Nguyen Xuan Thang, Vi Le Xuan, and Phan Kim Nga: The Theoretical Value and Practical Significance of Lenin's Intellectual Heritage for the World Revolution and the Vietnamese Revolution
With his abundant theoretical accumulation and rich practical experience, Lenin defended and developed Marxism during the new historical period of imperialism and proletarian revolution. In 1917, he led the Great October Revolution to victory and established the world's first Soviet regime of workers and peasants. This transformed scientific socialism from theory into a vivid reality and opened a new era in human history: the transition from capitalism to socialism. Throughout his arduous and great revolutionary career, Lenin made immense contributions to the working class and oppressed peoples of the entire world, possessing profound significance for our times.
I. Lenin Creatively Developed Marx’s Theory on the Possibility of Proletarian Revolution Succeeding During the Era of Imperialism, Successfully Led the Triumph of the October Revolution, and Opened a New Era of Transition from Capitalism to Socialism
In their analysis of the natural historical process of human social development during the capitalist period, Marx and Engels once predicted: "The communist revolution will not merely be a national phenomenon but will take place simultaneously in all civilized countries, that is to say, at least in England, America, France, and Germany." [1] According to the general laws of social development, when the productive forces develop to a point that the existing relations of production can no longer contain them, a social revolution inevitably occurs to break the old relations of production and establish new ones that meet the developmental requirements of the productive forces. However, while analyzing the nature of capitalism during the era of imperialism, Lenin discovered new characteristics of capitalism. In his work Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism, Lenin revealed the law of the uneven development of capitalism and predicted: "Socialism may be victorious first in a few or even in one single capitalist country." [2]
Analyzing the specific situation in Russia at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, Lenin pointed out that Russia had become the focal point of various social contradictions in the era of imperialism and the weakest link in the chain of world imperialism [3]. From that point on, Lenin and genuine Russian Marxists actively prepared the conditions for the Russian proletarian revolution. Under the leadership of the Russian Bolshevik Party headed by Lenin, the Russian working class and laboring people launched the Great October Revolution, overthrew the reactionary bourgeois regime, and established the world's first Soviet power of workers and peasants. They achieved a historic leap of scientific socialism from theory to reality and from the practice of a single country to the practice of multiple countries, thereby opening the era of transition from capitalism to socialism.
The victory of the October Revolution was neither a "premature birth" of history, as the distorted arguments of hostile forces claim, nor the result of "subjective improvisation" or "an accident." The victory of the October Revolution possessed objective necessity because Russian imperialism had exposed acute and unprecedented contradictions that it could not overcome: the Tsarist system was utterly decayed, the Russian bourgeoisie had become an extremely reactionary force, and the Russian working class and laboring people were in dire straits—ready at any moment to rise up and overthrow the shackles of exploitation and oppression. Therefore, the victory of the October Revolution was the inevitable result of long-term, conscious, and meticulous preparation by Lenin and the Bolshevik Party. The Bolshevik Party was a genuine revolutionary party armed with the revolutionary theory of Marxism. Lenin developed Marxism and successfully applied its universal principles to the specific practice of Russia.
II. Lenin’s Supplementation, Development, and Innovation of Marxist Theory Regarding Socialism and the Path to Socialism
Following the victory of the October Revolution, the most fundamental and urgent problem facing Lenin and the Bolshevik Party was how to organize and build socialism in Russia so that backward Russia could embark on the socialist path. The historic responsibility shouldered by Lenin as a revolutionary leader was to creatively apply Marxism to the construction of the first socialist state in human history.
In the early years following the victory (1918–1921), to cope with the urgent situation of resisting internal bandits, fighting external enemies, and defending the nascent Soviet regime, Lenin led Soviet Russia in implementing "War Communism" as an emergency measure. However, as Soviet Russia entered a period of peaceful national construction, this policy no longer suited the needs of situational development and became an obstacle to progress. It caused production to stall, plunging Soviet Russia into an economic and social crisis that threatened to lead to a political crisis. Lenin recognized this. At the 10th National Congress of the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks) in March 1921, with the characteristic wisdom and capability of communists, Lenin and the Party made the historic decision to replace "War Communism" with the "New Economic Policy" (NEP). Following the logic of "taking one step back to move forward in a circuitous way, first 'building a solid bridge' in a small-peasant country to transition to socialism," [4] they shifted the focus of the revolution to economic and cultural construction, implementing a comprehensive reform of the model and path of socialist construction.
The NEP adopted thorough and powerful reform measures, advocating for the development of a commodity economy with multiple economic sectors, and replacing the surplus-appropriation system with a tax in kind. It expanded the exchange of goods between urban and rural areas and between industry and agriculture; permitted freedom of trade; implemented economic accounting; and focused on the immediate interests of laborers by encouraging personal interest. By applying the scientific dialectical thinking of Marxism, Lenin clearly recognized that to successfully build socialism in Russia, it was necessary to learn from and draw on the advanced achievements of capitalism and to be "willing to absorb good things from abroad." [5] Lenin pointed out that communists must also learn how to trade and learn organizational methods of leadership and management, understanding the need to "enrich one's mind with all the wealth of knowledge created by humanity." [6] All these methods were aimed at tapping into and utilizing various resources and economic sectors to develop production and "drag socialism into everyday life" [7]; constructing a real socialist [8] model through the vivid practice of initiating, conducting, and developing production.
Under the conditions of that time, the implementation of the NEP was not smooth. Many in the Party ranks questioned whether the policy was a "compromise" with capitalism, harboring the risk of restoring capitalism in Russia and betraying Marx's legacy regarding the revolutionary cause. Through an analysis of practice, Lenin discovered that for a backward country transitioning to socialism, a multi-sector economic structure is an inevitable objective reality [9]. This does not contradict Marxist theory. In the Critique of the Gotha Programme, Marx pointed out that because socialism "has just emerged from capitalist society; which is thus in every respect, economically, morally, and intellectually, still stamped with the birthmarks of the old society from whose womb it emerges." [10] This is an objective characteristic of the socialist transition period, especially for backward small-peasant countries. Practice proved that through the implementation of the NEP, the economy of Soviet Russia recovered rapidly, society moved toward stability, and the people's standard of living gradually improved, thereby demonstrating the vitality and superiority of socialism. Regrettably, after Lenin’s death, this policy was not fully sustained.
For over a hundred years, real-world socialism has experienced many ups and downs. The Soviet Union and other socialist countries achieved many great accomplishments during their existence and development, but they began to stagnate from the 1970s onward and fell into a serious crisis. Eventually, socialism collapsed in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. This was a massive loss for the world revolutionary movement, but it was clearly not the collapse of socialism itself, and certainly not the collapse of Marxism-Leninism. It was merely the collapse of a specific model of real-world socialism that carried many flaws—for example, a highly centralized planned economy, bureaucratism, idealism, dogmatism, estrangement from the masses, and a departure from the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism (particularly the concrete-historical principle), as well as a relaxation of the Party's vanguard leadership and a failure to proactively adapt to frequent changes in economic, political, and social life. This was also the consequence of serious errors by the ruling parties in their political lines, ideology, and cadre work during the reform process. This failure has made us further realize the great significance of the shift from "War Communism" to the "New Economic Policy." Lenin provided precious, classic guidance for the reform and innovation of real-world socialism to overcome economic stagnation and crisis and to continue the recovery and development of the economy.
III. Lenin as a Paragon of Defending, Supplementing, and Creatively Developing Marxism
Against the backdrop of the transition from capitalism to the stage of imperialism and the dissolution of the Second International, Lenin engaged in a resolute struggle against opportunism that attacked and distorted Marxism. He authored a series of famous works including What Is to Be Done? (1902), One Step Forward, Two Steps Back (1904), Materialism and Empirio-criticism (1909), Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism (1916), The State and Revolution (1917), and The Proletarian Revolution and the Renegade Kautsky (1918). Through these works, Lenin identified the nature of opportunists as those who "easily accept any formula but just as easily renounce it," [11] pointing out that while opportunists might accept the slogan of defending the fatherland and bourgeois patriotism, and even acknowledge class struggle, they essentially deny the dictatorship of the proletariat and violent revolution. Instead, they extol the path of reformism and support shallow adjustments within the framework of the capitalist system. They only acknowledge Marxism in words, using it as a cloak while attempting to bury it. They call for and support workers' struggles only on the condition that they do not smash the bourgeois state machinery to replace it with the dictatorship of the proletariat. In other words, though the workers may struggle, they must never achieve victory! [12] With his profound erudition, rich revolutionary experience, and firm conviction in Marxism and its methodology, Lenin exposed and refuted the reactionary and erroneous views of opportunism, defending the scientific, revolutionary, and pure nature of Marxism. Lenin and the genuine Russian communists triumphed over the opportunists ideologically and theoretically, ensuring that Marxism truly became the ideological and theoretical banner of the October Revolution and an essential condition and prerequisite for the revolution's victory.
Lenin believed that defending Marxism required combining revolutionary strategy and tactics with the resolution of practical political tasks. After the victory of the October Revolution, Lenin clearly pointed out that revolutionaries "should prove by facts that it can not only overthrow the exploiters, but also organize itself for self-defense." [13] Lenin noted that "a revolution is worth something only if it can defend itself" against various bourgeois, oppressive, and exploitative forces who are constantly trying to reclaim their "lost paradise." It is necessary to resolutely oppose opportunism and reactionary trends of thought to protect the fruits of the socialist revolution and socialist construction.
Lenin emphasized that defending the fruits of revolution required not only strengthening military and national defense capabilities but also creating new economic relations and building a new society [14] with high productivity and a modern, developed economy; high public intelligence and cultural levels; and the construction of a new type of state with democratic politics that attracts the broad masses of the people to participate in state and social management. This required not only a persistent struggle against external hostile rhetoric and actions but also a persistent struggle against internal maladies and degeneration—especially bureaucratism, corruption, bribery, and "Communist 'Left-wing' Infantilism." Lenin issued a warning: "No one can ruin us but our own errors. That 'if' is the whole point. If we cause a split through our own fault, all will be lost." [15]
History has proven that Lenin was the first reformer in the process of building and perfecting real-world socialism. It was precisely against the background of capitalism's transition from free competition to imperialism that Lenin, in the practice of leading the Russian revolution and struggle, conducted a comprehensive and creative application, supplementation, and development of the three components of Marxism: philosophy, political economy, and scientific socialism. This was Lenin’s epoch-making and outstanding contribution to the progress of humanity worldwide.
IV. Lenin’s Theory on National and Colonial Questions Provided Valuable Guidance for the Struggle for National Independence of Oppressed Nations
When capitalism develops into imperialism, it intensifies colonial expansion and launches imperialist wars. At this time, the national question of the colonies became the most fundamental and urgent political and practical issue for Communist and Workers' Parties. Consequently, Lenin devoted a great deal of energy to studying this problem, completing works such as The National Programme of the R.S.D.L.P. (1913), The Right of Nations to Self-Determination (1914), The Socialist Revolution and the Right of Nations to Self-Determination (1916), and the Preliminary Draft Theses on the National and Colonial Questions (1920), forming a scientific theory on the path to national liberation for colonies. These works were consistently infused with the ideas of the complete equality of all nations, the right of nations to self-determination, and the unity of the workers of all nations.
Lenin maintained that the proletarian revolutionary movement in the metropole must be closely linked with the national liberation revolutionary movements in the colonies; to thoroughly resolve the national question, the national liberation movements of the colonies must follow the path of proletarian revolution. The liberation of colonial subjects was not only the responsibility and duty of the working class and communists in the metropole but also a condition for ensuring the victory of their own struggle. Under new circumstances, the implementation of the national program must be united with the world revolutionary movement and the internationalism of the working class. Lenin developed the slogan "Proletarians of the world, unite!" into "Proletarians and oppressed peoples of the world, unite!", making it a common slogan for the global working class, laboring people, and oppressed nations.
Through his leadership of the socialist construction of Soviet Russia and the founding and leadership of the Communist International (established in March 1919), Lenin devoted his life's energy [16] to the cause of national liberation in the colonies, viewing it as a core objective and task concerning the life and death of the socialist revolution. Under the radiance of Leninism, the profound influence of the Great October Revolution, and the effective assistance of the Communist International established by Lenin, the laboring people of many colonial countries awakened. They rose up against imperialism and both old and new colonialism, struggling for independence and freedom. After liberating themselves from the shackles of imperialism and colonialism, many countries and nations chose the socialist path, contributing to the world revolutionary movement of the 20th century. Simultaneously, in the practice of national liberation movements across the colonies and in the process of socialist construction, the Communist and Workers' Parties of various countries added many precious perspectives and theories to the theoretical treasure house of Marxism, including the distinctive theories of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh. In the context of a new era, President Ho Chi Minh proceeded from the practice of the Vietnamese revolution to point out that communism spreads more easily in Asia than in Europe; that the outbreak and victory of national independent revolutions in colonies might precede the proletarian revolution in the metropole; that national independence must be integrated with socialism; and that the socialist revolution and the people's democratic national revolution should be conducted simultaneously in both North and South Vietnam, among other insights. These theoretical explorations and innovations supplemented, enriched, and developed Marxism-Leninism, proving the vitality of Marxism-Leninism in the New Era.
V. Lenin’s Intellectual Legacy Illuminates the Path of the Vietnamese Revolution in the Ho Chi Minh Era
In the process of searching for a path to save the nation, Nguyen Ai Quoc [17] transformed from a patriot into a communist. The turning point was his encounter with the "Preliminary Draft Thesis on the National and Colonial Questions" published by Lenin in 1920. He wrote: "Lenin’s thesis moved me beyond measure, filled me with excitement, sudden enlightenment, and confidence! I was so happy I burst into tears. Sitting alone in my room, I shouted aloud as if addressing a vast crowd: 'Dear martyred compatriots! This is what we need, this is the path to our liberation!' Since then, I have completely placed my faith in Lenin and the Third International." [18]
President Ho Chi Minh’s faith in Lenin and the October Revolution, and his choice of the proletarian revolutionary path, did not stem merely from his affection and respect for Lenin or his admiration for the October Revolution. More importantly, through his decades-long journey seeking the path of national salvation across various countries and his research into ideological theory and political practice, Ho Chi Minh discovered that while there were many types of "revolutions" and many "isms" and "doctrines," only the Russian October Revolution was a true success, and Leninism was the "most truthful, most determined, and most revolutionary doctrine." [19] Only by following the path of the Russian October Revolution and Marxism-Leninism could the objective requirements of national history be met—namely, national independence and the people's sustenance, freedom, and happiness.
From that point on, Ho Chi Minh recognized that "to save the country and liberate the nation, there is no other path but the proletarian revolutionary path." [20] Only through the liberation of the proletariat can there be the liberation of the nation; meanwhile, if the problem of national independence is not solved, the liberation of the proletariat is impossible to achieve. National independence is closely related to the protection of various human rights, including the right to life, equality, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness. The close connection between national independence and socialism, and between the people's democratic national revolution and the socialist revolution, is the necessary path for the Vietnamese revolution. Consistently and unswervingly upholding the banner of "the close connection between national independence and socialism"—a completely new approach without precedent—is the result of the creative application of Marxism-Leninism to the practice of the Vietnamese revolution. It is the leading principle of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the only correct path driving the Vietnamese struggle for national liberation and the cause of national construction toward continuous victory.
VI. With its Wisdom and Capability, the Communist Party of Vietnam Persists in Reform, Remains Firm in Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought, and Will Lead the Vietnamese People to Victory in the Cause of Building and Defending the Socialist State
Integrating with the specific practice of Vietnam, the Communist Party of Vietnam persists in the creative application and development of Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought. By profoundly grasping objective laws of development and advancing reform [21], the Party has shifted from a centralized bureaucratic subsidy system [22] toward a socialist-oriented market economy, vigorously promoting industrialization, modernization, and active international integration, while continuing to persist on the socialist path aimed at the goals of "prosperous people, a strong country, democracy, justice, and civilization."
In the practice of reform, the Communist Party of Vietnam has continuously supplemented and perfected its theoretical understanding of socialism and the Vietnamese path to socialism. On this basis, the Party has proposed the following initiatives: comprehensively and synchronously perfecting the socialist-oriented market economy system; concentrating energy on vigorously innovating the growth model and adjusting the economic structure to improve productive efficiency, quality, effectiveness, and competitiveness; synchronously perfecting mechanisms for sustainable development, integrating economic growth with cultural development, human development, the resolution of social problems, and the protection of resources and the environment; constructing and promoting the cultural values of the Vietnamese nation; promoting patriotism and developmental concepts, while combining the strength of Great National Unity [23] with the strength of the times; maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for development while resolutely and persistently defending territorial integrity and national sovereignty; and proactively integrating into the international community in a comprehensive, deep, and broad manner, while persisting in independence and self-reliance and ensuring the supremacy of national interests on the basis of respect for international law and the principles of equality and mutual benefit.
As a true revolutionary party with over 90 years of construction and development, rich experience, and solid capabilities, the Communist Party of Vietnam remains soberly aware of the importance of strengthening Party building and rectification and constructing a pure and strong political system. It continuously improves its capacity for leadership, governance, and combativeness; strengthens its close ties with the masses and relies on the people to promote Party building; and strengthens the ranks of Party members and cadres. In particular, it seeks to build a strategic-level cadre force that is high-quality, capable, prestigious, and competent—one that can resolve the new theoretical and practical problems, difficulties, and challenges emerging in the process of reform. Especially since the 12th National Congress of the CPV, the Party has resolutely, synchronously, methodically, and profoundly carried out breakthrough work in the anti-corruption struggle and in preventing the decay of political ideology, morality, and lifestyle, as well as phenomena such as internal "self-evolution" and "self-transformation" [24], achieving outstanding results. Consequently, corruption, negativity, and waste in Vietnam have been gradually contained, receiving warm welcomes, high praise, and support from the broad ranks of cadres, Party members, and the masses, making outstanding contributions to the Party building and rectification work during the term of the 12th National Congress.
Through 35 years of reform and 30 years of implementing the "Platform for National Construction in the Period of Transition to Socialism" (hereinafter referred to as the "Platform"), especially in the last decade, "Vietnam has achieved historic and great accomplishments," and "never before has it possessed such a foundation, potential, and status as it does today." [25] Vietnam has risen to become a middle-income developing country with an improved economic scale and level of development. Culture, society, and people have achieved comprehensive development; the material and spiritual lives of the people have improved and become increasingly rich; the Great National Unity is continuously consolidated; political and social stability is maintained, and national defense and security are strengthened; sovereign independence is preserved, and the country's status, prestige, and image on the international stage are increasingly elevated.
These proud achievements are the crystallization of the creativity of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Vietnamese people, proving that the Vietnamese path to socialism conforms to Vietnam’s national conditions and the developmental trends of the era. The reform line of the Communist Party of Vietnam is correct and creative, and its correct leadership is the primary factor determining the victory of the Vietnamese revolution. The 1991 Platform (amended in 2011) will continue to be the banner of thought and struggle, a banner that unites, solidifies, and inspires the whole Party and the people, and the foundation for the Communist Party of Vietnam to continue developing the theoretical system of socialism, persist in the socialist path, and perfect the line for national construction and development in the new period.
VII. Conclusion
Commemorating the 150th anniversary of the birth of the genius leader Lenin (April 22, 1870 – April 22, 2020) is an opportunity for us to pay tribute to Lenin’s life and revolutionary career, as well as to his great contributions to the global working class, laboring people, and oppressed nations. This is also an opportunity to drive our continued research into Lenin, with the aim of further understanding his wisdom, capability, and character in defending and creatively applying and developing Marxism during the cause of socialist construction in Soviet Russia, and to more deeply draw upon the experiences and lessons from the process of world socialist construction. We will use this to grow our own capabilities, thereby persisting in and creatively applying and developing Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought. We will remain firm in the goals of national independence and socialism, firm in the line of reform, and with strong will, determination, and intense desire, overcome all difficulties and challenges to create a Vietnamese miracle and realize the final wish of the great President Ho Chi Minh: to make Vietnam a socialist-oriented developed country that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the great powers of the world.