Editing Ho Chi Minh Thought

{{External article cleanup|date=November 2021}}
'''Ho Chi Minh Thought''' is a political philosophy that builds upon [[Marxism–Leninism]] and the ideology of [[Ho Chi Minh]]. It was developed and codified by the [[Communist Party of Vietnam]] and formalised in 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www6.cityu.edu.hk/searc/Data/FileUpload/325/WP121_12_Vu.pdf|title=The persistence of Single-Party Dictatorships: The Case of Vietnam|number=121|date=January 2012|first=Vu|last=Tuong|publisher=Southeast Asia Research Centre, City University of Hong Kong|series=SEARC Working Paper Series|page=14}}{{Dead link|date=January 2020|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The Organization of the Practice of the Ho Chi Minh Movement and the Learning of its Moral Codes|url=http://www.haugiang.gov.vn/Portal/DATA/sites/10/chuyende/HOCTAPGUONGDAODUCHOCHIMINH/|publisher=[[Vietnam Communist Party]]|access-date=24 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110320012632/http://www.haugiang.gov.vn/Portal/DATA/sites/10/chuyende/HOCTAPGUONGDAODUCHOCHIMINH/|archive-date=20 March 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> The term is used to cover political theories and policies considered as representing a form of Marxism–Leninism that has been adapted to Vietnamese circumstances and history. The ideology includes views on the basic issues of the [[Vietnamese Revolution]], specifically the development and application of Marxism–Leninism to the material conditions of [[Vietnam]].<ref>Đảng Cộng sản Việt Nam xác định lấy ''[[Chủ nghĩa Mác-Lênin]] và tư tưởng Hồ Chí Minh là kim chỉ nam cho mọi hành động và thắng lợi của cách mạng Việt Nam''.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cpv.org.vn/cpv/Modules/News/NewsDetail.aspx?co_id=30106&cn_id=443473|title=Điều lệ Đảng Cộng sản Việt Nam, thông qua ngày 19 tháng 01 năm 2011|access-date=4 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130125053016/http://www.cpv.org.vn/cpv/Modules/News/NewsDetail.aspx?co_id=30106&cn_id=443473|archive-date=25 January 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>[http://www.vinhphuc.gov.vn/ct/cms/hochiminh/Lists/NghienCuuTraoDoi/View_Detail.aspx?ItemID=8 Chủ nghĩa Mác – Lênin và tư tưởng Hồ Chí Minh là kim chỉ nam cho mọi hành động và thắng lợi của cách mạng Việt Nam, Trần Viết Dương, Trường Chính trị tỉnh Vĩnh Phúc]</ref> Whilst this ideology is named after the Vietnamese revolutionary and President, it does not necessarily reflect the personal ideologies of Ho Chi Minh, but rather the official ideology of the Communist Party of Vietnam.<ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Modern Political Thought|year=2013|isbn=9780872899100|chapter=Ho Chi Minh Thought|doi=10.4135/9781452234168.n150}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=John Stanley|last=Gillespie|title=Transplanting Commercial Law Reform: Developing a 'Rule of Law' in Vietnam|publisher=Ashgate Publishing|year=2006|isbn=9780754647041}}</ref><ref name="thayer">{{cite journal|last1=Thayer|first1=Carlyle A.|title=Political Legitimacy in Vietnam: Challenge and Response|journal=Politics & Policy|date=8 June 2010|volume=38|issue=3|pages=423–444|doi=10.1111/j.1747-1346.2010.00242.x}}</ref>

== Origins ==
As with [[Mao Zedong Thought]], the core of Ho Chi Minh Thought is the belief that the peasantry is the [[Vanguardism|revolutionary vanguard]] in pre-industrial societies rather than the [[proletariat]].<ref>Hồ Chí Minh Toàn tập, tập 3, Nhà xuất bản Chính trị Quốc gia, trang 3.</ref>

Ho Chi Minh Thought is rooted in:<ref name="Curriculum">Curriculum Ho Chi Minh ideology. A national political publishing house. Second edition, 2006, pages 48, 29, 50</ref>

* [[Marxism-Leninism]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Undeniable values of Ho Chi Minh Thought|url=https://hcma.vn/english/news/Pages/features.aspx?CateID=200&ItemID=9008|access-date=2021-03-02|website=hcma.vn|language=vi}}</ref>
* Traditional Vietnamese ideology and culture
* Eastern cultural thought: [[Confucianism]], [[Buddhism]]<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Son|first1=BUI Ngoc|title=The Confucian Foundations of Hổ Chí Minh's Vision of Government / 胡志明政治思想中的儒學基礎|journal=Journal of Oriental Studies|date=2013|volume=46|issue=1|pages=35–59|jstor=43498666}}</ref>
* Western ideologies, specifically French and American political philosophy
* Ho Chi Minh's personal morality

=== Influence of Confucianism ===
Ho Chi Minh, the son of Confucian scholar Nguyễn Sinh Sắc, studied [[Confucianism]] throughout his life and was a strong critic of Confucian ethics and ideals.<ref name="Confucian2">{{cite journal|last1=Son|first1=Bui Ngoc|title=The Confucian Foundations of Hổ Chí Minh's Vision of Government / 胡志明政治思想中的儒學基礎|journal=Journal of Oriental Studies|date=2013|volume=46|issue=1|pages=35–59|jstor=43498666}}</ref> Despite this public criticism, scholars have argued that Confucianism remained part of both the personal ideology of Ho Chi Minh, and Ho Chi Minh Thought. In particular it was observed that Confucian morality and the principle of [[self-cultivation]] are a central part of the party's platform and the ideology of Ho Chi Minh Thought.<ref name="Confucian2" /> The Communist Party of Vietnam rejects this, arguing that this interpretation is a distortion of the historical record of both Ho Chi Minh and the Communist Party of Vietnam.<ref>{{cite web|author=Snr Col Nguyen Sy Hoa, PhD|title=A bold distortion of Ho Chi Minh's thought|url=https://hcma.vn/english/news/Pages/features.aspx?CateID=200&ItemID=9010|publisher=Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics}}</ref>

Summarizing 30 years of studying Confucianism, Ho Chi Minh concluded:<ref>{{cite web|author1=Cao Phi Yến|title=Phải biết chắt lọc cái hay, cái tốt quanh ta|url=https://www.hcmcpv.org.vn/van-ban/phai-biet-chat-loc-cai-hay-cai-tot-quanh-ta-1245748999|website=Trang tin Điện tử Đảng bộ Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh|publisher=Ho Chi Minh City Municipal Party Committee|access-date=21 November 2020|location=[[Ho Chi Minh City]]|language=vi|date=2 September 2009}}</ref><blockquote>The good side of Confucianism is the lesson of personal ethics. The good side of Christianity is noble benevolence. The good side of Marxism is the dialectical method. The good side of Sun Yat-sen is that his thinking is adapted to the concrete conditions in Vietnam. Confucius, Jesus and Marx sought the happiness and well-being of society. If they were still alive today they would certainly be talking together. And I believe they would live in perfect harmony as good friends. I am trying to learn from them as an applied student.</blockquote>

== Ideology ==
{{Marxism–Leninism sidebar}}

The following is described as the core of the Ho Chi Minh Thought ideological system, as codified by the Communist Party of Vietnam: <ref>Văn kiện Đại hội đại biểu toàn quốc lần thứ IX, Nhà xuất bản. Document of the 9th National Congress, Publishing House. National politics, Hanoi, 2001, p. 83.</ref><ref name="tthcm2">Giáo trình tư tưởng Hồ Chí Minh. Nhà xuất bản chính trị quốc gia. Tái bản lần thứ hai, 2006, trang 22</ref>

* National liberation, class liberation, human liberation
* National independence
* National unity
* People's ownership; building the true State of the people, by the people, for the people
* National defense of all people, the building of the people's armed forces
* Economic and cultural development, constantly improving the material and spiritual life of the people
* Revolutionary ethics needs, thrifty, integrity, righteousness, and impartiality
* Take care of fostering revolutionary generations for the next life
* Building a clean, strong Party, cadres and party members who are both leaders and loyal servants of the people

Central to Ho Chi Minh Thought is the importance of the Communist Party as the center of a [[Self-determination|national liberation]] movement.<ref name="thayer2">{{cite journal|last1=Thayer|first1=Carlyle A.|title=Political Legitimacy in Vietnam: Challenge and Response|journal=Politics & Policy|date=8 June 2010|volume=38|issue=3|pages=423–444|doi=10.1111/j.1747-1346.2010.00242.x}}</ref> Ho Chi Minh Thought argues that revolutionary violence and humanitarian peace are dialectically opposed to one another. However, the synthesis of their conflict would inevitably be the preservation of peace, independence, and national liberation.<ref name="Curriculum2">Curriculum Ho Chi Minh ideology. A national political publishing house. Second edition, 2006, pages 48, 29, 50</ref>

Ho Chi Minh Thought cites the following concerning the construction and characteristics of a [[Socialism|socialist]] society and economy:<ref name="Curriculum2" />

* Socialism is a society with a highly developed production force, associated with the progressive development of science — technology, and culture, rich people, and a strong country.<ref name="National Academy">{{cite web|title=Undeniable values of Ho Chi Minh Thought|url=https://hcma.vn/english/news/Pages/features.aspx?CateID=200&ItemID=9008|website=Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics|publisher=Communist Party of Vietnam|access-date=8 December 2019}}</ref>
* Implementation of workers ownership of the means of production and implementing the principle of labour distribution.
* A [[dictatorship of the proletariat]] based on the unity of industrial, agricultural, and intellectual workers under the leadership of the Communist Party.
* A socialist society has a system of social relations that is healthy, fair, and equal, with no opposition between intellectual and manual labour, nor between urban and rural areas.


Ho Chi Minh Thought emphasizes a gradual transition to socialism.<ref name="transition">{{cite web|title=The pathway in the transition to socialism in Vietnam|url=http://english.hochiminh.vn/ideology-and-morality/the-pathway-in-the-transition-to-socialism-in-vietnam-3}}</ref><ref name="National Academy" /> Similar to [[Socialism with Chinese Characteristics]], it places emphasis on the role of the development of the [[productive forces]]. According to Ho Chi Minh, when entering the period of transition to socialism, the Vietnamese economy was a largely outdated agricultural economy that had not yet undergone capitalist development. In particular, he paid special attention to the fundamental contradiction of the transition period, which is the conflict between the country's high development needs and the socio-economic situation of the working class.<ref name="National Academy" /> Ho Chi Minh Thought also stresses learning from the experiences of other [[Socialist state|socialist countries]] in building socialism and making use of international aid and cooperation.<ref>Ho Chi Minh: Complete, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2000, volume 7, p. 249, quoted " The Soviet Union is advancing towards communism. China and Eastern European countries are fast quickly implementing socialism, The countries you lead us to experience and support us We have the determination: determination to study, determination to resist, determination to work, determination to overcome. all difficulties, we will definitely win. "</ref>

Although Ho Chí Minh believed that Vietnam had entered the stage of transition to socialism in 1954, he also thought that Vietnam was still "a democratic regime in which people are the masters" and not a socialist state.<ref name="transitionhcm">{{cite web|url=http://english.tapchicongsan.org.vn/Home/Theory-and-Reality/2010/156/A-philosophy-perspective-on-peoples-democratic-regime-from-Ho-Chi-Minhs-ideology.aspx|title=A philosophy perspective on people's democratic regime from Ho Chi Minh's ideology|author=Khanh, Le Quoc|date=28 December 2010|publisher=Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam|work=[[Tap chi Cong San|Tạp chí Cộng Sản]]|access-date=4 November 2012}}</ref> According to him, to reach the socialist stage of development, the development of the state sector was of utmost importance, as its absence would lead to failure.<ref name="transitionhcm" />

This discussion over the transition to socialism continued in the 21st century. The platform of the 11th National Congress held in January 2011 stated: "This is a profound and thorough revolutionary process and a complicated struggle between the old and the new for qualitative changes in all aspects of social life. It is essential to undergo a long period of transition with several steps of development and several mixed social and economic structures".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://english.tapchicongsan.org.vn/Home/Theory-and-Reality/2012/275/Partys-awareness-on-socialism-in-Viet-Nam-from-the-Platform-of-1930.aspx|title=Party's awareness on socialism in Viet Nam from the Platform of 1930 to the Platform on national construction in the period of transition to socialism (revised and supplemented in 2011)|author=Trong Phuc, Nguyen|date=4 November 2011|publisher=[[Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam|Central Committee]] of the Communist Party of Vietnam|access-date=4 November 2012}}</ref>
[[File:Ho_Chi_Minh_Morality.jpg|link=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ho_Chi_Minh_Morality.jpg|thumb|A propaganda poster promoting the study of Ho Chi Minh morality.]]
According to [[Nguyễn Phú Trọng]], who became the party's General Secretary in 2011, socialist factors of development compete with non-socialist factors, which includes the features of capitalism, during the transition to socialism. Nguyễn said: "Along with positive aspects, there will always be negative aspects and challenges that need to be considered wisely and dealt with timely and effectively. It is a difficult struggle that requires spirit, fresh vision, and creativity. The path to socialism is a process of constantly consolidating and strengthening socialist factors to make them more dominant and irreversible. Success will depend on correct policies, political spirit, leadership capacity, and the fighting strength of the Party".<ref name="NPHSPS">{{cite web|url=http://www.solidnet.org/vietnam-communist-party-of-vietnam/3027-cp-of-vietnam-socialism-and-the-path-to-socialism-vietnams-perspective-en|title=Socialism and the path to Socialism-Vietnam's Perspective|access-date=1 December 2012|date=7 November 2012|work=[[Communist Review|Tạp chí Cộng Sản]]|publisher=Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam|author=Nguyễn, Phú Trọng|author-link=Nguyễn, Phú Trọng|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130526164701/http://www.solidnet.org/vietnam-communist-party-of-vietnam/3027-cp-of-vietnam-socialism-and-the-path-to-socialism-vietnams-perspective-en|archive-date=26 May 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Morality ==
A particular aspect of Ho Chi Minh thought is the emphasis on personal morality and ethics.<ref>{{cite web|title=Vietnamese uphold Ho Chi Minh's thought, morality, and lifestyle|url=https://en.qdnd.vn/politics/editorials-features/vietnamese-uphold-ho-chi-minh-s-thought-morality-and-lifestyle-505796|website=People's Army Newspaper}}</ref> The personal values of Ho Chi Minh are regularly upheld by the Party, and party members are taught to exemplify Ho Chi Minh's personal values: ''practicing the standard of industriousness, thrift, integrity, uprightness, public-spiritedness and selflessness in serving the country and the people''.<ref name="PSF">{{cite web|title=PSF promoting studying and following President Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style|url=http://en.cand.com.vn/Public-security-forces/PSF-promoting-studying-and-following-President-Ho-Chi-Minh-s-ideology-morality-and-style-418225/|website=Public Security Force}}</ref><ref name="MoralExample">{{cite web|title=Ho Chi Minh – A shining moral example|url=http://tapchiqptd.vn/en/events-and-comments/ho-chi-minh-%E2%80%93-a-shining-moral-example/11415.html|website=National Defence Journal}}</ref> Central to Ho Chi Minh morality is living a modest lifestyle, free from material worries, whilst devoting oneself to the collective good and the advancement of socialism and self-determination.<ref name="CultureRitualRevolution">{{cite book|first1=Shaun Kingsley|last1=Malarney|url=https://archive.org/details/cultureritualrev0000mala|title=Culture, Ritual and Revolution in Vietnam|date=2002|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|isbn=0824826604|page=[https://archive.org/details/cultureritualrev0000mala/page/56 56]|quote=ho chi minh morality.|url-access=registration}}</ref><ref name="MoralExample" /> Ho Chi Minh wrote about morality throughout his life, and often criticized individualism, such as in his short essay ''Raise up Revolutionary Ethics, Eliminate Individuals''.<ref name="CultureRitualRevolution" /> The personal values of Ho Chi Minh are a mandatory part of the [[Curriculum|school curriculum]] throughout Vietnam.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Hoa|first1=Lai|title=Home / Current Affairs Fundamental values of Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and lifestyle|url=https://vovworld.vn/en-US/current-affairs/fundamental-values-of-ho-chi-minhs-ideology-morality-and-lifestyle-543279.vov|website=Voice of Vietnam|date=19 May 2017}}</ref>

== Development ==
At the [[Seventh National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam]], held in Hanoi in 1991, it was determined that Marxism–Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought were the basis of the ideology of the Party.<ref name="thayer2" /> Since this congress, it has been taught in all universities as a compulsory subject for students of all disciplines.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Phan|first1=Tai Huu|title=Experiences of Integrating Presentation Skills and Teamwork Skills in Teaching the Ho Chi Minh Thought Subject at Tra Vinh University|journal=Scientific Journal of Tra Vinh University|date=6 August 2019|volume=1|issue=2|pages=194–202|doi=10.35382/18594816.1.2.2019.171|doi-access=free}}</ref> The first instance of Ho Chi Minh Thought as a subject of formal training and critical discussion was at [[Hanoi University]] in 1997.<ref name=":00">[http://dangcongsan.vn/cpv/Modules/News/NewsDetail.aspx?co_id=30145&cn_id=8101 Cương lĩnh xây dựng đất nước trong thời kì quá độ lên Chủ nghĩa Xã hội], Đảng Cộng sản Việt Nam.</ref>

Domestic researchers and Ho Chi Minh's comrades have written many works on Ho Chi Minh Thought such as: ''Understanding some issues in Ho Chi Minh's thought'' (1982) by Le Mau Han; ''Ho Chi Minh Thought Research'' (1993) by the Ho Chi Minh Institute's authors; ''The world has changed but Ho Chi Minh thought'' (1991), ''Ho Chi Minh thought''(1993), ''Ho Chi Minh thought process of formation and development'' (1993), ''Ho Chi Minh thought and the way Vietnamese revolution'' (1997) by Vo Nguyen Giap; ''Basic perceptions about Ho Chi Minh thought'' (1998) of Pham Van Dong; ''The formation of Ho Chi Minh ideology'' (1997) by Tran Van Giau; ''From traditional thinking to Ho Chi Minh thought'' (1998) by Hoang Tung.<ref>[http://www.baotanghochiminh-nr.vn/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=129:th-mc-chuyen-nghien-cu-tng-quat-v-h-chi-minh&catid=41:th-vin&Itemid=204 Thư mục chuyên đề: Nghiên cứu tổng quát về Hồ Chí Minh], Bảo Tàng Hồ Chí Minh - Chi Nhánh Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh</ref>

== See also ==

* [[Communism in Vietnam]]
* [[Juche]]
* [[Maoism]]
* [[Kaysone Phomvihane Thought]]
* [[Primary stage of socialism]]
* [[Vietnamese nationalism]]

== References ==
[[Category:Ho Chi Minh]]
[[Category:Communist Party of Vietnam]]