Declaration of Independence - Everlasting Value

On September 2, 1945, at Ba Dinh Square - Hanoi, President Ho Chi Minh solemnly declared the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam), opening a new era in the history of the nation: the era of independence, freedom and socialism. Our country, from a colonial, semi-feudal country, became an independent country, the first worker-peasant state in Southeast Asia. Our people, from slaves, became the masters of the country, masters of their own destiny.

On September 2, 1945, at Ba Dinh Square (Hanoi Capital), President Ho Chi Minh, on behalf of the nation, read the Declaration of Independence giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Photo archive

The Declaration of Independence drafted by Uncle Ho is the Declaration of Human Rights and Civil Rights of the Vietnamese people. The Declaration not only affirms the legal principles of national independence and territorial integrity, but also affirms the legality of national rights and basic human rights.

IntroductionDeclaration of IndependenceHo Chi Minh mentioned the great thought of Thomas Jefferson in the 1776 Declaration of Independence of the United States, that:“All men are created equal. They are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”[1], and He also mentioned the thoughts of 18th-century French philosophers in the 1791 French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, that:“Men are born free and equal in rights.” [2].

So,Ho Chi MinhHe skillfully applied the quintessence of the struggles for national liberation and human liberation over the past century and a half of progressive humanity in the world, expressed in the "immortal words" in the two declarations above, to affirm that "those are undeniable truths", and at the same time served as the basis for his new conclusions.

Reiterating the above ideas, He wanted to affirm: The Vietnamese people are not unfamiliar with progressive ideas in human history and those ideas have become common spiritual values ​​of the world; Vietnam completely agrees and has a common idea about the legality of humanity with the right to equality, the right to life, the right to freedom and the right to pursue happiness of human beings.

The creativity of Ho Chi Minh is that, after affirming human rights in the sense of human rights in general and the rights of each individual in particular, he also "broadened" and raised them to the legality of the rights of all peoples in the new era, that:“All peoples on the earth are equal from birth, all peoples have the right to live, to be happy and free”[3].

That is a logical, reasonable and resolute conclusion. From that conclusion, in the Declaration, he comprehensively condemned and strongly accused the colonialists and imperialists, specifically the French colonialists and Japanese fascists, who had violated the basic national rights of Vietnam. Therefore, in the Declaration of Independence, Ho Chi Minh declared the abolition of all unequal ties between Vietnam and France, the abolition of all privileges and benefits of France in Vietnam, which is also reasonable, in accordance with the legality and common ideals of progressive humanity regarding human rights and basic national rights.

By elevating human rights to national rights, Ho Chi Minh wanted to draw the attention of the progressive revolutionary forces in the world at that time to recognize the independence and freedom of the new Vietnam. Right in the declaration, he called on the United Nations: “We believe that the Allies have recognized the principles of national equality at the Tehran and San Francisco Conferences."It is absolutely impossible not to recognize the independence of the Vietnamese people"[4].

In the Declaration of Independence, Ho Chi Minh not only affirmed the legal principles of the fundamental national rights of Vietnam and the peoples of the world, but also affirmed in practice the steadfast and indomitable revolutionary struggle of the Vietnamese people for those sacred national rights. At the end of the Declaration of Independence, he affirmed the strong will and determination to win and maintain the independence and freedom of the Vietnamese people, and at the same time solemnly declared to the world that:“Vietnam has the right to enjoyfreedom and independenceand in fact have become a free and independent country. The entire Vietnamese people are determined to devote all their spirit and strength, their lives and property to maintain that freedom and independence.

Parade to celebrate the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Photo: TXXVN

Before the whole world, the Declaration of Independence of Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh is the first legal cornerstone affirming both in principle and in practice the iron determination of the Vietnamese people on the right to live in independence, freedom and the right to pursue happiness, on the equality of the Vietnamese people with all peoples in the world. The struggle for national liberation led by Ho Chi Minh was closely linked to the struggle for class liberation, to liberate people from all oppression and exploitation, and to realize basic democratic rights for all Vietnamese people.

August RevolutionThe success opened a new era in the history of the Vietnamese nation - the era of independence, freedom and socialism in our country. President Ho Chi Minh's great contribution was from the perspective of linking national independence with human freedom and happiness, linking sacred national rights with basic human rights.

Also from the practice of the victorious struggle of the Vietnamese people, the two legal concepts above have been developed into a new concept of basic national rights. Therefore, the Declaration of Independence of Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh is considered the Declaration of human rights and civil rights of the peoples fighting for independence, freedom, happiness and civilization.

The Declaration of Independence drafted by Uncle Ho demonstrated a high level of knowledge with a comprehensive vision of the times and profound and correct predictions. The Declaration also demonstrated a steadfast stance for the independence and freedom of the nation, with a very strong fighting spirit and clever, solid arguments, in clear and concise language. The Declaration of Independence on September 2, 1945 has eternal value. That Declaration of Independence also equipped our Party and our people with a very sharp political and ideological weapon to overcome all challenges in protecting the achievements of the August Revolution.

Photo: VNE

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[1] , [2] - Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works - National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2002, vol.3, p.554.

[3] , [4] - Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works - National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2002, vol. 3, pp. 555, 557.