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The evolution of democracy in Vietnam after 30 years of the Renewal (Part II and End)
The evolution of democracy in Vietnam after 30 years of the Renewal (Part II and End)
11/10/16
In Vietnam, the difference has been
noticeable, since democracy promotion has taken place in parallel at both macro
and micro levels and from the central to the grassroots and vice versa, thus
making a comprehensive and deep-reaching movement. The Communist Party of Vietnam
is the initiator of policies and guidelines pertaining to democratization of
socio-political life in Vietnam. With that key social responsibility, renewing
the content and operational methods of the entire political system has been
crucial with the focus on renewing the Party's leadership of the State, and
stepping up democratization in the Party, administrative reforms in the State,
and reforms in the judiciary sector. This plan has been made specific with the
support of policies, ordinances and laws. Coupled with that, supervision and
social feedback by political organizations like the National Assembly and the
Fatherland Front has been accelerated to ensure the correctness and conformity
of the process of democratization, thus gaining the people's backing for
related political decisions.
Many plans and policies issued by
the Party and State have been publicized for the purpose of gathering the
people's comments via surveys, polls or the mass media. Such social
participation and examination have nurtured the formation of a developmental
trend from the grassroots level that has contributed greatly to democracy
promotion. It can be seen that in many cases, movements made from the
grassroots level and specific approaches taken by each locality to meet its
needs have helped promote democratization in Vietnam. This has been noticeable,
especially during the renewal process. Such movements have been called by
various names, such as "xe rao" (breaking the line), "bung
ra" (busting), or "khoan chui" (unofficial piecework
assignment). These acts have reflected the strong proactive spirit in political
and social fronts although they were outside regulations and mismatched with
the legal framework at the time. They have been seen as responses of
democracy and represented requirements of reality at the grassroots level.
It is noted that in dealing with
these movements, the central government has shown respect and a democratic
attitude. Though making several adjustments, the central government has allowed
these movements to occur on a trial basis to help in drawing lessons for future
improvements. Later, many active movements made at the grassroots level have been
recognized and have contributed to shaping a national renewal plan for the
country. In time, the "central to grassroots and vice versa" trends
merged and incorporated into a driving force to boost the promotion of
democracy.
Learning from the experiences of
this work, Vietnam stipulated regulations on grassroots democracy in 1998 and
developed it into an ordinance in 2007. The move has been acknowledged by
international friends as creative and suitable for promoting democracy. The
characteristics presented above have reflected particular features and
differences and shaped Vietnam's own approaches to the promotion of
democracy. Accepting and respecting differences is also a principle of
modern democracy. Perhaps with its own unique characteristic features, Vietnam
may make active contributions to the commonwealth of humankind's democracy.
In his article, PhD Nguyen An Ninh
also notes that apart from developing democracy based on its own
characteristics, Vietnam has proactively learnt and applied creatively many
democratic values of humankind to further perfect its own democracy. The
socialist regime in Vietnam has held high and adhered to the principle of
democratos – power belonging to the people. This was the revolutionary goal
that Ho Chi Minh defined as early as in 1925.
The President said, "We have
sacrificed our lives for revolution – we should pursue it to the end. After the
revolution is won, power should be handed over to the majority of people, don't
leave it in the hands of the minority. So, more sacrifices need not to be made
and the people can enjoy happiness". That principle has been interpreted
into reality with the establishment of the State power system whose personnel
are elected, and responsibilities and rights are set, by the people.
The rights and obligation of
citizens (including the rights to election, supervision and dismissal of State
agencies) have been prescribed clearly in the constitution and practiced in
reality. The country's big decisions have been made by the National Assembly,
which is the most powerful agency representing the people's will. Vietnam has
also inherited a number of principles of managing democracy, including general
elections, the principle of centralized democracy, the supreme role of
constitution and laws in social life, and the implementation of representative
democracy in combination with direct democracy.
In building a socialist law-governed
State of the people, by the people and for the people, the unity of State power
is based on the assignment and coordination in performing three rights:
legislation, execution and justice, under the leadership of the Communist
Party. This can be considered a combination of humankind values and a creative
application to Vietnam's specific conditions. This is an inheritance of organizational
experience, structure and functions of the three most important parts of the
State, plus the principle that the highest power belongs to the people. It
could be understood that unity is the foundation while the assignment and
coordination are methods of achieving unified State power. The Party's
leadership also aims to ensure smooth coordination and strict adherence to the
Constitution and law. Building a socialist law-governed State of the
people, by the people and for the people is a basic way of promoting the
people's right to mastery and guaranteeing that the State's power belongs to
the people.
The State's power is defined by the
Constitution and laws. The State manages society with the law and promotes the
rights of all people and citizens. The State strengthens the legal system and
deals with all violations of the law in a strict and fair manner in order to
protect the rights to democracy and freedom and the legitimate interests of
citizens, to prevent the abuse of power of State agencies and employees, to
preclude the abuse of democracy and indiscipline, thus ensuring the efficiency
of management operations. Vietnam's Constitution and laws also confirm
citizens' right to join in managing the State and society, discussing common
issues for the whole nation and localities and making recommendations to State
agencies.
Citizens of the Socialist Republic
of Vietnam are guaranteed all fundamental rights to freedom, including the
rights to equality before the law, free and fair elections, freedom of
expression, freedom of the press, complaints and denouncements. Those rights to
freedom are a foundation for the people to inspect the State's operations and
are one of the important methods to implement democracy. Caring for
people, protecting legitimate rights and interests of all people; observing and
performing international conventions on human rights that Vietnam has already
signed or joined in; renewing institutions, identifying the responsibility of
administrations at all levels, agencies, officials and State employees to deal
with complainants and denouncements lodged by citizens; implementing the
regulations on democracy, expanding democracy at grassroots level and creating
better conditions for the people to engage in managing society, discussing and
deciding are important contents in the enforcement of the Constitution and laws
and the development of democracy in Vietnam.
The socialist democratic regime in Vietnam
also acknowledges that society is unified in diversity, accepts and respects
differences in terms of class, ethnicity, religion and gender of
communities. The rights to equality and freedom of each community are
prescribed and protected by the law based on democratic principles: minority
complies with majority, but minority has the right to have and keep their
differences, providing that these differences do not go counter to the nation's
common interests; tolerance, cooperation and dialogue to deal with differences,
disputes and conflicts. "Taking the goal of maintaining national
independence and unification and for a rich people, a strong country, an
equitable, democratic, civilized society the common ground to unite compatriots
from ethnic groups, religions and all walks of life at home and overseas;
abolishing all complexes, preconceptions and discriminations against the past
and classes. Respecting different opinions that do not go counter to the
nation's interests. Upholding the tradition of benevolence and tolerance and
building up a spirit of openness and mutual trust for political stability and
social consensus."
By accepting and inheriting humankind's
democratic values, the process of renewal and development of democracy in Vietnam
has achieved a lot of successes, thereby making many important contributions to
the world. For example, the implementation of the Regulations on Grassroots
Democracy (since 2007 the Ordinance on Grassroots Democracy) was evaluated as,
"a creation in realizing the principle of the people, by the people and
for the people in political reality" and "a scientific political
movement in line with modern democracy". With a proactive and
positive participation in international and regional cooperation, the process
of developing democracy in Vietnam proves that its nature incorporates
democratic values of humankind and also through this process Vietnam
contributes greatly to democracy in the modern world./.
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