Development of the Party’s theory on the direction of building socialism in the renovation period

Assoc.Prof., Dr. NGO TUAN NGHIA
Institute of Political Economy,
Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics

1. Relationship between the path and the characteristics of socialist society

In our Party’s revolutionary leadership process, especially in the renovation process from 1986 to the present, on the basis of summarizing the country’s development practices, the basic directions of the path and characteristics of the socialist model in our country are gradually being more specifically shaped. Therefore, the relationship between the direction and the characteristics of the socialist society that our people build under the Party’s leadership has also gradually been delineated more clearly.

Regarding the country’s development path, as an overall direction, expressing the ideals and striving goals of our Party and people, our Party determines that national independence associated with socialism is the revolutionary flag leading our people to a future of independence, freedom, and happiness.

This is the solid guideline that affirms the principled stance of Vietnamese communists originating from Marxism - Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought, from the reality of the Vietnamese revolution. Therefore, that is the general direction, the path of forward development of the country that is consistently implemented by our Party.

The concretization of this general direction in each stage of the country’s development under the Party’s leadership has become the characteristic that gradually shapes the model of Vietnamese socialist society.

In that sense, the overall direction essentially is also the path of the country’s development towards socialism. This is the relationship that reflects the continuous goal in the revolutionary process under the leadership of our Party. Despite the impact of unpredictable events over time, national independence combined with socialism always remains the overall direction, or essentially the path that leads our people towards a state of social development where freedom and happiness prevail in our country.

From this single overall correct direction, which is concretized into specific instructions, and these specific instructions are the values that establish the characteristics of the model of socialist society. Thus, there is a distinction between the path to socialism - as the general direction and the overall goal - and the valuable characteristics of the model of socialist society. The realized values of the model of the socialist society are the detailed level of the socialist path. The path - the overall and continuous direction is the “overall design” of the entire nation’s direction.

The valuable characteristics of the model of the socialist society are “design and construction”, realizing the path to socialism in the revolutionary process corresponding to each stage of development, being adaptable with constantly changing domestic and international circumstances. The general path and direction play a continuous role, directing the “design and construction” characteristics into social reality. The values that characterize the model of socialist society, in turn, are both the concretization of the general direction - the overall path of national development, and an affirmation of the correctness of the path as a general direction.

There is no gap between the general direction or path of development and the typical values of a socialist society. It is a unified whole, and on a general scale, the direction forward is the overall path, which includes more specific and clear designs to implement the country’s path forward as a general direction.

They are herein not two sides of the problem but a consistent whole, between the overall plan and the detailed plans to implement that overall plan. The path outlines the goal that needs to be steadfastly pursued to reach a prosperous, free, and happy society, and the characteristics are the concrete implementation of that path into the reality of social life.

It should be further emphasized that, between the overall direction of the path to a socialist society, which is consistent with the development laws of human social history, and is the only correct path for the development of our country, that must be steadfastly maintained, and the characteristics of the model of the socialist society that requires the need to always be summarized, supplemented, and developed with each stage of development, demonstrating the open, dynamic and practical nature associated with the general development trend of the era. This is a point that needs due attention to avoid the pitfalls of the subjective mind, stereotypical dogmatism, haste, and childishness in the process of leading and developing the country.

The concretization of the path in the development stages depends on two subjective and objective factors:

Objectively, the complex and tortuous movement of human history makes the path to a socialist society, replacing the current capitalist mode of production, which is full of contradictions, not always clear on the overall scope of humanity. This fact, at times, makes humanity skeptical, in crisis, and confused by historical trends. The temporary victory on the social surface of today’s capitalism with the actual socialist trend is a profound and objective practical factor that has somewhat overshadowed the historical trend of human progress in the perception of the elites. This situation has a significant impact on the perception of communist parties and communist party members about the path to a socialist society.

Subjectively, it is the ability to perceive objective laws and historical progressive trends of the entire Party and each party member. This cognitive ability is dominated by the position, interests, and ideal goals of individual party members. Therefore, the characteristics of the realistic model of socialist society are often realized in a subjective, voluntaristic, and hasty manner, making the process of concretizing the general direction of social life, into a socialist society sometimes bumpy, difficult, complicated, and sometimes even regressive.

Therefore, the concretization of the overall path and direction to a socialist society must not only pay attention to the relationship between the overall “design plan” and the specific “construction design” for society, but must always summarize the practical development practices so from there correct “design and construction” options can be drafted, without deviating from the path as the general direction.

2. Regarding socialist society associated with the development roadmap

In the early years of renovation, the concept of a socialist society represented the concretization of our Party’s path to socialism, generalized in its main features, inheriting correct, revolutionary scientific perceptions that the Party accumulated in the process of leading the country’s development. This relationship was expressed in the Platform, Economic Development Strategy, documents of the 7th National Party Congress, resolutions of the Central Committee, and documents of the 7th Mid-term Conference. That was the concept of a new society, a socialist society with 6 basic characteristics(1).

Along with identifying the values of the model of socialist society, the 7th Congress of the Party stated the guiding viewpoints and measures that needed to be mastered in realizing the above value system in social life. These direction pertain to building the State, implementing industrialization and modernization, perfecting new production relations, implementing revolution in the fields of culture, ideology, and a foreign policy of peace and friendship; building and protecting the Fatherland, and building the Party.

Thus, the 7th National Party Congress marked an important step forward in the Party’s theoretical awareness of the relationship between the path and the model of socialist society, between the overall objective direction and the value system that needed to be realized in social life, between specific paths and implementation measures to achieve a model of a socialist society on the progressive path to a socialist society.

Such understanding both inherited the results of theoretical thinking throughout the Party’s revolutionary leadership process expressed in the Platforms of 1930, 1951 and in documents of previous Party Congresses, and also supplemented and development in line with the reality of the country’s development process in the context of the general development of the world in the late twentieth century.

The core issues of a socialist society, both concretized the socialist path and embodied the values of the socialist social regime, were realized in the development path to the year 2000, which our Party expressed in the 7th National Party Congress are particularly important, creating a premise for continuing to summarize, supplement and perfect the theory of socialism and the path to a socialist society under the Party’s leadership in the next stages.

The 8th National Party Congress of the Party concretized measures to develop the productive forces, industrialize and modernize the country to realize the material foundation for socialism and the goal of “building our country into an industrial country with modern material and technical foundations, reasonable economic structure, progressive production relations, consistent with the level of development of the productive forces, high material and spiritual life, solid national defense and security, a wealthy people, a strong country, an equitable and civilized society”(2).

In particular, the production force would reach a relatively modern level, and the development of science was firm enough to provide arguments for making development policies, strategies, and planning. Regarding production relations, the ownership regime, management mechanism, and distribution regime were linked together, promoting resources, and creating a strong driving force to promote economic growth and achieve social justice. Regarding material and cultural life, the people had a prosperous life and had a good level of cultural enjoyment, healthy social relationships, civilized lifestyles, and happy families(3).

Concretizing the spirit of the 1991 Platform and inheriting the theoretical thinking of the 8th National Party Congress, the 9th National Party Congress of the Party affirmed that the path forward for our country is the transition to socialism, bypassing the capitalist regime, creating a qualitative transformation of society in all fields was a very difficult and complicated task, therefore it must go through a long transitional period with many stages and in many forms of economic and social organization of a transitional nature.

The main driving force for national development was the great unity of the entire people on the basis of the alliance between workers, farmers, and intellectuals under the leadership of the Party.

“Our Party and State advocate consistent and long-term implementation of the policy of developing a multi-sector commodity economy, operating according to market mechanisms, with State management following a socialist orientation, which is the socialist-oriented market economy”(4).

The 10th National Party Congress of the Party continued to supplement and clarify the relationship between the path and the concretization into the value system of the socialist society model. The Congress affirmed that the socialist social value system includes 8 aspects: The socialist society that our people build is a society of a rich people, a strong, fair, democratic, and civilized country; owned by the people; has a highly developed economy, based on modern production forces and production relations appropriate to the level of development of the production forces; has an advanced culture, rich in national identity; People are liberated from oppression and injustice, have a prosperous life, freedom, happiness, and comprehensive development; The ethnic groups in the Vietnamese community are equitable, united, supportive and help one another progress; There is a socialist rule-of-law state of the people, by the people, for the people under the leadership of the Communist Party; have friendly relations and cooperation with the peoples around the world.

The Congress affirmed: “To progress towards socialism, we must develop a socialist-oriented market economy; promote industrialization and modernization; build an advanced culture which is rich in national identity as the spiritual foundation of society; build socialist democracy, realize the great national unity; build a socialist rule-of-law state of the people, by the people, for the people; build a clean and strong Party; firmly ensure national defense and national security; proactively and actively integrate into the international economy”(5). These are specific measures to implement aspects of Vietnam’s socialist social value system.

Based on the summarization of 20 years implementing the 1991 Platform, the 11th Party Congress issued the Platform for building the country in the transitional period to socialism (supplemented and developed in 2011), inheriting the basic spirit of the 1991 Platform, while also supplementing and developing new understandings of socialism and the path to socialism.

Regarding socialist society, the 2011 Platform determined: “The general goal at the end of the transitional period in our country is to basically build the economic foundation of socialism with an appropriate political, ideological and cultural superstructure, creating the basis for our country to become an increasingly prosperous and happy socialist country”(6). The 2011 Platform proposed eight directions for implementing the construction of a socialist society. At the same time, it clearly stated: “In the process of implementing these basic directions, special attention shall be paid to mastering and resolving major relationships: the relationship between renovation, stability and development; between economic renovation and political renovation; between market economy and socialist orientation; between developing productive forces and building and gradually perfecting socialist production relations; between economic growth and cultural development, achieving social progress and justice; between building socialism and protecting the socialist Fatherland; between independence, autonomy and international integration; between Party leadership, State management, and people’s mastery, etc., Avoiding one-sidedness, extremism, or willful”(7).

In the spirit of the directions determined by the 11th National Party Congress, the 12th National Party Congress concretized into goals and tasks for national development over the next 5 years, from 2016-2020.

Regarding the general goals, the 12th Congress advocated: “Strengthen and build a clean and strong Party, improve the Party’s leadership capacity and fighting power, and build a strong political system. Promote the strength of the entire nation and socialist democracy. Comprehensively and synchronously promote renovation and rapid and sustainable economic development, striving to soon turn our country into a modern industrialized country. Improve the material and spiritual lives of the people. Resolutely and persistently fight to firmly protect the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Fatherland, protect the Party, the State, the people, and the socialist regime. Maintain peace, and stability, proactively and actively integrate internationally to develop the country. Enhance Vietnam’s position and reputation in the region and the world”(8).

To achieve these goals, the Congress identified the main tasks: Implement rapid and sustainable economic development; Continue to improve institutions and develop a socialist-oriented market economy; Fundamentally and comprehensively innovate education, training, and improve the quality of human resources; development and application of science and technology; Build an advanced Vietnamese culture, rich in national identity, comprehensively develop Vietnamese people; Manage social development well; Effectively exploit, use and manage natural resources and protect the environment; Resolutely and persistently combat to firmly protect the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Fatherland, protect the Party, the State, the people and the socialist regime; Implement a foreign-relations policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization, diversification, proactive and active international integration; Perfect and promote socialist democracy and the people’s right to mastery; Continue to perfect the socialist rule of law state; Build a clean and strong Party, improve leadership capacity, strengthen the nature of the working class and pioneering spirit, fighting power, promote the Party’s tradition of solidarity and unity; Continue to thoroughly grasp and effectively handle major relationships(9).

3. New theoretical thinking on continuing to realize the socialist path in the Documents of the 13th National Party Congress

Continuing to concretize the 2011 Platform, the 13th National Party Congress provided guidance to realize the country’s development path toward a socialist society. It was affirmed:

“- Consistently and creatively apply and develop Marxism - Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought; steadfast in the goals of national independence and socialism; in the Party’s renovation policy; in the principles of Party building to firmly build and protect the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland.

- Ensure the highest national and ethnic interests on the basis of the basic principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, equality, cooperation, and mutual benefit. Continue to develop the country rapidly and sustainably; Closely connect and synchronously deploy tasks, in which socio-economic development is the center; Party building is the core; Cultural development is the spiritual foundation; Ensuring national defense and security is important and constant”(10).

Regarding development goals, the 13th Congress clearly stated:

“Overall goals: Improve the Party’s leadership capacity, ruling capacity, and fighting strength; build a clean and comprehensively strong Party and political system; consolidate and increase the people’s trust in the Party, State, and socialist regime; arouse the desire to develop a prosperous and happy country, promote the will and strength of great national unity combined with the strength of the times; comprehensively and synchronously promote renovation, industrialization and modernization; build and firmly protect the Fatherland, maintain a peaceful and stable environment; strive that by the middle of the 21st century, our country will become a developed country in the socialist orientation”(11). The Congress determined specific goals for each stage until 2025, 2030, and 2045.

On that basis, the 13th Congress set out the country’s development orientation for the period 2021-2030 in all aspects to realize the path to a socialist society. It emphasized: “In perceiving and resolving major relationships, reflecting dialectical laws and core issues in the Party’s renovation path, we need to focus on: ensuring socialist orientation; build and perfect progressive and appropriate production relations; develop culture, realize progress and social justice; protect the environment, protect the socialist Fatherland; maintain independence, autonomy and promote the people’s right to mastery”(12).

Therefore, shaping the directions towards a socialist society in the process of developing the Party’s theory has increasingly affirmed the socialist path more and more clearly, thereby showing the good resolution of the relationship between the path and the implications of the socialist social value model in our Party’s theoretical thinking.

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Received: August 23, 2023; Revised: September 9, 2023; Approved for publication: September 14, 2023.

Endnotes:

(1) CPV: Complete Party Documents, vol.51, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2007, p.134.

(2), (3) CPV: Documents of the 8th National Party Congress, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 1996, pp.80, 81-82.

(4) CPV: Documents of the 9th National Party Congress, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2001, p.86.

(5) CPV: Documents of the 10th National Party Congress, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2006, pp.68-69.

(6), (7) CPV: Documents of the 11th National Party Congress, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, pp.71, 72-73.

(8), (9) CPV: Documents of the 12th National Party Congress, Party Central Committee Office, Hanoi, 2016, pp.76, 77-80.

(10), (11), (12) CPV: Documents of the 13th National Party Congress, vol.I, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2021, pp.109-110, 111-112, 119-120.