The enduring appeal of 'Workplace Reform'

(Baonghean.vn) - In October 1947, amidst the arduous days of the resistance war against the French, recognizing that the working methods of cadres and party members in the fledgling Party and Government organizations were beginning to show negative signs that could affect the outcome of the resistance war, President Ho Chi Minh wrote the work "Correcting Working Methods" to rectify the situation.

Uncle Ho wrote his will. This archival photograph is on display at the Ho Chi Minh Museum.

In this work, he pointed out the mistakes, shortcomings, and deviations in the perception, ideology, moral qualities, lifestyle, and work capacity of cadres and Party members, and the necessary measures to overcome these shortcomings and deviations. These manifestations include: failing to maintain revolutionary integrity in every task of the Party; lack of impartiality; failure to maintain strict discipline from top to bottom; failure to be close to the people, listen to and maintain close ties with the people; and especially, failure to complete tasks thoroughly.

The causes of these shortcomings stem from incorrect perceptions and ideologies, subjectivism, narrow-mindedness, a preference for cronyism and factionalism, disrupting unity and solidarity within the Party and between the Party and the people; a tendency towards boasting, rambling, and carelessness...

To overcome this, he clearly stated that it must be done through "criticism and correction" to improve working methods, help each other progress, and strengthen internal unity and cohesion. When conducting self-criticism and criticism, the principle of "criticizing actions, not people" must be followed.

To achieve reform, it is necessary to face the truth squarely, assess the facts accurately, identify the causes, and determine the measures and methods for implementing reforms so that cadres and Party members have more correct, skillful, and effective thinking, ethics, and working methods. The content requiring reform encompasses all activities of the Party and of each cadre and Party member, from awareness and ideology to organizational leadership and implementation. Following the publication of that work, the Party rectification work was carried out seriously and promptly throughout the Party.

However, with the passage of time and changes in practical circumstances, the manifestations of degeneration and corruption among cadres and Party members, which he pointed out exactly 80 years ago, seem not to have diminished; on the contrary, they have increased over time at a higher level and become a threat to the survival of the Party and the regime.

As General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong stated at the 4th Central Committee Meeting (12th term): The aforementioned limitations and shortcomings diminish the Party's leadership role; hurt the people's feelings and erode their trust in the Party, posing a direct threat to the survival of the Party and the regime.

Overview of the 4th Central Committee Conference. Archival photo.

Therefore, our Party decided to issue Resolution No. 4 of the Central Committee (12th Congress) on strengthening Party building and rectification, preventing and repelling the decline in political ideology, morality, and lifestyle, and the manifestations of self-evolution and self-transformation within the Party, in order to continue building a clean and strong Party and repel that danger.

Eighty years have passed, but the "Reforming Working Methods" campaign still radiates immense vitality. The issues concerning cadres, Party members, and Party building and rectification, as outlined in the campaign, remain highly relevant. And reforming the working methods of cadres and Party members remains the most urgent issue, task, and requirement today to further strengthen the close relationship between the Party and the people and to combat degeneration within the Party.

To continue this spirit and contribute to the successful implementation of Resolution No. 4 of the Central Committee (12th Congress) on strengthening Party building and rectification, Nghe An Newspaper has decided to launch a special section titled "Revising Working Methods," hoping to join readers in contributing their voices, identifying causes, measures, and methods to build cleaner and stronger Party organizations in Nghe An.

Nghe An Newspaper