Criticizing the indifference and "empty-handedness" of some cadres and party members

Not only that, some cadres and party members today also show signs of demagogy, "only for the people", thereby creating distance with the people, causing loss of trust among the people. Therefore, we must fight, prevent, and stop these signs of indifference, "only for the people" to contribute to building a team of loyal, dedicated cadres and party members who are truly for the people and the country.

Subtle manifestations of demagoguery, "just for the people"

Criticizing the habit of being inconsistent, saying too much and doing too little, our people have a folk song: "Say nine, do ten/ Say ten, do nine, some laugh, some criticize". With a deeper meaning, the folk song wants to tell and remind people to always respect and preserve their "trust", say what they do; and if anyone talks more than they do, even if their actions are just a little less than their words, they should be despised and criticized.

Ảnh minh họa: Dân trí — Illustration: Dan Tri

Nowadays, some officials and party members only talk but do not do, only promise and then leave it at that, only swear but do not act. People call them empty talkers, empty promises, empty oaths.

Eight years ago, on May 27, 2016, speaking at the Conference on implementing the Action Program to implement the Resolution of the 12th National Party Congress and the directives and conclusions of the Politburo and the Secretariat on mass mobilization work, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong not only warned some cadres and party members who had an attitude of contempt for the masses, did not listen to opinions, did not learn from workers, but also showed signs of "empty talk for the people", that is, only talking but not doing, or shouting and calling for the people, but did not have specific, practical actions to bring legitimate rights and benefits to the people.

The manifestations of "empty service to the people" among a number of cadres and party members are quite sophisticated. There are cadres who are close to the people but still do not understand the people's hearts. Although these cadres come to the people, they only propagate, mobilize, and explain to the people according to their imposed instructions without sincerely listening to their thoughts and aspirations. Suppose that if they listen, they "listen to know", but in fact they ignore it, do not find a way to thoroughly resolve the opinions, concerns, and difficulties of the people and even their legitimate wishes. During the meeting with voters on October 14, 2023 in Hanoi before the sixth session of the 15th National Assembly, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong reminded cadres and party members in general, and National Assembly and People's Council deputies in particular, to overcome formalism. When meeting and having dialogue with the people, they must "absolutely avoid formalism, sitting there pretending to listen attentively but not actually listening".

There are also cadres who, although they appear to be close to the people, actually live far from them. When these cadres meet the people, they still “talk big”, trying not to offend others, but they and their families live a separate life, far from the people. Thanks to their “lubricating” relationships and their ability to make money, they have big houses, nice cars, huge incomes, and their families enjoy a comfortable life in luxury, despite the fact that many working people still work hard all year round for food and clothing. For them, contacting the people is just a simple duty, not really being devoted to the people, joining hands to shoulder the daily worries of the people. Because if they loved the working masses, they would not take advantage of legal loopholes, fish in troubled waters to seek personal benefits, only to enrich themselves.

It is worth mentioning that the “empty-minded” actions are often covered with a layer of glamor and sophistication that not all people can easily recognize. Moreover, to easily deceive the public, on the outside they always promote the viewpoint of “dĩ dân vi căn” (taking the people as the root) and always intend to do some superficial things to avoid being labeled as unfriendly to the people and to somewhat win the hearts of the people. After all, once officials consider being close to the people as just a facade, a drama to hide their own impure purposes and motives, then it is a formal, fake closeness to the people, in essence it is deceiving the people.

The harmful effects of apathy and "empty-mindedness"

The habit of indifference and “empty talk for the people” is one of the alarming signs of degradation among a number of cadres and party members. Regarding this issue, our Party believes that in the current conditions, if we do not take concrete and practical care of the material and spiritual life of the people, then no matter how much we talk about the mass viewpoint and the people’s right to mastery, it will be meaningless and unconvincing.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, some scholars of this country conducted a very thought-provoking sociological survey. In the survey, in response to the question "Who does the Communist Party of the Soviet Union represent?", 85% of the opinions said that it represents the bureaucratic state officials, while only 11% said that it represents the working class and the working people. A ruling communist party with such a large proportion of bureaucrats, distant from the masses, and indifferent to the people, when facing storms, it is not difficult to understand that it is not supported by the people and is stripped of its leadership by other forces!

Not only did the story of bureaucratic officials living a life of “empty service to the people” happen in the Soviet Union, but in our country, we also need to recall the incident of a number of officials and party members who were insensitive and lived far from the people, leaving a painful lesson about the relationship between the Party, the government and the people. In 1997, a large number of farmers in Thai Binh province gathered in large numbers to protest against the Party Committee and the government, mainly because the people’s right to mastery was seriously violated, the local government mobilized people beyond their capacity, even illegally collected many fees, while a number of key local officials became rich in an unexplained way and lived a lavish, vulgar lifestyle, causing even more discontent among the people. After this sad event, more than 2,000 officials and party members who violated the law were disciplined, and more than 70% of the grassroots party organizations had to replace from half to two-thirds of their party committees.

Recalling the above examples shows that the masses perceive and evaluate the Party mainly through the qualities, qualifications, ethics, and lifestyles of cadres and party members. To say that the masses have lost confidence in the Party does not mean losing confidence in the Party's ideals and cause, but rather in cadres and party members who have degenerated, become corrupted, and no longer have the consciousness to devote themselves to the country and the people, talk a lot but do little, say one thing but do another, only care about self-interest and family benefits without taking practical actions to contribute to caring for a prosperous and happy life for the people.

Officials and party members need to respect the people sincerely and care for them sincerely.

From the ups and downs of the feudal dynasties of Vietnam in history, from the successes and failures in mobilizing the people's hearts and promoting the people's strength in the struggles to build and defend the country, our ancestors have drawn profound conclusions and become eternal lessons for our descendants today and tomorrow, which are: "The people are the ones who carry the boat, the people are the ones who capsize the boat" and "The core of humanity is to keep the people safe" (Nguyen Trai); "To let the people's strength be the best strategy to protect the country" (Tran Hung Dao); the country must take the people as the foundation, because "If the roots are strong, the tree will last / Building a tower of victory on the people's foundation" (Ho Chi Minh).

Twelve years ago, on June 7, 2012, the Secretariat of the 11th Party Central Committee issued Regulation No. 101-QD/TW "On the responsibility of setting an example for cadres and party members, especially key leaders at all levels", stipulating 7 contents that cadres and party members must have the responsibility to set an example, including 2 contents related to the awareness, style, and behavior of cadres with the people, including: "Setting an example of a style that is close to reality, close to understand the thoughts and legitimate aspirations of the masses"; "Setting an example of serving the people, listening to the thoughts and aspirations of the masses, working with an objective and impartial attitude, focusing on resolving the legitimate interests of the people". The essence of these regulations is to require cadres and party members not to be indifferent, not to "talk empty talk" to the people, not to live far from the people.

More than anyone else, the cadres, party members, civil servants and public employees today must keep in mind Uncle Ho's instructions: "If you win the hearts of the people, you can do anything; if you go against the people's will, you have to run here and there." If the Party committees and the government in general, and cadres and party members in particular, have to rush around because the people are distracted and scattered, then the risk of the people's trust in the Party and our regime collapsing is inevitable. That is a lesson that cannot be ignored.

To win the hearts of the people, cadres and party members must be sincere in their words and actions, make the people understand and make them believe, and absolutely avoid expressions of indifference, demagogy, and “empty-handedness”. When the people wholeheartedly trust and support them, the strength of the great national unity will certainly be consolidated, strengthened, and become a force that can move mountains and fill seas, from which we can overcome all obstacles and difficulties and challenges on the path of building and defending the Fatherland. As former President Truong Tan Sang once emphasized: “We are not afraid of any enemy, no matter how brutal, we are only afraid of losing the hearts of the people. The hearts of the people are the national treasure that builds and protects Vietnam”.

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