Applying Ho Chi Minh's thought on "Skillful Mass Mobilization" in Nghe An

In October 1999, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's writing of the work "Mass Mobilization", the 8th Politburo agreed to take October 15, 1930 as the Party's traditional day of mass mobilization work and decided to choose October 15 every year as "Mass Mobilization Day of the whole country".

73 years ago, in 1949, our Party and our People had just won power for 4 years, but because a group of cadres were bureaucratic, distant from the people, oppressed the people, and lacked democracy with the people, some places did not pay attention to mass mobilization work; therefore, Uncle Ho wrote the article "Mass Mobilization" under the pseudonym XYZ published in the newspaper Su That, issue 120, October 15, 1949. With a short title with 2 words "MASS MOBILE", in the article, Uncle Ho wrote:"The issue of mass mobilization has been talked about a lot and discussed thoroughly, but because many localities and many cadres do not fully understand and do not do it correctly, it needs to be mentioned again."

Here, Uncle Ho said "thoroughly understand" which means to understand the nature of the problem, to understand both the content and the form, so that cadres who come to the people must understand the people's hearts, understand the people's aspirations and must understand the role, position and importance of mass mobilization work. With 573 words, the article is divided into 4 parts, (the introduction:Our country is a democratic country.; part two:What is mass mobilization?; part three:Who is in charge of mass mobilization?; part four:How to mobilize people). Uncle Ho's article "Mass Mobilization" has shown in a comprehensive way, has raised quite fully the content of the concept of mass mobilization, the content of the process of mass mobilization work. Studying all 4 of these issues, we understand more deeply and fully Ho Chi Minh's thoughts on mass mobilization work. The issues Uncle Ho raised in the article are really complete, easy to understand, easy to remember, everyone can relate to their own responsibility for mass mobilization work, for the people.

Bài “Dân vận” của Chủ tịch Hồ Chí Minh đăng trên báo Sự thật, số 120, ngày 15/10/1949
President Ho Chi Minh's article "Mass Mobilization" published in Truth newspaper, issue 120, October 15, 1949

In the article, Uncle Ho raised an issue that is almost always topical: “Who does mass mobilization work?”. He wrote: “All government officials, all union officials and all members of people’s organizations (Lien Viet, Viet Minh, etc.) must be responsible for mass mobilization.” That means the entire political system must do mass mobilization, as the Resolution of the 8th Central Committee, Session VI, later Decision No. 290-QD/TW of the Politburo specified in the Regulations. Analyzing, two issues stand out.

One: All party cadres, union members, and association members, without exception, in the political system must be responsible for (doing) mass mobilization. (At that time, the Party did not come out publicly, so party members were implicitly understood as mass organization cadres.) Two: Although Uncle Ho did not raise the issue of who was primarily responsible and who was secondary, it was not by accident or coincidence that he mentioned government cadres first. Because government cadres, one of the entities that did not pay attention to mass mobilization work in performing their socio-economic management functions, or were bureaucratic and corrupt, causing trouble for the people, or issued many policies and guidelines that were not in line with the people's wishes, then even if the organizations tried their best to do mass mobilization according to their tasks and methods, the mass mobilization of the entire political system would still not be effective.

Ảnh trái sang, trên xuống: Bác Hồ gặp mặt thân mật các đại biểu dự Đại hội liên hoan Anh hùng, Chiến sỹ thi đua ngành nông nghiệp và đổi công toàn quốc tại Hà Nội (23/5/1957); Bác Hồ chụp ảnh cùng các đại biểu thanh niên tham gia Đại hội Đoàn toàn quốc lần III, tại Hà Nội, năm 1961; Bác Hồ đến thăm Sở Nông Lâm Hà Nội và sử dụng thử chiếc máy cấy tại ruộng thí nghiệm của Sở (7/1960). Ảnh: Tư liệu
Photos from left to right, top to bottom: Uncle Ho met with delegates attending the National Congress of Heroes and Emulation Fighters in the agricultural and labor exchange sectors in Hanoi (May 23, 1957); Uncle Ho took a photo with youth delegates attending the 3rd National Youth Union Congress in Hanoi, 1961; Uncle Ho visited the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Forestry and tested the rice transplanter in the Department's experimental field (July 1960). Photo: Document

Uncle Ho's criticism of cadres back then seems to be relevant to us today:“The big flaw in many places is that they look down on mass mobilization. They appoint a committee or a few people, but often appoint incompetent cadres and then ignore them. If they succeed in mobilizing, that’s good, if they fail, that’s fine too. Other cadres do not look after or help, and consider themselves not responsible for mass mobilization. That is a very big and harmful mistake.”He said:“Government officials and local union officials must discuss carefully and divide the work clearly…”. “First of all, we must find every way to explain to each citizen clearly: That work is in their interest and their duty, they must enthusiastically do it.

The second point is that in any matter, we must discuss with the people, ask for their opinions and experiences, and together with the people, make a plan that is practical for the local situation, then mobilize and organize the entire population to implement it. During the implementation, we must monitor, help, urge and encourage the people. When the implementation is complete, we must review the work with the people, draw lessons, criticize and reward them.

73 years have passed, but Uncle Ho's "Mass Mobilization" is still new, still exists and will forever remain valuable to us in the revolutionary cause of building and protecting the country today.

Applying President Ho Chi Minh's ideology of "Skilled Mass Mobilization" in his homeland with a land rich in patriotic and revolutionary traditions, in recent years, mass mobilization work and the emulation movement of "Skilled Mass Mobilization" in Nghe An have achieved results in all aspects. The economy continues to grow well; the material and spiritual life of the people has improved. Culture and society have many positive changes; education, training and health care for the people have made much progress. National defense has been strengthened, political security and social order and safety have been ensured...

Đồng chí Ngọc Kim Nam - Ủy viên Ban Thường vụ, Trưởng Ban Dân vận Tỉnh ủy chủ trì buổi làm việc với Ban Dân vận Thị ủy Thái Hòa. Ảnh tư liệu: Nguyễn Thị Lan
Comrade Ngoc Kim Nam - Member of the Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Commission chaired the working session with the Thai Hoa Town Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Commission. Photo: Nguyen Thi Lan

The emulation movement "Skilled Mass Mobilization" in the province has increasingly gone into depth, becoming a regular activity of all levels and sectors. 21/21 districts, cities, towns, 7/7 affiliated party committees and 57/57 departments, branches, sectors and organizations have established Steering Committees for the "Skilled Mass Mobilization" movement. From 345 "Skilled Mass Mobilization" models in 2009 (the year the Central Mass Mobilization Committee started to launch the emulation movement "Skilled Mass Mobilization"), up to now the whole province has built 8,881 models (of which 3,002 models are in the economic sector; 3,178 models are in the cultural - social sector; 1,088 models are in the security and defense sector; 1,613 models are in the building of the political system).

The most prominent is the "Skillful Mass Mobilization" movement in building new rural areas; The whole province has mobilized people to donate over 7.2 million square meters of land, contribute millions of working days and over 5,500 billion VND to build new rural areas, bringing the number of communes reaching the finish line in building new rural areas to 300/411 communes recognized as meeting new rural standards (including 04 communes in poor district 30a, 02 border communes and 30 communes with a large number of ethnic minorities) and 07 district-level units meeting new rural standards (those are Thai Hoa town, Vinh city, Nam Dan district, Yen Thanh district, Nghi Loc district, Quynh Luu district, Hoang Mai town. Thanks to good propaganda and mobilization work, the site clearance work, especially for some important projects, has been actively responded to and agreed by the people. Typical is the site clearance of VSIP Nghe An Project Phase 1 with an area of ​​750 hectares, WHA Hemaraj Project, Hoa Sen Steel Project, Vingroup, The Visai, Masan, FLC, Muong Thanh,… have received the consensus of the people. Through “Smart Mass Mobilization”, thousands of resettled households from Ban Ve Hydropower Plant, Hua Na, and Ban Mong Reservoir have been mobilized to new places to construct the project on schedule, receiving high consensus from the people.

Nhờ làm tốt công tác dân vận, các hộ dân đã tự nguyện tháo dỡ công trình, vật kiến trúc để phục vụ Dự án Đường bộ cao tốc phía Đông. Trong ảnh: Các lực lượng địa phương giúp người dân xã Quỳnh Vinh (thị xã Hoàng Mai) tháo dỡ nhà cửa, vật kiến trúc để giải phóng mặt bằng. Ảnh tư liệu: Đào Tuấn
Thanks to good mass mobilization work, households have voluntarily dismantled their buildings and structures to serve the Eastern Expressway Project. In the photo: Local forces help people in Quynh Vinh commune (Hoang Mai town) dismantle houses and structures to clear the land. Photo: Dao Tuan

In the economic field, through the emulation movement "Skillful mass mobilization", 1,200 hectares of passion fruit (Que Phong and Tuong Duong districts) have been built with an income value of 600 million VND/ha/year; the V2 orange model (in Quy Hop district) with an area of ​​over 500 hectares, with an economic value of 1.5 billion VND/ha; the melon model (in Nghi Loc district) with an income of hundreds of millions of VND/ha; Dien Chau district, Hoang Mai town has many farmers investing tens of billions of VND in aquaculture. A number of large-scale concentrated raw material crop production and livestock areas have been formed, associated with the development of the processing industry and product consumption (TH Milk Company). Land potential has been reasonably exploited, the structure of crops and livestock has been transformed, and economic efficiency has been improved. Trade and services have been expanded and developed to better meet the needs of life and production... gradually improving the material and spiritual life of the people.

In the cultural and social fields, the “Smart Mass Mobilization” models have contributed to preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic groups, Nghe Tinh folk songs; the model of cultural villages, cultural clans, and clans that encourage learning has been recognized by the people and the whole society. The number of students with high scores in university entrance exams, and excellent students at national and international levels have been among the top in the country for many years. The rate of cultural families is 85%. The rate of poor households is 2.74%.

Lãnh đạo Ban Dân vận Tỉnh ủy khảo sát mô hình trồng khoai sọ tại điểm Piêng Lâng, xã Nậm Giải (Quế Phong), nằm trong chuỗi mô hình
Leaders of the Provincial Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Commission surveyed the taro planting model at Pieng Lang, Nam Giai commune (Que Phong), part of the "Smart Mass Mobilization" model series supported by the Commission, and visited the cage fish farming model on the reservoir of Hua Na Hydropower Plant. Photo: Nguyen Viet - Ngan Hanh

In the field of national defense and security, models such as: "Peaceful gong", "Self-managed safety team", hamlets (blocks) without drugs, social evils, traffic accidents directed by districts, cities and towns; "Peaceful border" model of the Border Guard; "Working team to help people build political bases", "Connecting love between religion and religion", "Saving oneself for the poor" model of the Provincial Military Command; "Saturday for the people" of Nghe An Police... have contributed to ensuring political security and social order and safety in the area.

In the field of building the political system, the "Skilled Mass Mobilization" models have focused on strengthening party organizations and mass organizations in hamlets and villages, especially in religious areas and ethnic minority areas, improving the quality of life and activities of the Fatherland Front and mass organizations, thereby contributing to strengthening the flesh-and-blood relationship between the Party and the People.

The Provincial Party Standing Committee issued Directive No. 05-CT/TU, dated May 23, 2021, on improving the effectiveness of the emulation movement "Skilled Mass Mobilization". Every year, the inspection of building models and typical examples of "Skilled Mass Mobilization" is included in the inspection program of the Party Committee. Through the implementation of the emulation movement "Skilled Mass Mobilization", people trust cadres and love the Party more. The above models are truly convincing and have the power to spread for organizations and individuals to learn and follow; they have mobilized the entire political system to participate, gather, mobilize and promote the strength and intelligence of the people in performing local tasks.

Đồng chí Ngọc Kim Nam cùng đoàn công tác thăm và tặng quà cho các học sinh bán trú tại Trường Phổ thông Dân tộc bán trú THCS Thông Thụ (Quế Phong); Đồng chí Ngọc Kim Nam tặng hoa, quà của Tỉnh ủy, HĐND, UBND, Ủy ban Mặt trận Tổ quốc tỉnh Nghệ An tới thầy và trò Trường Tiểu học Châu Sơn; Lãnh đạo Ban Dân vận Tỉnh ủy tặng quà cho học sinh khó khăn Trường PTDTBT THCS Hồng Tiến, xã Châu Hồng (Quỳ Hợp). Ảnh: CSCC
Comrade Ngoc Kim Nam and the delegation visited and presented gifts to boarding students at Thong Thu Ethnic Minority Boarding Secondary School (Que Phong); Comrade Ngoc Kim Nam presented flowers and gifts from the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, and Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province to teachers and students of Chau Son Primary School; Leaders of the Provincial Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Commission presented gifts to disadvantaged students of Hong Tien Ethnic Minority Boarding Secondary School, Chau Hong Commune (Quy Hop). Photo: CSCC

From applying President Ho Chi Minh's ideology on mass mobilization work through the implementation of his article "Mass mobilization" in building the emulation movement "Skilled mass mobilization" in Nghe An, we have drawn the following experiences:

The first, must deeply imbue with Uncle Ho's teaching "If the mass mobilization is poor, everything will be poor. If the mass mobilization is skillful, everything will be successful", cadres must be exemplary, say what they do, always for the benefit of the people; always take the lead in movements, including the emulation movement "Skilled mass mobilization". Must find every way to explain to each citizen clearly: That work is for their benefit and their duty, they must enthusiastically do it.

Monday,The emulation movement "Skilled mass mobilization" must stand on the viewpoint and interests of the people, which is an important factor to promote the internal strength of the people and create the sustainable vitality of the movement. The mass mobilization method must be good, with regular contact and dialogue with the people to resolve arising, urgent, and prominent issues from the grassroots.

Tuesday,Focus on propaganda work, replicate models, typical examples of "Skilled Mass Mobilization"; the entire political system gets involved, has creative ways of doing things, suitable to the conditions of each locality and unit. Do a good job of emulation and reward in the "Skilled Mass Mobilization" emulation movement.

Lãnh đạo Ban Dân vận Tỉnh ủy khen thưởng các điển hình tập thể đã có thành tích xuất sắc trong phong trào thi đua Dân vận khéo tỉnh Nghệ An giai đoạn 2016 - 2020. Ảnh tư liệu: Thành Duy
Leaders of the Provincial Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Committee commended typical collectives with outstanding achievements in the emulation movement of skillful mass mobilization in Nghe An province in the period of 2016 - 2020. Photo: Thanh Duy

In the coming time, the Party committees, authorities and sectors in Nghe An province will continue to deeply imbue President Ho Chi Minh with the ideology of mass mobilization through the article "Mass mobilization". Pay attention to leadership, direction, regularly innovate content and form, promote the emulation movement "Skilled mass mobilization" in all areas of social life, with the motto "Close to the people, respect the people, listen to the thoughts and aspirations of the people"; contribute to building Nghe An homeland into a prosperous province as President Ho Chi Minh always wished for during his lifetime./.