Don't let retirement or layoffs cause you to decline.

Lose yourself

We do not deny the fact that the vast majority of our cadres and party members “retire but do not quit their jobs”. Many cadres and party members retire or quit their jobs, but when trusted by the people, they still participate in semi-professional positions, contributing their efforts and intelligence to the local Party Committee and government to lead and manage the successful completion of tasks. Many dedicated cadres and party members take the lead in activities and movements such as: joining hands to build new rural areas; building cultural life in residential areas; repaying gratitude; encouraging learning and talent; humanitarianism and charity;... In the patriotic emulation movements of localities and the whole country, there are more and more typical examples of retired cadres and party members who are exemplary leaders in all fields.

However, a worrying reality today is that among the retired cadres and party members, there are a number with abnormal ideological developments. The most obvious is that there are many cases where people have retired or quit their jobs for years but have not transferred their activities, or even left their files at their old agencies without transferring their activities to their localities. Besides the party members who are exempted from activities according to the correct subjects and regulations of the Party Charter, there are many party members who find all kinds of reasons such as old age, poor health, difficult family circumstances... to ask to stop participating in party activities. Many comrades clearly express their views that once they retire, they will stop all party activities, and will not participate in any work of the Party or the people anymore...

From that way of thinking, these party members are indifferent to all work and activities of the collective, "turning a deaf ear" to all local problems. Not only do they not participate in helping the locality resolve outstanding problems, but some cadres and party members also follow suit and join in prolonged complaints, causing difficulties for the Party Committee and local authorities. Many party members always speak in a standard manner while working, but when they retire, they only speak in a negative tone, participating in social networks with almost no positive information but only writing, sharing, and commenting on the negative side of society...

There are even party members who are high-ranking Party officials who have been through life and death, have a long history of achievements and work experience, but when they retire, they cannot control themselves, have wrong words and actions that not only affect their personal reputation and honor but also affect the reputation of the Party. Faced with issues arising from real life, especially important, sensitive and complicated issues, many retired cadres and party members not only do not participate in propaganda and public opinion orientation but also collude with opportunistic and politically dissatisfied elements to say and write things that are contrary to the Party's viewpoints, guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws; spread bad and toxic information that causes confusion in public opinion, creating resentment among the people...

Party members give their opinions at the Trung Yen Block Party cell meeting, Hung Dung Ward, Vinh City. Illustrative photo

Essentially a manifestation of degradation

The situation as mentioned above is actually a manifestation of political ideology degradation. If someone thinks of joining the Party just to be assigned to this position, to be given that authority, to serve his work while in office, but when the position and authority are no longer in place, he abandons the Party, distances himself from the Party, asks to stop participating in Party activities... that is a manifestation of opportunism. When retiring or quitting a job, finding all sorts of reasons not to participate in Party activities or when being trusted by the Party Committee, the government and the people to assign him a part-time job but refusing to accept it is essentially a manifestation of shirking one's duties.

“Party members go first, the country follows.” Cadres and party members, whether in office or retired, are still the ones who gather and lead the masses to carry out the goals and tasks of the revolution. To fulfill this role and responsibility, all cadres and party members, whether in office or retired, must always be pioneers and set an example for the masses. Cadres and party members who are not pioneers and set an example will not be able to fulfill their roles and positions and will directly affect the results of carrying out the goals and tasks of the revolution. In fact, this is a manifestation of political and ideological degradation.

Along with being pioneers and exemplary in implementing the Party's Platform, guidelines, policies and laws, and the State's laws, cadres and party members must also strictly abide by the Party's principles, regulations and discipline. The manifestations of cadres and party members after retirement or leaving work who speak arbitrarily, speak and write contrary to the Party's viewpoints and guidelines; do not participate in propaganda and orienting the people but also follow and follow false and unofficial information that disturbs public opinion;... are manifestations of disrespect for discipline, violation of Party principles, and degradation of political ideology.

The important thing is still awareness.

To be fair, the above signs of degradation and “self-evolution” do not necessarily appear after retirement or resignation, but the seeds of this “disease” have been present in cadres and party members since they were in office or working. This reality has been clearly pointed out in Resolution 4 of the 12th Central Committee “on strengthening Party building and rectification; preventing and repelling degradation in political ideology, ethics, lifestyle, and manifestations of “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” within the Party”. To overcome the above situation, we must start with the responsibility of the Party organization in the agency, unit, or organization where cadres and party members worked before retirement. The role of Party committees at all levels in managing, educating, and training the political qualities of cadres and party members is very important.

This is a regular task of party committees at all levels, especially for cadres and party members who are preparing to retire or leave their jobs. If, right from the time they are still working, they are educated, trained, and tested to have a solid political stance, and all their thoughts and aspirations are resolved in a reasonable and sympathetic manner, and they are mentally prepared, then cadres and party members will certainly avoid the disease of “communist arrogance” and be able to overcome the disappointment when they retire or leave their jobs.

Party members of Tan Lap hamlet Party cell, Nghia Loc commune (Nghia Dan) visit the economic development model of the people. Photo: Thanh Le

Reality also shows that the coordination between the Party Committee of the agency, unit, or organization where the cadres and party members work and the local Party organization where the cadres and party members retire or leave their jobs is not tight. Retirement or leave of work is a milestone, a major transition in the life of each person, greatly affecting many aspects, especially psychology. If not determined well, it can easily cause stress, frustration, and even negativity. Although they are people who have been trained and tested, cadres and party members who retire or leave their jobs still need to be cared for, educated, motivated, and shared. Therefore, at this time of transition, sensitivity, and major change, coordination between the Party Committee where the cadres and party members work and the local Party Committee where the retired cadres and party members live is very necessary.

The management and education of the organization are important, but the decisive factor is still the awareness and consciousness of each individual. It can be said that becoming a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam is the pride of every Vietnamese citizen, because not everyone has the qualifications and conditions to become a party member. When joining the Party, we promised to strive for the noble ideals of the Party for our whole life. Therefore, first of all, each party member needs to realize that joining the Party is to serve the people, serve the country, strive for the common goal of the revolution, bring a peaceful, prosperous, free and happy life to the people, including themselves and their families. Only with such a clear awareness, whether in office or when retired, can a party member be worthy of being a "loyal servant of the people".

Every cadre and party member, regardless of their job, position, or responsibility, must constantly raise their awareness of self-training and self-improvement. Only through self-training and self-improvement can each cadre and party member continuously improve their political qualities, strengthen their "resistance" and "immunity" against all changes and negative impacts from society. Right from when they are working, each cadre and party member needs to clearly understand that retirement and retirement are inevitable rules that everyone must go through after a long period of dedication. Consider retirement and retirement as tasks assigned by the Party. When cadres and party members retire, they no longer have positions and powers, but as members of the Party, they must still promote their pioneering and exemplary roles.

Reality has shown that with the experience accumulated during the working process, the dedicated opinions of retired and retired cadres and party members contribute significantly to the development of leadership resolutions of the party organization and management and operation measures of the local government. Therefore, in the locality where they reside, depending on the conditions, capabilities and responsibilities of cadres and party members, they must continue to contribute their efforts, intelligence and experience to the people and the Party. Only with correct awareness and clear awareness can retired and retired cadres and party members avoid signs of degradation.

Kim Lan