W.Minh Tuan
Introduction
In the past few days of Novemeber 2024, I have seen the domestic press in Vietnam reporting that General Secretary To Lam talked about streamlining the Party and State apparatus, so that the Party and State apparatus can work more effectively, and only then can salaries be increased for cadres, to fight corruption, and to pay cadres fairly, properly, correctly.
General Secretary To Lam gave a very good example:
The commune chairman was sitting reading the newspaper, drinking tea. Didn’t he work? – Yes, the commune chairman – that little king did work, but in the following bureaucratic style:
“Yes, I’m waiting for the secretary to present the documents, I just sit and sign.”
That’s how bureaucratic our Vietnamese revolutionary officials are now, just a small commune chairman, but also leisurely, majestic, just sitting waiting for the secretary to bring documents to sign, other than that, not knowing how to do anything, just sitting drinking tea, smoking cigarettes, reading newspapers, looking at the sky, looking at the ground, looking at the clouds.
Why does our party Vietnamese Communist let such a class of princeling leaders grow up, please the Vietnamese Communist party discuss it itself, and make a decision to solve it.
Below, daivietnam.com would like to re-publish an article by President Ho Chi Minh more than 70 years ago, talking about the disease of administration, bureaucracy, and command-order, but today, almost no party members or leaders know little about this wonderful article by President Ho Chi Minh, even though they say “live and work according to Uncle Ho”.
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“Everyone knows that the disease of bureaucracy and command is dangerous. But in practical work, such as in the recent temporary borrowing of winter-spring rice, many of our cadres still suffer from that disease. They talk about democracy-people is master- but in their work they follow the “official is master” style. They talk about “serving the masses”, but they act contrary to the interests of the masses, contrary to the motto and policies of the Party and the Government.
Where does the disease of bureaucracy and command come from?
The cause of this disease is:
Distant from the people: therefore, not understanding the psychology and aspirations of the people.
Despising the people: thinking that “the people are stupid and ignorant”, doing whatever they are told, not understanding the lofty politics and theories like themselves.
Fear of the people: when there are mistakes and shortcomings, they are afraid of criticism from the people, afraid of losing face, afraid of having to correct.
Not trusting the people: they forget that without the people’s strength, no matter how small or easy the task is, it cannot be done; with the people’s strength, no matter how difficult or big the task is, it can be done.
Not understanding the people: they forget that the people need to see practical benefits (near and far benefits, personal and common benefits, partial benefits and overall benefits). For the people, there can be no empty theories or empty politics.
Not loving the people: therefore, they only know how to demand from the people, not practically helping the people. For example: they ask the people to contribute, but do not know how to help the people increase production, improve living conditions, and nurture the people’s strength and resources.
In some places, the disease of bureaucracy and command is so serious that cadres deceive and threaten the people!
The disease of bureaucracy and command only leads to one result: failure. Therefore, we must quickly cure this dangerous disease.
The way to cure this disease includes one principle: Following the people’s line and 6 things:
-Putting the people’s interests first;
-Keeping close contact with the people;
-Discussing everything with the people, explaining to the people so that they understand clearly;
-If there are shortcomings, honestly criticize yourself before the people, and welcome the people to criticize you;
-Be willing to learn from the people;
-Be an example of thrift, integrity, and honesty for the people to follow.
All cadres of our Party and government are willing to seek progress and are willing to serve the people. I hope that you will all strive to use this prescription (bitter medicine cures disease), to cure all bureaucratic and commandist diseases, to become good cadres, and to make the upcoming agricultural tax collection work achieve satisfactory results.///
C.B.
Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works,
vol. 6, pp. 292-293.