General Secretary To Lam happily met and talked with the people of Huong Son, Ha Tinh province, December 2024_Source: baohatinh.vn
Culture - the "soul" of the nation, the endogenous strength that ensures the progressive, solid and civilized development of the Party.
Culture is the sum of material and spiritual values created by humans, for the development of humans and human society; the actual needs of life, the demands of human survival are the origin and profound motivation of culture (1) . The role of culture is positioned as the spiritual foundation of society, the endogenous strength that ensures the sustainable development of the country. In fact, "The cultural front is one of the three fronts (economic, political , cultural) where communists must operate" (2) , more specifically, "Culture is the result of the economy and at the same time the driving force of economic development" (3) . The Party is the elite, leading the country and the nation, so culture, with its total value and inherent strength, must also become the goal, driving force, and endogenous strength for the development and progress of the Party.
The reality of building and developing the country poses many difficult and complicated problems for the leadership of our Party. The current limitations and weaknesses that are worth worrying about are that a part of the cadres and Party members are still degenerate and corrupt; hostile forces are actively seeking ways to sabotage the country, secretly sowing the seeds of color revolution, trying to distort, slander, and incite internal divisions in order to disintegrate the Party from within. This situation shows that if our Party is not truly steadfast and firm in politics and ideology, lacking solidarity and unity in will and action, exemplary, clean in ethics and lifestyle, strict and scientific in organization; not trusted and supported by the people; not strong enough to protect itself,... then the Party cannot promote its role as a leader of the State and society.
During the renovation period, the Party's thinking and awareness of building culture from within the Party has made important developments, which is an important factor in creating the Party's endogenous strength, contributing to building a clean and strong Party and political system. Resolution No. 03-NQ/TW, dated July 16, 1998, of the Central Executive Committee, "On Building and Developing an Advanced Vietnamese Culture with a Strong National Identity" clearly states: To build and develop the culture of the whole society, first of all, it is necessary to build culture from within the Party and within the state apparatus; Next, Resolution No. 33-NQ/TW, dated June 9, 2014, of the Central Executive Committee, “On building and developing Vietnamese culture and people to meet the requirements of sustainable national development” affirmed the task: Taking care of building culture in the Party, in state agencies and organizations, considering this an important factor to build a clean and strong political system. At the 13th Congress, our Party affirmed the need to “research, supplement and perfect revolutionary ethical values in the spirit of “The Party is ethical, is civilized” to suit new conditions and the fine cultural traditions of the nation” (4) .
The Party's strength lies first of all within the Party itself, it is an intrinsic, endogenous strength, the foundation for "Our Party to be ethical and civilized" (5) . If building and developing Vietnamese culture and people is considered an important task, creating a solid "wall" to protect the Party, then building culture from within the Party must be considered an especially important task to enhance the Party's own strength and resistance against all sabotage activities of the enemy. At the same time, this is also an important content of Party building work, the most fundamental and effective solution to continue to consolidate the people's trust in the Party, thereby continuing to affirm the Party's capacity, position and prestige.
To make culture an endogenous strength, meeting the requirements of building and protecting the Party in the new era, the era of national growth.
Firstly, seriously grasp, implement and concretize the Party and State's guidelines and policies on preserving and promoting cultural values, serving the cause of national development (6) . In particular, continue to improve awareness of the importance of building culture from within the Party and its role in leadership capacity, fighting strength and resistance to protect ourselves against the plots and sabotage tricks of hostile forces. Along with the process of implementing the construction of the national value system, the cultural value system and human standards associated with preserving and developing the Vietnamese family value system in the new period, it is necessary to focus on researching and defining the revolutionary ethical standards and behavioral culture of cadres and party members. Because the Party is the core of leadership of the entire political system, therefore, the importance of building culture from within the Party also needs to be recognized and positioned as the center, an important goal of political culture, a factor that has a strong influence on the process of building culture in state agencies and socio-political organizations; conversely, building culture in politics must first start from building culture from within the Party.
On the other hand, the Party is first and foremost the vanguard, and at the same time the elite, the place where the good traditional cultural values of the nation converge and spread. Accordingly, culture from within the Party contributes to orienting the process of implementing the construction of the national value system, the cultural value system and human standards associated with preserving and developing the Vietnamese family value system in the new period. The importance of building culture from within the Party needs to come from a clear awareness of the role of the Party towards all classes of people, the leadership and ruling position of the Party in the political system as well as the content and leadership methods of the Party; the relationships between the Party and the people, between building culture from within the Party and preserving and developing the traditional cultural values of the nation. At the same time, building culture from within the Party must be based on the theoretical foundation of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh thought, traditional cultural values of the nation, the Party's traditions, social concepts of truth, goodness, beauty, etc.; regulations on handling the relationship between the Party organization and Party members, between Party members and the people, between the Party organization and member organizations of the political system through the content and methods of leadership, especially the attitude in implementing self-criticism and criticism, facing mistakes and shortcomings; in the leadership style and manners of the Party organization and Party members...
Second, the value of culture must be present and become an important factor, deciding the revolutionary, scientific and humanistic nature of the Party's guidelines.
The role and mission of the Party are most focused on formulating guidelines to illuminate the practical movement and develop the revolution in accordance with the chosen goals. The revolutionary guidelines not only demonstrate the Party's mettle, determination, and intelligence, but also embody the will and aspirations of the masses. Therefore, in the process of formulating guidelines, the Party must be absolutely loyal to Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh's thought, respect reality and objective laws, and be governed by the traditional values of the Party as well as the Vietnamese nation. All policies and guidelines of the Party must originate from aspirations, for the purpose of serving the prosperity, freedom, and happiness of the people; absolutely not allowing individualism to dominate or degenerate. The Party's guidelines represent the nature of our regime and the superiority and goodness of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh's thought, and socialism.
Officials and civil servants of the Bac Ninh Provincial Public Administration Service Center support people coming to complete procedures_Photo: VNA
Third, culture must become the biggest factor in all behaviors, attitudes, and sense of responsibility of each party organization and party member.
On the basis of a full and profound understanding of the Party's policies, guidelines, resolutions, regulations and traditional cultural values, each cadre and party member acknowledges, believes in and transforms them into all their actions, thereby forming standards of conduct appropriate to the environment, position and working relationships as well as life. Practice shows that in recent years, the implementation of the Party's policies, especially Regulation No. 144-QD/TW, dated May 9, 2024, of the Politburo, on "Regulations on revolutionary ethical standards of cadres and party members in the new period" has been gradually perfecting the system of values and standards in the behavioral culture of each cadre and party member.
In addition, cadres and party members need to constantly practice in all aspects. That is loyalty to the Fatherland, steadfastness with Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh thought, the goal of national independence and socialism, the Party's renewal policy; steadfastness in the face of all difficulties and challenges; spirit of independence, self-control, self-reliance, self-strengthening; sense of organization and discipline, especially discipline in speaking, perseverance in the principles of Party building; attitude of not being ambitious for power, not desiring material things, resolutely fighting to prevent and stop corruption, negativity and all manifestations of degradation, "knowing how to respect integrity, keeping honor, knowing shame when oneself and relatives have corrupt and negative behaviors" (7) ; At the same time, it contributes to "education, nurturing human qualities, ethics, and personality, enhancing national spirit and consciousness, preserving national identity, developing the market economy without destroying social ethical values, "integrating without dissolving"" (8) .
Behaving in a cultural manner requires each cadre and party member to have true courage, bravery, honesty and high determination, because this is a battle with oneself. If in this battle, a party member cannot win, cannot overcome the temptations of position, money, fame, selfishness, individualism, narrow-mindedness, etc., then he will not be able to win against the cunning schemes of hostile forces. Behaving in accordance with cultural standards and values will give each party member enough courage and strength to stand firm in the face of difficulties, challenges, temptations or pressures. The internal strength of the Party is created by cultural values and the influence of those values on the behavior of each cadre and party member.
In addition, with comrades and colleagues, the standard values governing the behavior of cadres and party members are sincerity, love and mutual assistance based on morality, reason and the concept of beauty in behavioral culture. President Ho Chi Minh pointed out: “Understanding Marxism-Leninism means living with each other with love and kindness. If you know a lot of books but live without love and kindness, how can you call it understanding Marxism-Leninism” (9) . This is the humanistic value in building relationships with comrades and colleagues, helping each other to progress, contributing to strengthening solidarity and unity in the Party; completely unfamiliar with the behavior of covering up, concealing shortcomings or taking advantage of self-criticism and criticism to speak ill of, degrade and lower the prestige of comrades and colleagues, even more unfamiliar with “peace is precious”, not defending when seeing the right, not fighting when seeing the wrong.
On the other hand, in terms of work, each cadre and Party member must wholeheartedly and wholeheartedly serve the Fatherland and the people; speak and act in accordance with the viewpoints, guidelines, policies and laws of the Party and the State; be dedicated and responsible, always have a determined and dedicated attitude in performing tasks, dare to think, dare to speak, dare to do, dare to take responsibility, dare to innovate, be creative, dare to face difficulties and challenges; fight against the manifestation of fear of responsibility, reluctance to innovate and be creative, lazy to speak up, not expressing viewpoints and opinions in work, etc. We must deeply realize that, in the flesh-and-blood relationship between the Party and the people, the Party is both the leader and the servant of the people; the strength of the Party lies in its close attachment to the people, in the hearts and trust of the people. Accordingly, we must constantly improve the mass style, create an environment for the people to practice democratic rights, rely on the people to build a clean and strong Party. To strengthen the people's trust, the Party must truly be the embodiment of morality, civilization, true responsibility and service to the people. By doing so, the Party will strengthen its strength and always be trusted and protected by the people.
Fourth, practice exemplary culture, promote the vanguard and exemplary character of communist party members.
Setting an example is one of the traditional cultural and ethical values of the nation, playing an important role in educating and persuading people to listen and follow. To exercise leadership, the Party must be a pioneering force, taking the lead, worrying first, speaking first, acting first, and must consider this the most civilized and progressive leadership method. Therefore, practicing the culture of setting an example must be considered the core content in building culture from within the Party. Thereby, the Party spreads the values, standards and orientations for forming new values of political culture and national culture, gradually creating "community immunity" against all plots and sabotage tricks of hostile forces. If setting an example is considered one of the ethical standards of cadres and party members, especially leaders, then practicing the culture of setting an example must become a regular and continuous task of the Party. Every cadre and party member, if he or she is not pure, not exemplary, has degraded and lost prestige, cannot lead anyone. Therefore, "the higher the position of a cadre or party member, the more exemplary he or she must be; superiors must be exemplary before subordinates, the Party Committee must be exemplary before Party members, and Party members must be exemplary before the masses" (10) .
Practice shows that people's trust in the Party also comes from what people "see", the example of cadres and party members, not entirely from what people "hear". Accordingly, each cadre and party member must always be aware of their responsibility to the Party, the people and the revolutionary cause; regularly cultivate revolutionary ethics like "brushing teeth and washing face" every day; always have the desire to work, contribute and be ready to sacrifice for the revolutionary cause; be a pioneer, take the lead in all revolutionary movements, dare to commit and always innovate, be creative, have a clear attitude in supporting what is right, what is new, what is progressive and the spirit of fighting to eliminate the old, what is backward in both thinking and perception. The manifestation of capacity, intelligence, qualities and exemplary behavior of each cadre and party member is a miniature image of the Party's ethics and civilization, a "measure" for the masses to trust the Party and wholeheartedly follow the Party.
Fifth, respect and encourage the culture of resignation and the ability to admit and correct mistakes to ensure the strong development of a revolutionary party.
The Party is the vanguard of the working class, at the same time the vanguard of the working people and the Vietnamese nation, the elite of the nation, the Party itself comes from society, not “falling from the sky”, so in the process of leading the Party, it can also make mistakes and shortcomings, and in fact, there have been times when the Party has made mistakes and shortcomings. However, the important thing is the Party's mettle, demonstrating an appropriate and correct attitude towards mistakes and shortcomings. President Ho Chi Minh pointed out: “A Party that conceals its shortcomings is a rotten Party. A Party that has the courage to admit its shortcomings, clearly point out those shortcomings, clearly examine the circumstances that gave rise to those shortcomings, and then seek every way to correct those shortcomings. That is a progressive, bold, steadfast, and genuine Party” (11) . The 95 years of the Party's leadership of the revolution have proven that after each mistake and shortcoming and each time it resolutely corrects the mistakes and shortcoming, the Party becomes more steadfast and courageous, more transparent and intelligent, and more trusted and supported by the people. Accordingly, on November 3, 2021, the Politburo issued Regulation No. 41-QD/TW, "On the dismissal and resignation of cadres". demonstrating the quintessence of the culture of resignation in the way of being an official and a politician in the past and present, both very strict but very humane and affectionate; Regulation No. 144-QD/TW, dated May 9, 2024, of the Politburo, on "Regulations on revolutionary ethical standards of cadres and party members in the new period" also clearly states "Implementing the culture of resignation when lacking capacity and prestige",...
The greatness of the Party lies not only in its capacity to formulate policies and lead the organization to implement policies; in its tight, scientific organizational system and in its clean, exemplary, dedicated cadres and Party members who are closely attached to the people; in its intelligence, creativity, mettle and steadfastness in difficult and challenging times for the revolution, but also in its behavioral culture and attitude towards mistakes and shortcomings, deepening the greatness of the Party. It is necessary to affirm that we must dare to admit mistakes and shortcomings and be determined to correct them in order to develop and progress; dare to fight to prevent and repel the degradation of political ideology, ethics, lifestyle, manifestations of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the Party and manifestations of laxity and deviation from the Party's organizational and operational principles, in order to fight and defeat ourselves, to perfect ourselves to become greater. On the contrary, if we are right-leaning, conservative, stagnant, and hide our limitations and shortcomings, we will not only create more opportunities for hostile forces to distort and exaggerate, but also weaken our own strength, the strength of reason and justice of a true revolutionary Party.
The Party is the embodiment of morality and civilization, the most concentrated expression of the conscience and honor of each cadre and Party member. However, the values and standards in the organization and operation of the Party are not fixed and unchangeable, but must be constantly cultivated, supplemented, developed and enhanced in accordance with the context, situation and tasks of the revolution. In the new era, the era of national development, It is necessary to continue to research and perfect the values and standards in the organization and operation of the Party and regularly pay attention to building culture in the Party, making culture always present in life and becoming the Party's endogenous strength, contributing to building our Party to become greater, steadfast in the face of difficulties and challenges, with enough "resistance" to protect itself against the sabotage of hostile forces./.
----------------
(1) See: Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works , National Political Publishing House Truth, Hanoi, 2011, vol. 3, p. 458
(2) Complete Party Documents , National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2000, vol. 7, p. 316
(3) See: Resolution No. 03-NQ/TW, of the Central Executive Committee, dated July 16, 1998, "On building and developing an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity"
(4) Documents of the 13th National Congress of Delegates, National Political Publishing House Truth, Hanoi, 2021, vol. I, p.184
(5) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, op. cit., vol. 12, p. 403
(6) Resolution No. 05-NQ/TW, dated November 28, 1987, of the Politburo, “On innovation and improvement of leadership and management of literature, arts and culture, promoting creativity, bringing literature, arts and culture to a new level of development”; Resolution No. 03-NQ/TW, dated July 16, 1998, of the Central Executive Committee, “On building and developing an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity”; Resolution No. 33-NQ/TW, dated June 9, 2014, of the Central Executive Committee, “On building and developing Vietnamese culture and people to meet the requirements of sustainable national development”; Conclusion No. 76-KL/TW, dated June 4, 2020, of the Politburo, "On continuing to implement Resolution No. 33-NQ/TW of the 11th Party Central Committee on building and developing Vietnamese culture and people to meet the requirements of sustainable national development",...
(7) Nguyen Phu Trong: Resolutely and persistently fight against corruption and negativity, contributing to building our Party and State to be increasingly clean and strong, National Political Publishing House Truth, Hanoi, 2023, p. 136
(8) Nguyen Phu Trong: Building and developing an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity, National Political Publishing House Truth, Hanoi, 2024, p. 246
(9) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, op. cit. , vol. 15, p. 668
(10) Regulation No. 144-QD/TW, dated May 9, 2024, of the Politburo, on "Regulations on revolutionary ethical standards of cadres and party members in the new period"
(11) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, Ibid ., vol. 5, p. 301
Source: https://tapchicongsan.org.vn/web/guest/nghien-cu/-/2018/1110302/coi-trong-xay-dung-van-hoa-trong-dang---nhan-to-quan-trong-tao-suc-manh-noi-sinh-cua-dang%2C-cong-phan-xay-dung-dang-va-he-thong-chinh-tri-trong-sach%2C-vung-manh-trong-ky-nguyen-vuon-minh-cua-dan-toc.aspx
![[Photo] National Assembly Chairman attends the seminar "Building and operating an international financial center and recommendations for Vietnam"](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/7/28/76393436936e457db31ec84433289f72)
Comment (0)