Ho Chi Minh’s legacy in contemporary world politics

Assoc, ProF., Dr. DINH XUAN LY
Vietnam National University, Hanoi

1. Love of country and the people - The foundation of a true politician

In the progression of global politics from the 20th century to the first decades of the 21st century, famous national and international political leaders have emerged, coming from different political and social backgrounds. As a result, each leader’s political career (political legacy) has impacted national and international politics in very different ways.

In the list of the world’s most influential people over the 20th century (published by the American News Magazine - Time) in 1998, President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, was included (1). Comparing Ho Chi Minh’s legacy with other renowned political leaders shows that his political legacy is practical, enduring, and has had a positive, progressive influence on Vietnamese and global political life.

For the Vietnamese people, Ho Chi Minh’s political legacy includes: the political legacy of founding the nation(2); the political legacy of constitutionalism(3); the political legacy of foreign affairs(4). The fact is that in the history of world politics, very few political leaders have received consistent and sustainable honor from the ruling Party as in the case of Ho Chi Minh. The Communist Party of Vietnam has identified “Ho Chi Minh’s thought as the ideological foundation and compass for the Party’s actions”(5); “Ho Chi Minh’s thought has become a valuable spiritual asset for the Party and the entire nation”(6).

The Vietnamese people hold a natural and heartfelt respect and admiration for Ho Chi Minh, affectionally calling him “Uncle Ho” and “Father of the Nation”. Many researchers (including American researcher W.J. Duiker) have noted the fact that Ho Chi Minh was respected, admired, and adored even when he was alive. The Editor-in-Chief of Vietnam Prospect Magazine (France), Dominique de Miscault, said that President Ho Chi Minh has become a symbol, winning the trust and love of all Vietnamese people. The Vietnamese people always have special respect for Ho Chi Minh(7). The author of the book: Why Ho Chi Minh? believes that Nguyen Ai Quoc - Ho Chi Minh has gained “the absolute trust of the people in the political leader, which became a source of his leadership capacity”(8).

Globally, Ho Chi Minh is honored as a “National Liberation Hero, and an Outstanding Cultural Figure”(9). Ho Chi Minh’s legacy offers humanity a political views in which the nations of the world and its peoples are equal, united and live together in peace and friendship, respecting the diversity of national and cultural identity. He proposed humanitarian principles in international relations, emphasizing cooperation and mutual benefit without domination between large and small nations. Ho Chi Minh’s political views and practical activities conveyed the high ideal of a world where nations can coexist in equality and peace.

Ho Chi Minh contributed and practiced political ideas that have fundamental significance in modern international political relations(10). Ms. Katherine Muller Marin, Chief Representative of the UNESCO Office in Hanoi, said that Ho Chi Minh “left a mark in the development of humanity and in the history of the country”(11).

From a historical perspective, explaining the origin of Ho Chi Minh’s political views and political legacy shows that, before becoming a politician and statesman, Ho Chi Minh was a patriot(12) - Ho Chi Minh’s patriotism was closely linked to his love for the people. During his 30-year journey to find a way to salvage the country and work abroad, Nguyen Ai Quoc - Ho Chi Minh “never forgot for a moment that his Fatherland was being trampled and his people were being oppressed”(13). In 1946, talking with foreign journalists, Ho Chi Minh said: “I have only one desire, the ultimate desire is to make our country completely independent, our people completely free, for all compatriots to have food to eat, clothes to wear and everyone can be educated”(14).

The defining characteristic of Ho Chi Minh’s politics is his “Loyalty to the Country, Filial Piety to the People” a core value that has ensured that Ho Chi Minh’s political legacy “lives forever” in the life of the nation. Professor, Dr. Ahn Kyong Hwan (Chosun University, Korea) commented on Ho Chi Minh: “Ho Chi Minh’s spirit of patriotism, love for the people, and love for the nation are exemplary for all political leaders worldwide”(15).

Ultimately, politics is about the interests and destiny of humanity, concerning peace and development for nations. Ho Chi Minh’s political legacy for both Vietnam and the world demonstrates that he was a true politician, with a foundation rooted in patriotism and compassion for the people..

2. Love for peace - Preserving national and global peace

A core ethical quality and leading humanitarian value of a true politician is the political awareness to preserve peace for the nation and the world.

Ho Chi Minh was a peace-loving political leader. He often emphasized the desire for a just peace for the Vietnamese people: “The Vietnamese people really want peace to build the country. But to have real peace, there must be real independence”(16), not a dêcptive peace. While striving to achieve peace for his people, Ho Chi Minh respected the peace and legitimate interests of other nations and peoples following the viewpoint “Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself”(17). Speaking on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the National Day of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (September 2, 1955), Ho Chi Minh declared: “In relations with other countries, the policy of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam is clear and transparent: It is a policy of peace and good relations (...) Respecting each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, non-violation, non-interference in internal affairs, equality, mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence”(18).

Ho Chi Minh once affirmed: “The Vietnamese people love peace, to build the country with independence and freedom”(19). His stance on peace in his ideology reveals a dialectical relationship between the determination to safeguard peace for his own country and a commitment to contribute to peace for other nations. Ho Chi Minh said: “The Vietnamese people will never allow anyone to invade their country, and at the same time will never invade other countries. The Vietnamese people always support all struggles against foreign invasion and to protect world peace”. Under the direct leadership of President Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam’s foreign policy aimed to serve national interests while also bearing the responsibility to “build global peace,” with “peace and development” identified as Vietnam’s highest goals and interests.

Ho Chi Minh was a national political leader who did not seek to concentrate political power in himself but sought to design and implement a model of collective, democratic leadership. Ho Chi Minh also was a national political leader who avoided using force as a tool for governance within the nation and remained loyal to the country, working for the political power to belong to Vietnamese voters - the Vietnamese people (20).

John Kalau, Director of the Marx Library (UK), noted that: “Ho Chi Minh brought about a real resonance between the most advanced Western ideological trends and indigenous traditions of community, self-reliance, and loyalty to the fatherland(21). Ho Chi Minh was a national political leader who deeply recognized the power of national spirit and consciousness. “Nationalism is a great driving force of the country”(22). Nationalism in Ho Chi Minh’s political legacy is a genuine, pure nationalism for the benefit of the nation and the benefit of a peaceful and progressive world.

Ho Chi Minh’s political career encompasses a noble and broad humanitarian significance. That is the reason why author C. Paxken Ragio observed that “Ho Chi Minh’s patriotism is first of all an expression of the human will to be treated and recognized as a human being, to live in justice, and to enjoy all human rights”(23).

As President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh affirmed his belief that “countries with different social regimes and different forms of consciousness can all live together peacefully”(24). Ho Chi Minh’s political career was essentially a career striving for the Vietnamese people and the people of the world to live in peace and happiness.

The 26th President of the United States - Theodore Roosevelt once said: combining power with a noble purpose is to demonstrate “our usefulness to humanity”(25). Song Phil Kyung - author of the book: Why Ho Chi Minh?, believes that “Ho Chi Minh’s core democratic thought respects the universal values of humanity - freedom and equality - as emphasized in the 1776 Declaration of Independence of the American Revolution, etc. Whatever Ho Chi Minh said or did, it was always directed towards peace”(26). Historical reality shows that Ho Chi Minh was a political leader who left a profound political legacy that was “useful to humanity”.

3. Valuing friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation among nations

The role of a political leader in the world is not only to maintain peace but also to strengthen friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between nations and peoples. Ho Chi Minh was a national political leader with sincere and loyal political qualities that have touched the people and friends of the world.

At the International Conference on the 100th Anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s Birthday, held in Hanoi (May 1990), a female delegate said, “We came here with Muslims, Buddhists, and Christians, and before we did not understand each other. After two days at the conference, we were able to sit together and talk happily with each other, because we had something in common, Ho Chi Minh ideology: wishing humanity to be free and happy(27). Another foreigner also commented: “President Ho Chi Minh was deeply attached to his people, and at the same time he also had a lot of warm feelings for all peoples around the world”(28).

Ho Chi Minh was a national political leader whose political views and actions reflected the noble goal of a world where nations coexist in peace and friendship, respecting each other’s cultural and national diversity. Serafin Quiason, President of the Manila Institute of Ethnology in the Philippines, commented that: “President Ho Chi Minh was one of the few Asians familiar with both Asia and the West”(29). A Frenchman, Henri Martin, said that Ho Chi Minh “not only led the Vietnamese people to victory but also encouraged other peoples to follow the example of Vietnam. President Ho Chi Minh deserves the respect of the whole world”(30).

Ho Chi Minh cherished the friendly relations between Vietnam and the other countries and peoples of the world. He wished to build a world where nations and peoples live with reason and affection for each other - cooperating on equal footing, developing together, without distinction between big and small countries; not imposing hegemony in relations among countries. General Secretary of the Janata DaL Party (India) K.C. Tyagi commented: “Ho Chi Minh was never a political dictator but a person with strong influence in leadership, and so on. Ho Chi Minh was an outstanding leader, a model for politicians entrusted with the responsibility of their country”(31).

In the mid-1940s, in his appeal to the United Nations, as President of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh clearly outlined the foreign policy of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam: With regard to democratic countries, Vietnam is ready to implement an open-door and cooperative policy in all fields; to provide favorable reception for investment from foreign capitalists and engineers in all its industries; to be ready to expand ports, airports and roads for international trade and transit; to accept participation in all international economic cooperation organizations under the leadership of the United Nations; to be ready to sign special security agreements and related treaties with naval and army forces within the framework of the United Nations(32).

According to Ho Chi Minh, friendly and cooperative relations among nations must be built on a foundation of understanding, mutual respect, grounded in “internationalism and civilization” with a universal perspective that “In principle, common progress depends on the development of internationalism; and civilization is only beneficial when international relations are expanded and strengthened”(33).

Ho Chi Minh’s political ideas and actions inspired and influenced the vision of a world dedicated to freedom and happiness for humanity; they offered a vision of a free, peaceful, and cooperative political space for all nations . Japanese Foreign Minister Nakayama Taro commented: “The great President Ho Chi Minh, the founding father of Vietnam, will live forever not only in the hearts of the Vietnamese people but also in the history of mankind as a great man”(34).

According to contemporary political theory, if a national leader represents values ​​that other countries and peoples also want to pursue, the image and position of that country in world politics will be enhanced. Joseph S. Nye, JR (an influential American scholar in world politics) argued that a nation’s international influence is determined by both hard power and soft power, where “soft power is persuasive and attractive”(35). A country’s soft power plays a very important role in creating international influence. A nation’s soft power depends on whether its political culture and norms resonate with the people (domestically and internationally).

Ho Chi Minh was a national political leader who, in formulating and implementing policies, always adhered to his political ideals and beliefs, always placing the interests of the people above political considerations - seeing the protection of the people’s lives as a noble political goal. Ho Chi Minh was also a political leader who represented a humanistic political culture. His leadership demonstrates that Ho Chi Minh’s political power was “soft power, persuasive and attractive”.

William E. Ixara, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Venezuela, commented: “Ho Chi Minh is a symbol of the spirit of fighting for independence, freedom, and the cause of liberation of oppressed peoples all over the world. His thoughts and actions continue live on and light the path that humanity is taking”(36).

Evaluating a political leader often involves examining the “political legacy” they have left on the progress and development of their nation and the world. From this perspective, many Vietnamese and foreign politicians and political researchers praise the great role of Ho Chi Minh in “leading the Vietnamese people to rebuild their country, transforming it into a unified, peaceful, independent, democratic and prosperous non-aligned country with friendly relations with peace-loving nations around the world”(37), recognizing Ho Chi Minh as a world-class leader(38).

Political leaders who create turning points in the development (or lay the foundation for development) for a national or humanity is often considered world-renowned political leaders. From that perspective, Ho Chi Minh - the great political leader of Vietnam- was indeed a world-renowned political leader.

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Received: May 14, 2024; Reviewed: May 30, 2024; Approved for publication: July 24, 2024.

Endnotes:

(1) List of notable figures of the 20th century, Wikipedia, https://vi.wikipedia.org/.

(2) Legacy of Founding Politics: Ho Chi Minh politics served as the core value of Vietnamese political life in the early 20th century; his approach effectively addressed the national political crisis by finding a path to save the country and people. Ho Chi Minh founded the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

(3) Constitutional political heritage: Ho Chi Minh’s constitutional political thought focused on establishing a strong and wise government for the people, based on the “sacred power of the law” of the Constitution. This became the foundation of Vietnam’s constitutions.

(4) Foreign policy legacy: Vietnam’s foreign policy towards the world emphasized cooperation with all countries based on mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality, and mutual benefit; aimed at creating a peaceful, friendly environment with all countries; forming friendships with democratic nations, avoiding hostility, and implementing an open, friendly foreign policy with other countries and international organizations.

(5) Communist Party of Vietnam: Complete Party Documents, vol.68, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2018, p.693.

(6) Communist Party of Vietnam: Complete Party Documents, vol.51, ibid., 2007, p.30.

(7), (15) Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and Public Administration: Ho Chi Minh’s legacy in today’s era, Political and Administrative Publishing House, Hanoi, 2010, pp.720, 399.

(8), (26) Song Phil-Kyung: Why Ho Chi Minh?, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2022, pp.282, 257-258.

(9) At the 24th session (from October 20, 1987), the UNESCO General Assembly passed a Resolution, which included the decision to honor President Ho Chi Minh as “Hero of National Liberation” and an “Outstanding Cultural Figure of Vietnam”. Ho Chi Minh is one of the “outstanding figures” who left their mark on the progress of humanity. Also at the 24th session of the UNESCO General Assembly in 1987, Ho Chi Minh was honored as one of the six “outstanding figures”, stating: “President Ho Chi Minh, an outstanding symbol of national self-affirmation, devoted his whole life to the cause of national liberation of the Vietnamese people, contributing to the common struggle of nations for peace, national independence, democracy, and social progress” (Excerpt from Professor, Dr. Mach Quang Thang: Ho Chi Minh accompanies the nation, Ho Chi Minh City General Publishing House, 2017, p.13). According to the view of the UNESCO and the General Assembly in 1987, an “Outstanding Person” is not only an outstanding symbol of a nation but also a person who has left his mark on the development of humanity.

(10) Ho Chi political legacy contributed universal political philosophies, such as: “In principle, common progress depends on the development of internationalism, and civilization is only beneficial when international relations are expanded and strengthened” (Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, vol.1, ibid., p. 14); “World peace can be achieved if the countries of the world, especially the big countries, are ready to resolve conflicts between countries through negotiation” (Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, vol.8, ibid., p. 475); the world can only have peace “if the people of the world do not let the war mongers deceive them, but take on the responsibility of protecting world peace” (Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, vol.8, ibid., p. 475).

(11) Katherine Muller-Marin: President Ho Chi Minh’s contributions to UNESCO’s fields of activity at the International Scientific Conference “Ho Chi Minh’s Heritage in the Present Age”, https://dangcongsan.vn/, May 13, 2010.

(12) In the journey of most Vietnamese people seeking ways to save the country in the early 20th century, a common trait was a profound patriotism and determination to drive out the French colonialists for national independence. However, Nguyen Tat Thanh differed fundamentally in that his patriotism was inherently linked to a love for the people.

(13) Tran Dan Tien: Stories about President Ho’s life and activities, Publishing House, Hanoi, 1986, p.34.

(14) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, vol.4, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, pp. 187-188.

(16) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, vol.14, ibid., p.664.

(17), (23), (27) Nguyen Duy Nien: Ho Chi Minh’s diplomatic thought, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2008, pp.103, 102, 102.

(18), (24) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, vol.10, ibid., pp. 114, 12.

(19) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, vol.15, ibid., p. 297.

(20) In his Letter to the Nation (October 1944), Ho Chi Minh emphasized: “We must first have a structure representing the sincere solidarity and unanimous action of our entire nation. That structure shall be elected by a national congress of representatives of all revolutionary parties and patriotic organizations in the country. Only such a structure will have enough strength and prestige, internally leading the work of national salvation and nation building, and externally communicating with friendly countries” (Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, vol.3, ibid., p. 537).

(21), (28), (29), (30), (31), (34), (36), (37), (38) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, Department of Cultural Diplomacy and UNESCO: World people’s feelings towards President Ho Chi Minh, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2022, pp.115, 180, 183, 119, 92, 97, 129, 93, 97.

(22) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, vol.1, ibid., p.511.

(25) Thanh Danh: The paradox of the victor - America after the Cold War, https://znews.vn/, April 26, 2020.

(32) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, vol.4, ibid., p. 523.

(33) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, vol.1, ibid., p. 14.

(35) Joseph S. Nye, JR: The Future of Power, Labor Publishing House, Hanoi, 2018, p.16.