Đỗ Thị Kim Hoa, MA Institute of Philosophy Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences

The Ho Chi Minh’s idea of democracy and its effects to

current time

Kyoto university - 2011

The Ho Chi Minh’s idea On democracy and its effects to current time

I. Some general theoretical issues of the concept of democracy.

II. Ho Chi Minh’s Thought on Democracy

III. The meaningfullness of Ho Chi Minh thought of democracy in the “doi moi” in Vietnam

MAIN CONTENTS

I. Some general theoretical issues of democracy

I.1. The concept of democracy

I.2. Contents of democracy from the approaching ways

I. Some general theoretical issues of democracy

• About time, the concept of democracy appeared VI, VII century BC. "Democracy" (demokratia) in ancient Greek is a compound word, formed up from two root words are: Demos = the people; and Kratein = rule. Original meaning is that the people govern.

• After that, the concept of democracy was popularly understood that all power belongs to the people, but concretizing it in per country is very diffirent.

I.1. The concept of democracy:

I. Some general theoretical issues of democracy (cont)

•The approach based on politics

• The approach based on the basis of human civilization

•The approach based on humanism, humanitarianism

I.2. Contents of democracy from the approaching ways

Democracy is a state institution that all power belongs to the people, the people have the right to manage, to control, and to check the State and society.

The approach based on politics

State of law and civil society is a condition for the promotion of democracy.

Democracy is a measure of the nature of the political system, a measure of the sophistication of the art of power implementation of the ruling class, a measure of the struggling level for the right of ownership of the people.

1

2

3

Political content of democracy is more passive, being more defined by the legal system and operational mechanism of the political system.

4

The development of the economy, social progress, the level of economic, social management, educational levels of the people ... influence on the nature of democracy. In other words, the level of development of human civilization defined the properties of democracy, the level of development of democracy.

The approach based on the basis of human

civilization

The perception of democracy, the capability of democracy and democratic behavior, or in other words, the level of democracy, the objective development, regulating back to the political content of democracy, even forcing the politic regime to adapt to the level of democracy.

1

2

The thought of people liberation, the ideology of freedom, justice and equality are essential values to form the nature of democracy.

The approach based on humanism,

humanitarianism

Democracy is the basis, the condition to encourage the spirit of independence and freely creation, which promotes the development of human civilization.

1

2

II. Ho Chi Minh’s Thought on Democracy

II.1. The process of formation and development of Ho Chi Minh’s thought on democracy

II.2. The thought of democratic practices of Ho Chi Minh.

II. Ho Chi Minh’s Thought on Democracy

2.1.1. Foundations of thought formation.

2.1.2. The Ho Chi Minh’s opinion on democracy

II.1. The process of formation and development of Ho Chi Minh’s

thought on democracy

The democratic tradition of nation, eventhough it is very limited and can be said as quite low and relatively weak, the remaining factors also influence somewhat to his thoughts of democracy

Foundations of thought formation

The thought of Tran Hung Dao on unforced and encourageable people’s power, respected people of Nguyen Trai’s thought ... the levels of intellectuals in the history of Vietnam also was inherited and developed by Ho Chi Minh. Bourgeois ['buəʒwa:] democratic ideology of the Western, which Ho Chi Minh acquired thanks to the spread of the patriotic intellectuals of that time and thanks to the inquiry and the acknowledgement of Western democracies at the time.

Socio-economic conditions of Vietnam at that time also urged Ho Chi Minh to explore and form the ideas of democracy for the nation of Vietnam.

The Ho Chi Minh’s opinion on democracy

When the educational level was low, 9/10 people were farmers with shallow level of understanding at the majority of the population. Ho Chi Minh only mentioned democracy rustically with a nature of direct democracy as the principle of majority. When the theorical level of the people increased, the struggling movement developed, democracy that Ho Chi Minh raised was extended to the political approach and with the purpose of national liberation career.

In the period of building and construction of the country, Ho Chi Minh has concretized the ownership of the people in all strata, all areas of social life, demonstrating an intensive humane spirit.

Due to historical circumstances (mainly due to educational level and social status), but at each different

point of time, each circumstance and purpose, that Ho Chi Minh made the concept of democracy differently.

1

2

3

The Ho Chi Minh’s opinion on democracy (cont)

Democratization in building the organizational structure of the State to ensure state of the people, by the people and for the people.

Democratization of the constitutional system and law, to ensure the implementation of the democratic rights of citizens.

Democratization of social institutions, social groups to promote their creativity, enthusiasm motivate social development.

Ho Chi Minh's conception of democracy contained its entire dimensions of the content of democracy as

analyzed above. However, that content is highly practical, it is democratized intensively.

1

2

3

II. Ho Chi Minh’s Thought on Democracy (cont)

2.2.1 Some reasons of Ho Chi Minh’ s the emphasizing on democratic practices

2.2.2 Ho Chi Minh disseminated the implementation of democracy on the fields

2.2.3. Some methods to promote and ensure democratic practices

II.2. Ho Chi Minh’s Thought on democratic practices.

2.2. Ho Chi Minh’s Thought on democratic practices.

The rights, interests, essential demands of the people, the most valuable thing of the people.

Motivations for the promotion of creativity and enthusiasm to work

Ensure the healthy development of the society, ensure the real democratic society, avoid the negative things in the absence of democratic practices.

2.2.1 Some reasons of Ho Chi Minh’ s the emphasizing on

democratic practices1

2

3

2.2. Ho Chi Minh’s Thought on democratic practices (cont)

The practice of democracy in improving people's educational levels.

The practice of democracy in promoting civil rights

The practice of democracy in ensuring people's welfare.

2.2.2 Ho Chi Minh disseminated the implementation of democracy

on the fields1

2

3

2.2. Ho Chi Minh’s Thought on democratic practices (cont)

Build the socialist State of law of the people, by the people, and for the people.

Form and strengthen political institutions, unions as connecting line between the people and government. The media must reflect the voice of the people

2.2.3. Some methods to promote and ensure democratic practices

1

2

3

The people themselves must have forged a spirit of democracy, actively participate in self- criticism

and criticism.

4

III. The meaningfullness of Ho Chi Minh’s thought on democracy in the “doi moi”

in Vietnam

III.1. The application of the Vietnamese Communist Party before and during “doi moi”. III.2. Current status of implementation on democracy in Vietnam today. III.3. The role of Ho Chi Minh’s thought on democracy for the current period.

III. The meaningfullness of Ho Chi Minh’s thought on democracy in the “doi moi” in

Vietnam

3.1.1. The application before “doi moi”.

3.1.2. The application during “doi moi”.

III.1. The application of the Vietnamese Communist Party before

and during “doi moi”.

The application before “doi moi”.

In politics, the Communist Party advocates to well ensure the democratic rights of the people, the people can participate in general election. People have the right to monitor and check strictly the management of all levels and departments.

In the field of economics, economic mechanism of subsidized centralization limits the ipmlementation of democracy.

In the field of culture and society. Due to the engrossment with the victory, the Communist Party itself also found that in the 5th General Conference, the bureaucracy, arbitrary in many areas of social

life had inhibited the democracy in the people.

1

3

2

The application during “doi moi”

Party advocates to make free the production forces, development of multi-component economics of commodity and apply the market mechanism was the important factors for democratization in the country. This is a creative application of Ho Chi Minh’s thought of the Vietnamese Communist Party.

Promote the development of legitimate socialistic State, which is of the people, by the people and for the people. Determination of democracy is both objective and motivation for the development of the country.

Party advocates to promote the national culture characters, to receive the quintessence of human culture, in which the traditional democracy is promoted with combination of democratic humanity values .

1

3

2

III. The meaningfullness of Ho Chi Minh’s thought on democracy in the “doi moi” in

Vietnam (cont)III.2. Current status of

implementation on democracy in Vietnam today.

In the field of economics, democracy has been promoted well, people have freedom in the economic field. The formation of market economy has created favorable conditions for the establishment of democracy in Vietnam. However, the global economic crisis and the way of doing rag business with short vision are difficult to implement democracy.

In politics, as Vietnam gradually improved the State of law, the politic awareness of the people is still low, the hostile forces take advantage for vandalisation, therefore, in this area the implementation of democracy is more difficult.

In the field of culture and society, due to weak democratic tradition, probably very low, and cultural factors such as “a bad compromise is better than a good lawsuit”, " not to wash one's dirty linen in public " or " it's better not to wash one's dirty linen in public "...the corruption, bureaucracy, negative actions in a number of officers are more or less influencing the policy of promoting democracy in the Party and in the people.

2

3

1

III. The meaningfullness of Ho Chi Minh’s thought on democracy in the “doi moi” in Vietnam (cont)

III.3. The role of Ho Chi Minh’s thought on democracy for the current

period.It is the foundation, the basis for the completion of the political system, build the State of law, establishment of democratic institutions.

It is a guideline for building the policy, guidelines and planning of the Party and State of Vietnam in many years

It is the spiritual foundation, a scientific basis for the Vietnamese people to take it in the completion of democratic theory as well as completion of the implementation of democracy. It is like a "lifevest" for the degradation of democracy in some places.

It is the spiritual encouragement sources for the Vietnamese people in the struggle for their legitimate rights.

1

2

3

4

The more the society develops, the more the democratic content on the nature and it is increasingly being expanded in both content and scope of application. It can be said that, whatever Ho Chi Minh left for us is the stable "framework" to deploy and apply creatively into the new present situation.

conlusion

THE END

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Do Thi Kim Hoa, MAInstitute of Philosophy, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences