand in hand with maintaining order and discipline. Eliminate manifestations of democracy in form or with populist colors. Only true democracy is capable of promoting the strength of the masses, repelling and overcoming the risk of degeneration that threatens the moral life of society.

Saturday,Focus on improving the legal system and building awareness of law compliance among cadres, party members and people. Law and ethics must be considered two indispensable aspects in social management. Urgently build, supplement and improve the legal system, overcome some shortcomings in legislative, executive and judicial work, promote propaganda about the law, raise awareness of understanding and compliance with the law among cadres, party members and people. The higher the position of cadres, the more exemplary they must be in complying with the law.

Eighth,Pay attention to developing a team of cadres doing ideological work and propaganda work. On August 1, 2018, working with the Central Propaganda Department, General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong affirmed: “It is necessary to pay attention to training and fostering a team of propaganda cadres to meet the requirements in the current new situation; absolutely loyal, steadfast, steadfast, knowing how to organize work, having the courage to fight, having sufficient qualifications, expertise, and professionalism, must be able to say, do, and persuade, and not be bribed by bad and hostile forces. The method must be democratic and sincere, cannot be forced, imposed, or ordered; must be very subtle, reaching people's hearts”. The General Secretary and President also requested that propaganda work not be "left entirely" to the propaganda departments at all levels, but that Party committees, authorities, the Fatherland Front, and organizations at all levels must be responsible for leading and directing the successful completion of this important task.

Building revolutionary ethics in particular and culture in general is a long-term, arduous struggle, carried out from the root problems of social existence and affecting the form of social consciousness. The more developed the society, the more cultural, ethical and lifestyle issues become topics that attract the attention of society, requiring the drastic participation of the entire political system and the whole society, as the General Secretary and President emphasized at the Government's online National Conference of Cadres on December 30, 2019: "Tighten discipline, administrative discipline, regularly inspect and urge, create strong changes in the performance of public duties; improve the ethics, culture and professionalism of cadres, civil servants and public employees.

Persistently and resolutely fight against corruption, waste, and negativity, while promoting the building and perfecting of laws, mechanisms, and policies so that corruption cannot, does not dare, and does not want to occur. In the current renovation process, we need to closely link and synchronously implement the following tasks: socio-economic development is the center, Party building is the key, cultural development is the spiritual foundation of society; ensuring national defense and security is essential and regular. Only then can we successfully build a Vietnam with a rich people, a strong country, democracy, fairness, and civilization./.

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(1) Pham Hong Tung:Lifestyle research: some conceptual issues and approaches, Journal of Science, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Social Sciences and Humanities 23 (2007).

(2) Communist Party of Vietnam:Documents of the 5th Conference of the 8th Central Executive Committee, National Political Publishing House, H, 1998, p.56.

(3) (7) Ho Chi Minh:Full set, National Political Publishing House, H, 2011, vol.5, pp.292, 292-293.

(4) Ho Chi Minh:Full set, Ibid., vol. 5, p. 292; vol. 11, p. 603; vol. 13, p. 90; vol. 6, p. 290.

(5) Ho Chi Minh:Full set, Ibid, vol. 1, pp. XIV-XV.

(6) (9) Ho Chi Minh:Full set, Ibid, vol.14, p.400, 29.

(8) Ho Chi Minh:Full set, Ibid, vol.9, p.354.

(10) (19) Ho Chi Minh:Full set, Ibid, vol. 6, p. 16, 229-230.

(11) (22) Ho Chi Minh:Full set, Ibid, vol. 15, pp. 672, 611.

(12) Communist Party of Vietnam:Documents of the 12th National Congress of Delegates, National Political Publishing House - Truth, H, 2016, p.61.

(13) Resolution of the 12th Central Committee, Session XIIon "Strengthening Party building and rectification; preventing and repelling ideological, moral and lifestyle degradation, and manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the Party".

(14) VI Lenin:Full set, Progress Publishing House, Moscow, 1975, vol.5, p.336.

(15) VI Lenin:Full set, Ibid, vol.7, p.530.

(16) (18) (20) Ho Chi Minh:Full set, Ibid., vol. 8, pp. 279-280, 554-555, 280-281.

(17) Resolution No. 03-NQ/TW, dated July 16, 1998, Central Conference 5 of the Party Central Committee (VIII term) onBuilding and developing an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity; Resolution No. 10-NQ/TW, dated February 2, 1999, 6th Conference (2nd time) of the Party Central Committee (VIII term) onSome basic and urgent issues in Party building work today; Resolution No. 33-NQ/TW, dated June 9, 2014, the 9th Conference of the Party Central Committee (11th tenure) onBuilding and developing Vietnamese culture and people to meet the requirements of sustainable national development; Central Resolution 3 (10th tenure) onStrengthening the Party's leadership in the fight against corruption and waste; Directive No. 03-CT/TW, dated May 14, 2011 of the Politburo oncontinue to promote studying and following Ho Chi Minh's moral example; Resolution No. 12-NQ/TW, dated January 16, 2012, Central Conference 4 of the Central Executive Committee of the Party (11th tenure) onSome urgent issues on Party building today; Directive No. 05-CT/TW, dated May 15, 2016 of the Politburo onPromote studying and following Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style; Resolution 04-NQ/TW, dated October 30, 2016, Central Executive Committee of the Party (12th tenure) onbuilding and rectifying the Party; preventing and repelling the degradation of political ideology, morality, lifestyle, and manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the Party.; Resolution No. 35-NQ/TW of the Politburo dated October 22, 2018 onStrengthening the protection of the Party's ideological foundation, fighting against erroneous and hostile views in the new situation.

(21) Communist Party of Vietnam:Documents of the 12th National Congress of Delegates, Central Party Office, H, 2016, p.201./.

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