VI Lenin gives a speech at Red Square in Moscow during the celebration of the first anniversary of the success of the October Revolution in Russia, November 7, 1918. Photo: Archive

Lenin made outstanding contributions to the development of dialectical materialism; the development of Marxist political economic theory in the imperialist period; the development of the theory of building a new type of proletarian party, the transition from people's national democracy to socialist revolution, the theory of the state and socialist revolution, the role of the worker-peasant-intellectual alliance under the leadership of the Communist Party in the cause of building socialism... The clearest proof of Lenin's thought is the success of the October Revolution in Russia, giving birth to the first worker-peasant state in the world led by the Party of the proletariat. In the process of leading the construction of socialism, many new problems arising from practice were also correctly and creatively resolved by Lenin, of which the New Economic Policy (NEP) was one of his outstanding instructions based on the development of Marxism in the specific conditions of Russia.

For the world, Lenin's ideology was the guiding light for the struggle movement in the colonial countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Immersed in the long night of slavery, the oppressed people of the colonial countries were strongly awakened by the thunder of the October Revolution. They found in the revolution a model of struggle, a path to national liberation. After the October Revolution in Russia, a strong wave of struggle arose in the colonial countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America; liberating hundreds of millions of people from the chains of slavery, creating a strong national liberation movement worldwide, shaking the colonial system of imperialism.

For Vietnam, Lenin's thoughts are closely linked to the victories of the revolutionary cause. After many years of suffering and exile since the end of the 19th century, our people's uprisings were all drowned in blood, simply because "there was no correct political line". President Ho Chi Minh, a passionate young patriot, with the will to find a way to save the country, absorbed and creatively applied the thoughts of Marxism-Leninism and the experiences from the October Revolution to the practical situation in our country. After reading the first draft of Lenin's theses on the national and colonial questions (1920), he wrote: “How moved, excited, enlightened, and confident Lenin's theses made me! I was so happy that I cried. Sitting alone in my room, I spoke out loud as if speaking before a large crowd: My tormented and suffering compatriots! This is what we need, this is the path to our liberation! From then on, I completely believed in Lenin, in the Third International.”

President Ho Chi Minh believed in Lenin, believed in the Russian October Revolution and chose the path of proletarian revolution because from his journey to find a way to save the country, studying political practices and theoretical ideology for decades in many countries around the world, he realized that there were many "revolutions", "isms", and "doctrines" but only the Russian October Revolution was "completely successful" and Leninism was "the most genuine, most certain, and most revolutionary ideology". Only by following the path of the October Revolution and following Marxism-Leninism could the objective demands of national history be met, which were independence for the nation and prosperity, freedom, and happiness for the people. From that, he affirmed: "To save the country and liberate the nation, there is no other way than the path of proletarian revolution" and "Only socialism and communism can liberate oppressed nations and working people around the world from slavery".

On the basis of applying the viewpoints of Marxism-Leninism, on February 3, 1930, the Communist Party of Vietnam was born, associated with the founding and leadership role of President Ho Chi Minh. With a scientific and creative revolutionary line, the Communist Party of Vietnam, headed by President Ho Chi Minh, aroused and promoted the strength of national solidarity, leading the struggle for national liberation and the cause of national development from one victory to another.

However, as Lenin taught: “Seizing power is difficult but maintaining power is even more difficult”, “The revolution must know how to protect itself and have the strength to protect it”. The events that occurred in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in the early 90s of the last century were invaluable lessons for the Vietnamese revolution in particular and the world revolution in general. Revolution is a difficult and complicated undertaking, going through many stages, even sometimes temporarily failing, but that does not mean that socialism is “destroyed”, the working class “loses its historical role”, on the contrary, the cause of building socialism continues to develop and its vitality is not dimmed.

Drawing on successful lessons and clearly recognizing shortcomings and mistakes in the process of building socialism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, our Party has set out a correct and creative innovation policy and is steadfastly and persistently taking firm steps in the process of building socialism in our country. From the practice of innovation, our Party has constantly supplemented and perfected the awareness and theory of socialism and the path to socialism in our country. On that basis, it has proposed policies on comprehensively and synchronously perfecting the institutions for developing a socialist-oriented market economy; focusing on strongly innovating the growth model, restructuring the economy to improve productivity, quality, efficiency and competitiveness; synchronously perfecting the institutions for sustainable development, linking economic growth with cultural and human development; solving social issues; protecting environmental resources; building and promoting cultural values ​​and the strength of the Vietnamese people; promote patriotism and development aspirations, combine the strength of the great national unity bloc with the strength of the times; resolutely and persistently protect the country's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity while maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for development.

From the results of implementing the Party's renovation policy, the 13th National Party Congress assessed: "Our country has achieved great achievements of historical significance, never before has it had the foundation, potential and position like today". From a poor country with backward material and technical facilities, economic and social infrastructure, and low level, Vietnam has risen to become a developing country, belonging to the group of countries with average income. The scale and level of the economy have been raised. Culture, society and people have developed comprehensively; the material and spiritual life of all people has been improved. Politics and society have been stable; national defense and security have been strengthened; independence and sovereignty have been maintained; the position, prestige and image of our country have been increasingly enhanced in the international arena.

These proud achievements are the crystallization of the creativity of our Party and People. This continues to affirm that the path to socialism in our country is consistent with Vietnam's reality and the development trend of the times; the Party's innovation policy is correct and creative; the Party's leadership is the leading factor determining the victory of the Vietnamese revolution. The Party's Platform continues to be the ideological and theoretical flag that firmly guides the nation to promote the innovation process; it is the foundation for our Party to continue to develop the theoretical system on socialism and the path to socialism, perfecting the path to build and develop the country in the new period.

The 154th anniversary of the birth of V. Lenin is an opportunity for us to honor his life, career and great contributions to the working class, working people and oppressed peoples around the world. This is also an opportunity for us to continue our research to better understand the intelligence, courage and personality of V. Lenin in protecting, applying and creatively developing Marxism in the process of building realistic socialism in Soviet Russia; to understand more deeply the lessons learned in the process of building realistic socialism in the world. From there, we will have more courage to steadfastly apply and creatively develop Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh Thought; steadfastly pursue the goal of national independence and socialism; steadfastly pursue the path of innovation; have the determination and aspiration to overcome all difficulties and challenges to turn our country into a developed country with a socialist orientation for the goal of "rich people, strong country, democracy, fairness, civilization".

Hoang Khanh Hung

Provincial Party Committee Member - Head of Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department