Vladimir Lenin’s thoughts continue to illuminate Vietnam’s revolutionary path

Born on April 22, 1870 in Simbirsk (now Ulianovsk of the Russian Federation), from a young age, Lenin had absorbed communist ideology and participated in the revolutionary movement.

Despite being imprisoned and living overseas for many years, he continued to embark in the tireless struggling process, both fervently defending and developing Marxism in the context of many changes in the world, and relying on Marxism to conduct practical research and create, supplement and develop Marxism, whilst striving to realise these theoretical creations in the specific circumstances of Russia, leading to the birth of Marxism-Leninism. The result of this process was the great October Revolution and the birth of the world’s first socialist state. From then, Lenin continued to lead the party, the state and the people to build real socialism in Russia and the Soviet Union with achievements that changed the face of humanity, becoming an example for the working class and oppressed peoples to follow and struggle for their right to life.

From the process of succeeding and developing the theories of Marxism and from the practical meaning in his activities, it can be affirmed that Lenin strove to make preparations in terms of politics, thoughts and teams, aimed at building a political party of the working class following the Marxist ideology and extensively spreading that ideology among the entire working people, thus raising awareness to form a self-awareness of the mission of the working class and of the inevitability of the process from capitalism to communism. From those theoretical and practical activities, Lenin realised that when conditions were ripe, the proletariat revolution could break out at the weakest stage in the imperialist system; and when the opportunity came, on the basis of the worker-farmer-working people alliance, the political party of the working class could organise and lead the revolution to seize power from the bourgeoisie to build a new society. The genius finding of Lenin was extremely significant in both theory and practice, which is evident from the victory of the October Revolution, and after the revolution, the political party of the working class and the Soviet State joined the entire people in building the country, defending revolutionary achievements and the regime, and defeating both internal and external enemies.

With his foresight, Lenin was deeply aware of the point to organise and lead an unprecedented new-style state, which was that the working class must ensure two decisive factors. Firstly, the ruling proletarian political party must be a vanguard and must always be strengthened and developed, with party members whole-heartedly contributing to the revolution and striving for the benefits of the revolution and working people. Secondly, the state from the central to the local level must be a clean apparatus capable of building “a much high and broader democracy than all the previous democratic regimes in the world and kickstarting a creation campaign of tens of millions of workers and peasants aiming to realise socialism in reality.” Under the leadership of Lenin, the Russian Communist Party (Bolshevik), then the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, and the Soviet State were strengthened to ensure the mission of organising and leading the development of the country as a synchronous system; promoting the role of government from the central to local levels; facilitating economic, cultural and educational development and improving the society’s knowledge and awareness; building and consolidating the political quality and stance of the Red Army; and expanding international relations. In particular, the New Economic Policy (NEP) initiated by Lenin had contributed significantly to this system, mobilising the internal strength of society and effectively utilising infrastructure facilities of the previous period, thus paving the way for the development of the following periods.

As a true communist with a noble humanistic spirit, Lenin raised the slogan “The proletariat of the whole world and oppressed peoples unite together!” and always cared for the destiny of the labouring class, working people and oppressed nations worldwide. In the context that colonialism was shadowing humanity, Lenin not only determined stances but also proposed strategies in the fight for the liberation of oppressed peoples. With the “Preliminary Draft Theses on the National and the Colonial Question”, he frankly criticised the wrongful views of the national and colonial issues, condemning chauvinism and narrow nationalism, and affirming that the communist parties’ mission to support and assist the cause of national liberation in the colonies. And on his roadmap to find a path to salvage the country, President Ho Chi Minh accepted the great significance of Lenin’s views on national and colonial issues, considering them as necessary for the Vietnamese revolution and as the route to national liberation. He once asserted: “To us, revolutionists and people of Vietnam, Leninism is not only a miraculous handbook and a “magnetic needle”, but also the sun that illuminates our path to ultimate victory, socialism and communism.”

More than half a century after Lenin passed away, due to many historical mistakes, the socialist regime in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe collapsed. That collapse brings us a crucial lesson that if we move away from the principles of Marxism-Leninism, not stemming from the objective and scientific awareness of the developmental movement of reality to build appropriate strategies and improve the quality, capabilities, leadership level and revolutionary morality in the Party and the State under the guidance of Lenin, it is quite possible for us to lose all the achievements of the revolution. Over the past 90 years, the thoughts and image of Lenin have left deep imprints on each revolutionary stage led by the Communist Party of Vietnam, inspiring us to step from the victory of the August Revolution in 1945 and the victory of the resistance war against the French colonists and the US imperialists to the great and historic achievements of the Doi Moi (Renewal) cause. Marxism-Leninism, specifically the thoughts of Lenin, were absorbed and applied by President Ho Chi Minh and the Communist Party of Vietnam in a creative way and in accordance with Vietnam’s conditions, circumstances and characteristics to formulate a guiding principle throughout the revolution process - national independence and socialism - thereby designing specific strategies and policies for each period of the revolution.

Celebrating the 150th anniversary of Lenin’s birth, we commemorate the great thinker, the outstanding political theorist and the prominent leader of the working class, working people and oppressed nations, while affirming that he remains as an example for every communist in the world to study and follow. Lenin’s thoughts and theories will live forever and remain as a source of energy enlightening the path of liberating the working people towards socialism. His teachings still lead the way and help us to be consistent with Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts to strengthen the Party building and rectification; prevent and push back degradation in terms of political ideology, ethics and lifestyles, and manifestations of “self-evolution” and “self-transformation” in the Party; and build a law-governed socialist state of the people, by the people and for the people. And to be worthy of him, the entire Party, people and army should exert greater efforts to build and defend the Vietnamese fatherland and develop it into a prosperous and strong country with a democratic, fair and civilised society.