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Awareness on democratic and socialist democracy in the renovation process of Viet Nam
Awareness on democratic and socialist democracy in the renovation process of Viet Nam
25/10/16
Theories on democracy account for an important part of Marxism-Leninism theories. According to K.Marx and F.Engels, the evolution from slave owners’ democracy to bourgeois democracy and proletarian democracy (socialist democracy) was a historical progress. They objectively assessed that though the bourgeois democracy had limitations, and shortcomings, it was a progress compared with the feudal dictatorial regime. At the same time, they pointed out the class nature of the bourgeois democracy which was democracy for the minority exploiters who were dictatorial to the majority of working people. According to K.Marx and F.Engels, in the first stage of the socialist revolution, the proletariat should become the ruling class to "seize democracy." Only by taking over the state power could the proletariat build and promote socialist democracy, and fulfil its historic mission to turn the people, first of all the working people, into the owner of the society, and the supreme and only subject of all powers. The thought of K.Marx and F.Engels bespoke the democratic nature of the working class and working people’s new society.
Inheriting and developing ideas of K.Marx and F.Engels on democracy, V.I. Lenin clarified the dialectical path of democratic transition: “From dictatorship to bourgeois democracy; from bourgeois democracy to proletarian democracy; from proletarian democracy to no more democracy”(1).
As a form of state, democracy came into being, existed and disappeared along with the birth, existence and disappearance of the state. V.I Lenin wrote: “Of course, democracy is a form of state and will disappears when the state exists no more, but this can happen only when socialism claims complete victory and is strengthened in the transition to complete communism.”(2) Of course we understand democracy as a political category will disappear, but as a value it will still exist even if the state does not exist any more.
Like F.Engels, V.I. Lenin especially stressed the class nature of democracy. V.I. Lenin required the Marxists never to forget without asking that for which class that democracy was. V.I. Lenin stated that one of the criteria to differentiate the proletarian democracy with earlier democracies: “The proletarian democracy is the regime dominated by the majority over the minority, in the interests of the majority ....”(3)
V.I. Lenin emphasized the need to combine the struggle for democracy with the victory of socialism. According to him, on the one hand, only through the struggle for a new democratic regime could subjective and objective prerequisites for the victory of the proletarian revolution ripe, on the other hand, socialism could not maintain its victory, if democracy was not fully exercised. Thus democracy is an intrinsic and inherent characteristic and nature of socialism.
As a culmination of the entire evolution history of democracy, socialist democracy is the crystallization of the entire democratic values achieved in the history and the emergence of new democratic qualitative values. Here, democracy becomes the common value of society, penetrating in all areas, and all relations of social life, and covering all angles of human existence, creating ample conditions for the release of all the creative capacity of human beings. So V.I. Lenin asserted that Proletarian democracy is a million times more democratic than any bourgeois democracy. Socialist democracy is the democracy for the mass of working people, and for the benefit of the majority. It does not eliminate class struggle, resolutely fights acts against democratic standards and violation of true democratic values of the people. Therefore, in the socialist democracy, democracy and dictatorship are not separated; democracy is closely associated with law, order and discipline.
Inheriting and developing ideas on democratic of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh advanced a unique concept of democracy through brief expressions: “People are masters,” “People exercise their mastery,” “People are the root,” “Our country is a democratic country,” “Democracy is the master key.” Affirming people as masters of society, Ho Chi Minh stated: “Power and force rest with the people,” and more importantly, Ho Chi Minh also confirmed to make the people enjoy their mastery in reality. From “People are masters” to “People exercise their mastery” is a qualitative step forward of democracy. According to Ho Chi Minh, people should be supported to exercise their right to mastery in enabling conditions, and know how to use that right. To do so, people’s capacity should be build. That capacity neither is readily available nor falls from the sky, or “granted,” but on the one hand, the Party and State must create appropriate mechanisms, policies, and legislation, on the other hand, people should strive to train themselves, learn about democracy, raise the level of knowledge on democracy, democratic practices and possess the acumen to practice democracy. Only by so doing can people exercise true right to democracy, and avoid general and nominal democracy.
According to Ho Chi Minh, to have democratic rights practiced, those rights should be institutionalized into Constitution, laws and implemented by the corresponding institutions of the State. Here, neither democracy and law, democracy and discipline eliminate nor nullify each other, on the contrary, they come in a dialectical unity, and are conditions and prerequisite for the development of each other. In fact, both anarchy and dictatorship are contrary to the nature of democratic socialism. There will be no democracy without law, order and discipline.
During the renovation period, the Party has made important strides in theoretical awareness on democracy and practice of democracy. Significant achievements have been made in democratization of social life, making socialist democracy a driving force of renovation and national development.
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All comments [ 10 ]
Viet Nam's pathway to socialism is unique. The country now positions itself in a transitional period on the way to socialism and eventually, communism.
Political dissidents and reactionaries, who boldly consider themselves “patriots,” are ebulliently discussing and criticizing the socialist democracy in Vietnam, and giving reactionary “suggestions” and “proposals” to the Party.
democracy is understood as a political institution of a state and society, which is based on the fundamental principle: people generating power via elections. Democracy is seen as the main driver for social development.
The Russian Revolution in 1917 opened the country up to a new-style of democracy, a socialist democracy. In that democracy, the working class took power and led the country, but served the interests of the entire people.
Vietnam’s democracy originated from the August Revolution, which was in fact a revolution of people struggling for national freedom, independence and democracy. The national democracy was severely tested in the wars against foreign invaders.
To bring democracy to life, the 2013 Constitution concretized the people’s rights to master the State and society.
Although it is not practical when comparing democracy models, it must be noted that our socialist democracy has its own advanced and good characteristics.
The model provides opportunities for people to fully practice their political and socio-economic rights and other rights, including people’s right to master the State and society.
More importantly, that model agrees with the Vietnamese national culture, traditions and moral values; as a result, a great majority of the Vietnamese people is happy with it.
The current model has the following main components: a rule-of-law State led by the Party, society mastered by people and socialist-oriented market economy.
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