The writing titled “Some theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the path towards socialism in Vietnam” by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong is an extremely important piece, not just for Vietnam and the CPV, but also for communists around the world.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV)
Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong (Photo: VNA)

The writing titled “Some theoretical and practical issues on socialism and the path towards socialism in Vietnam” by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong is an extremely important piece, not just for Vietnam and the CPV, but also for communists around the world.

It explains the unique conditions Vietnam has had to deal with and how it approached these conditions with Marxist-Leninist perspective, Amiad Horowitz, a reporter of the People’s World and member of the Communist Party USA, told a Vietnam News Agency correspondent in a recent interview in Washington D.C.

Following is the interview.

What do you think about the writing of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong?
I think this is an extremely important piece, not just for Vietnam and the CPV, but also for communists around the world. It explains the unique conditions Vietnam has had to deal with and how it approached these conditions with Marxist-Leninist perspective.

From the outside, many people will look at Vietnam and not understand how a mixed market economy is an integral part of building socialism in Vietnam. There is a lot of anti-communist propaganda that tries to slander Vietnam and claim that it has abandoned its Marxist principles or given up on building socialism.

Anyone that really wants to understand the path Vietnam and the CPV are taking to building socialism and improving the lives of the people of Vietnam, must read this very important article by General Secretary Trong.

What content do you pay much attention to?
A number of points stood out to me. Firstly, the importance that socialism in Vietnam is rooted in material reality with the goal of making the lives of the people of Vietnam materially better. The goals of building a free, prosperous, happy life for the people are practical goals that talks to the very needs of all humanity. As we have seen through the past few decades, the CPV has lead Vietnam steadily in this direction, every year improving on the year before.

Secondly, it is important that General Secretary Trong highlighted the specific difficulties of Vietnam’s path. Marxist-Leninist do not hide from difficulties. The mixed market approach comes with specific challenges. As General Secretary Trong laid out, the goal of the CPV is to understand them and respond to them appropriately.

Lastly, General Secretary Trong reminds the reader that the essence of the vanguard party is to serve the people. This is an important point to remember that without being connected to the people and their needs, a party cannot be the vanguard and will fail to achieve its goals. However, the CPV always seeks to ensure that the connection remains strong and this is a big part of the successes we have seen in Vietnam under the leadership of the CPV.

How do you evaluate achievements Vietnam has gained in the process of developing a socialist-oriented market economy?
The achievements are truly remarkable. In just a few decades, Vietnam has gone one of the world’s poorest countries to a country with one of the most dynamic and fastest growing economies in the world.

Even more remarkably is that all the progress Vietnam has made happened in a world that remains hostile to communists. Despite these difficulties, because of the continued principled use of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought, the CPV has lead Vietnam to many great successes.

What opportunities and challenges does Vietnam face to realize its goals of building a society of wealthy people, strong country, democracy, justice and civilization; owned by the people; of a highly developed economy based on modern production forces and appropriate, progressive production relations; and advanced culture imbued with national identity, and having friendly and cooperative relations with countries around the world?

One great opportunity that Vietnam has is that stands as an example to people around the world. Since the Great Recession in 2008, and even more so in the last year and a half during the COVID-19 pandemic, people around the world are waking up to the fact that capitalism has failed them and that it only serves the bourgeois elite. As the rich countries of the world have watched their economies nearly collapse and had to bury millions of dead, the people of the world are able to look at Vietnam and see that despite material difficulties, the people of Vietnam have continued to prosper and have lived safer lives.

The main challenge that comes to mind is that anti-communism remains a powerful force globally. The capitalists will do everything they can to hold on to their wealth and will continue to try and cause Vietnam to pert from the path of building socialism. However, the CPV has always demonstrated that through its continued principled leadership, with its strong connection to the people of Vietnam, it is able prevent this from happening./.