Exploring Ho Chi Minh's thoughts on independence, freedom, and democracy.

QTO - Ho Chi Minh's ideology is consistently and prominently expressed in his fervent patriotism, his yearning for national independence and freedom, and his pursuit of happiness for the people. This lofty ideal permeated the life and career of Nguyen Tat Thanh - Nguyen Ai Quoc - Ho Chi Minh. Therefore, he sought every means to leave the country in search of a way to save the nation, determined to bring independence and freedom to the Vietnamese Fatherland.

Upon arriving in France, the young Nguyen Ai Quoc enthusiastically participated in revolutionary activities. At the end of World War I, the victorious imperial powers held the Versailles Conference (France).

On June 18, 1919, seizing this opportunity, Nguyen Ai Quoc sent to the conference the "Demands of the Annamese People," consisting of eight points: General amnesty for all indigenous people imprisoned for political crimes; legal reform in Indochina by granting indigenous people the same legal guarantees as Europeans, completely abolishing special courts used as tools to terrorize and oppress the most honest segment of the Annamese people; freedom of the press and freedom of speech; freedom of association and assembly; freedom of residence abroad and freedom of emigration; freedom of education, establishing technical and professional schools in all provinces for indigenous people; replacing the system of decrees with a system of laws; a permanent delegation of indigenous people, elected by the indigenous people themselves, in the French Parliament to inform the Parliament of the aspirations of the indigenous people.

The book "The Condemnation of French Colonialism" (Le Procès de la Colonisation Francaise) is preserved at the National Historical Museum - Photo: Archival.

Reading this petition again, we can clearly see the legitimate aspiration for a system that guarantees democratic rights, people's livelihoods, and fundamental freedoms. The word "freedom" is emphasized many times with specific demands. Although the petition was not accepted by the imperialist countries, it resonated greatly because it affirmed the right of self-determination of nations as the most sacred right, paving the way for true independence and freedom.

Six years later, in 1925, Nguyen Ai Quoc published "The Indictment of the French Colonial Regime" in French. The book consists of 12 chapters and an appendix. The author denounced the consequences of French colonial invasion and rule, depriving people of fundamental human rights, especially independence, freedom, and democracy. This is a truthful and eloquent indictment presented before the court of international public opinion. With its forceful arguments, sharp writing style, and biting satire, this outstanding political work captivated readers.

Driven by his intense desire for independence and freedom, during his imprisonment under Chiang Kai-shek's regime, Ho Chi Minh composed the collection of poems in Chinese characters, "Prison Diary." The collection includes the poem "Restrictions," which reflects the absurdity of imprisonment through a very ordinary situation that becomes a bizarre suffering for a prisoner deprived of freedom.

Following the success of the August Revolution in 1945, the "Declaration of Independence" is an immortal political document affirming the right to independence and freedom of the Vietnamese nation. Right at the beginning, President Ho Chi Minh quoted from the 1776 American Declaration of Independence: "All men are created equal. They are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; among these are the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

From there, he expanded the scope of the concept: "Broadly speaking, that statement means: All nations in the world are born equal; every nation has the right to life, the right to happiness, and the right to freedom." This was a creative development, elevating human rights to national rights.

In 1946, in response to journalists, he expressed his heartfelt wish: "I have only one desire, an overwhelming desire, which is to see our country completely independent, our people completely free, and all our compatriots having enough food and clothing, and access to education."

According to Ho Chi Minh's ideology, the independence and freedom of the nation are always linked to democracy and the happiness of the people. He affirmed that the new regime is one where the people are the masters, for the people, and close to the people: "We must understand that government agencies, from the national level to the villages, are all servants of the people... Whatever benefits the people, we must do our utmost to do. Whatever harms the people, we must do our utmost to avoid. We must love and respect the people, then the people will love and respect us." He emphasized the requirement to practice democracy in a substantive way: "Democracy is about enabling the people to speak their minds."

Hien Luong Bridge at night - Photo: HH

As the country enters a new stage of development, the values ​​of independence, freedom, and happiness pursued by President Ho Chi Minh continue to play a fundamental role in guiding the sustainable development of the nation and the lives of its people. The new era demands unwavering commitment to independence coupled with self-reliance and self-strength; ensuring freedom goes hand in hand with democracy, fairness, prosperity, and happiness; and maximizing the creative potential of each individual and society as a whole. Only in this way can we contribute to accelerating the country's development and quickly transform Vietnam into a prosperous and powerful nation.

Building a truly democratic state must go hand in hand with perfecting the rule of law. Freedom must be based on the supremacy of law, guaranteed by a strict and humane legal system, and using the legitimate interests and happiness of the people as the yardstick for social policies.

Achieving this is a continuation and development of the noble ideals and profound aspirations of President Ho Chi Minh during his lifetime. He once affirmed: "If a country is independent but its people do not enjoy happiness and freedom, then independence is meaningless." This is also the overarching goal that the Party, State, and people of Vietnam are persistently pursuing to build a prosperous, just, democratic, and civilized society, so that Vietnam truly becomes a lasting home for all Vietnamese people, whether at home or abroad.

President Ho Chi Minh's ideological legacy of "Independence-Freedom-Happiness" will forever be a guiding light for the Vietnamese nation on its path to sustainable development.

Xuan Dung

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/chinh-tri/202605/tim-hieu-tu-tuong-ho-chi-minh-ve-doc-lap-tu-do-va-dan-chu-6e84a85/