Phenomenon of "buying positions" and "dividing shares"

Having the opportunity to meet and talk with a number of cadres and civil servants working in agencies, units and localities that are subject to mergers, rearrangements and reorganizations, we can feel the different thoughts and behaviors of each person. Most cadres and civil servants expressed their trust in the Party's policies and the State's policies, considering the rearrangement and streamlining of the political system's apparatus as an objective necessity, thereby always striving, determined to work and strictly complying with the organization's assignments and arrangements. Some realized that their qualifications and abilities did not meet the requirements of the tasks in the new situation or had to work far from their families, in difficult circumstances, or found suitable job opportunities outside... so they proactively applied for early retirement and were satisfied with the State's support policies.

However, we also need to be vigilant against the manifestations of “buying positions and power” to get a higher, “better” position. These people consider the restructuring of the apparatus as a “once in a thousand years” opportunity, because many departments are merged into one department, many agencies are reorganized into one agency, many provinces are merged into one province... therefore, the area will be larger, the scale of management will be larger, the authority will be higher... which means there will be more “bonuses” if they become officials with positions and power in these agencies, units, and localities. Therefore, they are willing to “run” to many places, through many “doors” in the hope of “harvesting” more than that.

Illustration. Source: hoinhabaovietnam.vn

So how do they “run”? The answer is still the same old tricks: Taking advantage of existing relationships or asking friends and relatives to introduce and “lead the way” to approach and use money or other material and non-material benefits to ask for favors, “raise issues” with individuals holding important positions, superior leaders, thereby influencing, influencing, and intervening in the personnel work process in a beneficial direction. The “new thing” about “running for positions and power” in the context of rearranging and reorganizing the apparatus is that these people are very quick to discover “lucrative” and potential job positions, capable cadres who will take on leadership positions in agencies, units, and localities after the reorganization to create relationships, and at the same time are very “decisive” in “investing” so as not to miss opportunities.

Along with “buying positions and power”, we need to guard against another negative manifestation in personnel work when arranging and reorganizing the apparatus, which is the idea of ​​“dividing shares”. That is, a number of positions are “dividing” to cadres from top to bottom, regardless of the practical situation, qualities, abilities, strengths, and procedures for cadre work. This makes it so that cadres and civil servants at the grassroots level, no matter how qualified, capable, and experienced they are, no longer have the opportunity to strive. That is also the situation when merging, if your locality or your agency has someone taking on the leadership position of this department, branch, or that office, then my locality or my agency must also be “dividing shares” to keep the corresponding position...

Confidence declines in a domino effect

If the above negative manifestations in personnel work are not prevented and fought against, they will lead to serious consequences. First of all, the trust of the majority of cadres, party members and people in the Party's guidelines and policies and the State's policies will likely decline in a domino effect (spreading from one thing to another). Indeed, the rearrangement and reorganization of the apparatus is a revolution, carried out by the entire political system with great determination. Revolution means eliminating the old and backward, bringing in the new and progressive - this is the goal and expectation of the whole society. However, when carried out as a revolution, if negative manifestations still occur, including negative manifestations in personnel work, it will be difficult to avoid public concerns and doubts: What about the implementation of other policies and guidelines? The decline in trust causes people to lack consensus and confidence in the Party's leadership and the State's management, which is the seed of "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" within the Party, negatively affecting the country's development.

Along with that, the problem of "buying positions" and "dividing shares" also directly affects the goals and results of the organization and streamlining of the apparatus towards efficiency, effectiveness and efficiency. This is because this will lead to the situation of cadres and civil servants "sitting in the wrong seats". The consequence is that some cadres lack heart, vision, talent, and do not meet the standards and conditions but occupy important positions in the public apparatus. On the contrary, many cadres with good capacity, qualifications and qualities are pushed out, creating a "brain drain", wasting resources, reducing the motivation to strive and be creative of cadres...

"Arrange people for work"

During his lifetime, President Ho Chi Minh pointed out: "Cadres are the root of all work"; "all successes or failures are due to good or bad cadres". President Ho Chi Minh's method of "using people" is to use cadres "in the right place, right job", "using people according to their talents"... It can be seen that the core of this method is the principle of "arranging people according to the job".

Throughout the process of leading the revolution, our Party has always attached special importance to and determined that personnel work is the cause of all causes, the "key of the key", from which there are many directives, resolutions, regulations... to lead and direct the building of a contingent of cadres at all levels with sufficient qualities, capacity and prestige, equal to the task, controlling power, preventing and combating negativity. Personnel work in the revolution to streamline the apparatus is no exception to that flow.

In his closing speech at the 11th Conference of the 13th Party Central Committee, General Secretary To Lam clearly stated the principle of "arranging people for the sake of work" in the process of merging, consolidating, streamlining the apparatus and preparing personnel for the Party Congress when emphasizing that "the highest standard must be based on work requirements, then other criteria". Recently, on May 25, 2025, the Politburo also issued Conclusion No. 157-KL/TW on implementing resolutions and conclusions of the Central Committee and the Politburo on the arrangement of apparatus and administrative units. The Conclusion clearly stated that it is necessary to focus on leadership and direction, absolutely avoiding local tendencies and thoughts, "group interests", negativity...; strictly prohibiting influence and intervention in the process of arranging personnel...

Fighting against negative manifestations such as "buying positions, buying power", "sharing shares" in personnel work, maintaining the principle of "arranging people for the sake of work" in streamlining the apparatus is an important and urgent issue. To do this, first of all, key leaders in agencies, units, localities and party committees must be the first "blockers". Because reality shows that if the leader is truly exemplary, impartial, not corrupt, negative, not wavering, not being respectful of pressure, "entrustment" from superiors; the fighting strength of party organizations is truly promoted, then negativity will hardly exist. In addition, it is necessary to review and perfect regulations and procedures for personnel work in a strict, democratic, public, transparent direction, associated with specific, appropriate, clear criteria and standards, avoiding the situation of using the collective as a cover for personal decisions. On the other hand, it is also necessary to have a mechanism to attach responsibility to collectives and individuals, especially leaders, in the implementation of personnel work, while strengthening supervision, inspection and examination to detect and strictly and promptly handle violations.

Finally, it must be affirmed that the qualities, ethics and responsibilities of each cadre and civil servant are the solid foundation for the cadre work to not be degraded by negative manifestations in general, and to maintain the principle of "arranging people for the sake of work" in particular. The dream and aspiration to develop each person's career is completely legitimate, but must be based on talent and qualities, not through "buying positions and power". This is the sustainable and correct path that each cadre and civil servant needs to choose, contributing to promoting the development of the country.

PHUONG HIEN

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-chong-tu-dien-bien-tu-chuyen-hoa/giu-nguyen-tac-vi-viec-ma-bo-tri-nguoi-trong-tinh-gon-bo-may-831626