Promoting the people's role as the main subject, socialist democracy and the strength of great national unity

Illustrative photo. (Photo: Nhan Dan Newspaper)

President Ho Chi Minh emphasized: “In the sky, nothing is more precious than the people. In the world, nothing is stronger than the united force of the people” (1). Inheriting and developing that ideology, our Party affirms that promoting the people’s mastery, practicing socialist democracy and consolidating the great national unity bloc are strategic guidelines and factors ensuring the cause of innovation, building and defending the Fatherland.

The Draft Report summarizing a number of theoretical and practical issues on the socialist-oriented renovation process over the past 40 years in Vietnam clearly states the development of theoretical awareness, mass mobilization work and building close relationships with the people.

The first point is: “Affirming that the People are the root, the center, and the subject of the country's renewal, of the Party's building and rectification. Supplementing, developing, and gradually perfecting the viewpoint on democracy and expanding and promoting the people's mastery.”

Entering a new era of deep international integration, digital transformation, the fourth industrial revolution and non-traditional security challenges, strongly promoting the role of the people as the subject, expanding and practicing socialist democracy, and consolidating the strength of great national unity have become urgent requirements, of decisive significance to realizing the aspiration to develop a prosperous and happy country.

Promoting the people's role as subjects in the new era

In the new era, the people's role as the subject must be affirmed and strongly promoted. Practice requires not only recognizing the people as the center and target of development, but also considering the people as the subject directly participating in planning, organizing, supervising and enjoying the fruits of national development.

People participate in contributing ideas to build the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws; build and protect the Party's ideological foundation; people participate in the fight against corruption, waste, negativity... That means that people's power must be realized through substantive democratic institutions, ensuring that "people know, people discuss, people do, people inspect, people supervise, people benefit" in all fields.

Promoting the people's role as the subject in the new era is first of all to make the people truly empowered and have the conditions to exercise their mastery. It is necessary to fully institutionalize the socialist democratic mechanism, expand channels for people to participate in criticism and suggestions, while ensuring a tight power control mechanism, preventing abuse of power, bureaucracy, and distance from the people.

Along with that, we must pay special attention to mass mobilization work, building a team of cadres who are truly "of the people, by the people, for the people", "respect the people, be close to the people, understand the people, learn from the people and be responsible to the people", "listen to the people, speak so that the people understand, make the people believe", and strongly focus on the grassroots.

In the digital age, promoting the role of the people as subjects is also associated with expanding democracy in cyberspace, creating conditions for people's voices to be heard and received promptly, contributing to building a transparent, open and consensual society.

Continue to promote socialist democracy

Socialist democracy is the essence of our regime, both the goal and the driving force of the cause of innovation, building and defending the Fatherland. Our Party has repeatedly affirmed that democracy is the “red thread running through”, the condition to ensure that the people are truly masters, so that all guidelines, policies and strategies originate from the legitimate interests of the people and for the happiness of the people.

In the new era, continuing to promote socialist democracy not only affirms the superiority of the political regime but also creates a foundation to mobilize the creativity, intelligence and resources of the whole society, serving the rapid and sustainable development of the country.

Promoting socialist democracy in the new era requires, first of all, fully institutionalizing the principle that "all state power belongs to the people", ensuring the people's right to participate in state management and social management in an increasingly substantive and effective manner.

This does not stop at slogans or formalities, but needs to be realized through a synchronous and transparent legal system, through mechanisms for people to discuss, decide and directly supervise issues related to their lives. At the same time, it is necessary to expand forms of direct democracy and representative democracy, harmoniously combining democracy with discipline and order, ensuring democratic rights go hand in hand with civic responsibilities.

In the context of the fourth industrial revolution and digital transformation, promoting democracy is also associated with the strong application of digital technology, building e-government, digital government, digital administration, so that people can easily access information, monitor, criticize and participate in national governance. This is a new step forward in ensuring substantive democracy, openness, transparency, and creating social trust.

However, there are also challenges: hostile forces exploit the guise of "democracy" and "human rights" to sabotage the regime; the emergence of extreme, radical, and even anarchist democratic manifestations.

Therefore, the promotion of socialist democracy in the new era must always be under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam - the factor that ensures democracy develops in the right direction, closely linked to the interests of the people and the nation.

Promoting the strength of national solidarity

Revolutionary practice has proven that whenever our people arouse and promote the strength of solidarity, the country will overcome challenges and achieve glorious victories. In the new era, promoting the strength of great national solidarity is of even greater strategic significance, a prerequisite for our country to realize the goal of rapid and sustainable development, striving to become a developed, high-income country by 2045.

Promoting the strength of national solidarity in the current context first of all requires consolidating people's trust in the leadership of the Party, the management of the State and the socialist path that our Party and our people have chosen. Only when people's hearts are united and trust is nurtured, can the great solidarity bloc be truly sustainable.

Along with that, we must take care of the legitimate interests of the people, ensure social justice and progress, narrow regional disparities, and create development opportunities for everyone. This is the solid material and spiritual foundation to unite all components of society, from lowlands to highlands, from the delta to the islands.

In the digital age, national solidarity also has new connotations: solidarity in cyberspace, solidarity in protecting digital sovereignty, network security and the Party's ideological foundation.

In the digital age, national solidarity has a new connotation: solidarity in cyberspace, solidarity in protecting digital sovereignty, cyber security and the Party's ideological foundation. Hostile forces always seek to exploit social networks to divide the solidarity bloc, sow doubts and incite conflicts. Therefore, promoting national solidarity today is not only about traditional ties between social classes, ethnicities and religions, but also about building a strong "spiritual shield" in cyberspace, promoting the pioneering role of each cadre, party member and the civic responsibility of each citizen.

In addition, the strength of national unity in the new era must include the connection with the overseas Vietnamese community, which is a part of the nation. When pride is aroused and favorable conditions are created, overseas Vietnamese will become an important resource in terms of intelligence, finance, technology and international prestige to contribute to building a rich and civilized country.

Promoting the people's role as the main subject, practicing socialist democracy and consolidating the strength of great national unity is not only a continuation of the thousand-year tradition of our nation, but also an objective and urgent requirement in the new era. In the context of deep globalization, fierce competition and unpredictable changes in the world situation, thoroughly grasping and synchronously realizing the three pillars: promoting the people's role as the main subject, expanding socialist democracy and consolidating the strength of great national unity is the foundation to continue affirming and ensuring the longevity of the regime, and is the driving force for the country to develop rapidly, sustainably and integrate successfully.

(1) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, National Political Publishing House Truth, Hanoi, 2011, vol. 10, p. 453.

Associate Professor, Dr. LAM QUOC TUAN

Director of the Institute of Party Building, Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics

Source: https://nhandan.vn/phat-huy-vai-tro-chu-the-cua-nhan-dan-dan-chu-xa-hoi-chu-nghia-va-suc-manh-dai-doan-ket-toan-dan-toc-post919915.html