Why Marxism – Leninism?

At the 12^th National Congress of the Party, Marxism – Leninism was reaffirmed as the ideological foundation and the lodestar for its activities. This affirmation has theoretical and practical basis, and is the manifestation of the Party’s worker class steadfastness and a clear refusal to those who are demanding the Party’s removal of that scientific and revolutionary ideology.

 Lesson of primary importance

Reviewing 30 years of renewal, the Political Report of the Central Party Committee (XI tenure) to the 12^thNational Congress pointed out the primary lesson is to “be active and ceaselessly creative on the basis of steadfastness in the aim of national independence and socialism, creatively apply and develop Marxism – Leninism, Ho Chi Minh Thought, inherit and promote national tradition, absorb the quintessence of human kind, apply international experiences into Vietnam reality”. Accordingly, “Renewal does not mean getting rid of Marxism – Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought but to have the right awareness, apply creatively and ceaselessly develop this doctrine and ideology, setting it as the ideological basis for the Party’s activities and an approach to analyze situations, plan and fulfill guidelines for renewal”. This lesson is drawn from the achievements and shortcomings over the past 30 years. This is also a declaration of loyalty of the Party to Marxism – Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought while refuting some people demanding the Party to “resolutely getting rid of Marxism – Leninism for the country’s development” (!).

To be frank, suggestions of this kind do not make our Party stronger but soon dismantle and no longer remain its worker class nature and a loyal representative for the interest of worker class, labouring people and of the whole nation. Those ideas not only manifest the “self evolution”, “self transformation” but also serve sabotages of hostile forces who ask our Party to get rid of its ideological ground to accept pluralism.

Grounds for the loyalty

Our Party’s loyalty to Marxism – Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought is theoretically and practically based. First, in terms of theory, this is the dependence in political nature of a party on the nature and ideology that party chooses as its lodestar. Without ideology, a political party is just a random, separated and weak collection. For this reason, since 1927, during the course of founding the Party, Nguyen Ai Quoc has pointed out: “ If the Party wants to be strong, it must have a doctrine which all of its member must grasp and follow. A party without doctrine is just like a person without wisdom, or a ship without a compass”. Bourgeois parties always choose the bourgeois ideology, while Marxist parties choose Marxism – Leninism as their ideological base. Therefore, the request for the Party’s removal of Marxism – Leninism aims at changing the political and class nature of the Party. If the Party accepts their request, it will no longer be a communist party and the vanguard of the worker class and soon dismantle.

Second, the collapse of communist regimes in the USSR and  Eastern Europe did not stem from Marxism – Leninism but from dogmatism and revisionism and the betrayal of some top leaders of the fundamentals of Marxism – Leninism. After nearly 20 years of the collapse of the Soviet Union, in his work entitled “Secrets of the collapse of the USSR – history of plots and betrayals 1945 – 1991”, A.P. Seviakin released Gorbachev’s confession in 1999 in Turkey that: “The purpose of my life was the destruction of communism. It is for this purpose that I used my position in the party and in the country. When I was personally met with the West, I realized that I could not retreat from the goal. And to achieve it I had to replace the whole leadership of the CPSU and the USSR, and in all socialist countries. I was fortunate to find companions in the realization of these goals. Among them A.N Yakovlev and E.G Shevardnadze hold a place, whose contribution in our common cause was invaluable…”. So, it was clear that Marxism – Leninism was not the root of the collapse of communism in the USSR and Eastern Europe countries, so the doctrine did not come to an end as anti-communists said. However, the collapse gave us a number of valuable lessons on firmly holding revolutionary government, particularly the steadfastness and creative application of Marxism – Leninism in the building of new societies.

Third, in the contemporary world, Marxist theory is still of significant and important as being the most scientific, revolutionary and valid theory in explaining and renovating the world. Though not being a Marxist, Terry Eagleton – a professor of the Lancaster University (UK), the author of the book “Why Marx was right?” published by Yale University (America) in 2011, has denied the argument that: “the system has altered almost unrecognizably since the days of Marx, and this is why his ideas are no longer relevant..”. He pointed out that: “Marx himself was perfectly aware of the ever-changing nature of the system he challenged”, and that: “what helped to beat back Marxism also lent a kind of credence to its claims. It was thrust to the margins because the social order it confronted, far from growing more moderate and benign, waxed more ruthless and extreme than it had been before. And this made the Marxist critique of it all the more pertinent”.

The current development of capitalism has certified the words of Terry. The “Occupy Wall Street” movement with its slogan “we are the 99 percent” (in 2009 and 2011) not only took place in the USA but also spread to other developed capitalist countries, reflecting the impotence of capitalism in dealing with social inequalities. Facing the deadlock of capitalism in the global financial crisis in the late of 2007 which stemmed from the USA, many people turned to the works of Marx. G. Soros, a US magnate and politician who strongly advocated free market economy, admitted that “I am reading Marx”. Western leaders who always deny the state involvement in financial sector looked to heritage of Marx and acted contrast to what they adore as providing huge financial packages to save the capital’s financial system which was on the edge of a bankruptcy. Explaining for the event, the British historian Eric Hobsbawn said: “The return to Marx means that the world should study his doctrine about capitalism and its position in the development of human kind”.

The above facts also strengthen some predictions of bourgeois scholars that the 21^st Century will still be the time of Marxism. Jacques Derrida, a creditable philosopher in the US and France holds that: without Marx and his heritage, human kind will have no future.

Fourth, the reality of Vietnamese revolutionary in the late of 19^th century and early 20^th century proved that only when leader Nguyen Ai Quoc approached Marxist – Leninism and spread it to Vietnam, could the patriotic movement of our nation break its deadlock in guideline. From patriotism and having read various ideological trends, he stated: “There are many doctrines and ideologies but the most righteous, valid and revolutionary one is Marxist – Leninism”. Thereafter, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and President Ho Chi Minh, our people have gained independence and freedom for the nation, unified the country and today we are on our way to socialism.

Regarding mistakes and shortcomings in the past, our Party has openly admitted before its people and pointed out that they were due to dogmatism, subjectivity, and violation of objective rules but not the failure of Marxist theory. Therefore, it is unreasonable that we refute the role of Marxism – Leninism in Vietnamese revolution due to shortcomings in the leadership of the CPV.

Being aware of the shortcomings, in the 6^th National Congress, our Party launched the renewal cause. Against complicated backdrop of the world situation since the late of the 20^th Century to date, the renewal cause has gained significant and historic achievements. Our country has become a middle-income developing country. Annual average growth rate is about 7%. Economic structure has seen positive changes with industry and service accounting for nearly 83% of GDP. Economic size and potential have been unceasingly raised. GDP increased nearly 7 folds and export turnover increased over 200 folds. Per capita GDP was estimated at USD 2,228 in 2015. Economic and social infrastructure have seen fast developments with modern constructions being newly built. Positive results have been gained in the field of social progress and equality. Poverty rate declined dramatically to under 4.5% in 2015 and Vietnam was ranked among top country to realize the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Thereby, spiritual and material life of people have been improved significantly. Political stability is maintained, defence and security are strengthened, national territory is safeguarded. External affairs and international integration are actively fostered and gain positive results. Today, Vietnam has diplomatic, commercial relations with most  countries in the world; established strategic partnership relations with 15 countries, comprehensive relations with 10 countries, including 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council. Vietnam has become a member of many international organizations, such as the WTO, elected to the UN Security Council for 2008 – 2009 term, the UNHRC for 2014 – 2016 term, ECOSOC for 2016 – 2018 term, the Executive Board of UNESCO for 2015 – 2019 term, and the Secretary-General  of ASEAN for 2013 – 2017 term, etc. One fundamental cause bringing about those achievements is that our Party and people have undertaken the renewal cause base on the steadfastness and creative application of Marxism– Leninism, Ho Chi Minh Thought into the reality of Vietnamese revolution. This is a lively example for the vitality of doctrine in the present situation of Vietnam.

Strengthening belief solution

Damaging the belief of cadres, party members and people in Marxism– Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought is the permanent aim and quackery of hostile forces. Yet, they can not decide the success of their plans but depend on us. To consolidate and strengthen people’s belief in the Party ideology, it is necessary to implement a number of solutions, focusing on the following ones: 1. Actively criticize wrong arguments distorting Marxism – Leninism and Ho Chi Minh thought to make people of all strata, first and foremost cadres and party members, fully aware of the hidden aims of those viewpoints; 2. Enhancing the quality of political education, particularly Marxist – Leninist theory and Ho Chi Minh Thought, first and foremost in schools and for key cadres; 3. Fostering the study and propagation of Marxism – Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought. Besides, it is necessary to criticize those who contrast Ho Chi Minh Thought with Marxism – Leninism with the aim of denying both those ideology in Vietnamese revolution; 4. Speeding up the realization of ideals of socialism in real life by a number of solutions. This is the most important and decisive solution as “all theories are grey, real life is green”. Furthermore, to accomplish the 6 focal missions set out in the 12^th National Congress, we should focus on: pursuing the implementation of the Central Resolution 4 (XI tenure) on party building in order to: prevent and repel the deterioration in political ideology, ethics, lifestyle, and “self evolution”, “self transformation” within the Party; accelerating the building of socialist rule of law state in both political nature and managerial capability; boosting and enhancing the effectiveness of corruption and wastefulness prevention and control, etc. Those are both fundamental and urgent steps to improve belief of cadres, party members and people in Marxism – Leninism and Ho Chi Minh thought that our Party has chosen as its ideology.