The formation and development of socialist democracy is an objective inevitability, aligning with the evolutionary laws of human history and fulfilling the age-old aspirations of progressive mankind. In Vietnam, “socialist democracy constitutes the fundamental nature of our regime, serving simultaneously as both the objective and the driving force of national development”. The noble and superior essence of Vietnam’s democracy has been increasingly affirmed through vivid and tangible achievements across all aspects of social life, thereby refuting all distorted and hostile narratives.

To undermine our Party and State, hostile, reactionary forces, and political opportunists both at home and abroad have consistently regarded Vietnam’s democracy as a key focus for distortion and sabotage.

Throughout the country’s renewal process, such erroneous narratives have persistently emerged, and recently, they have intensified with increasingly sophisticated manifestations, particularly in the period leading up to the 14th National Congress of the Party. Their sabotage activities have primarily focused on two closely interrelated directions: distorting and misrepresenting the superior nature of socialist democracy, and downplaying or denying the achievements of democracy in Vietnam.

Regarding the first direction, they concentrate on attacking Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh ideology on democracy and socialist democracy, while rejecting the Party and State’s viewpoints, guidelines, and policies on national construction and development. They claim that democracy in Vietnam is “sham democracy” or “formalistic democracy”, that “the Party imposes its will on society”, and seek to negate the sound nature and superiority of the socialist democracy, etc. On that basis, they vigorously promote “political pluralism”, and a “multi-party opposition”, while calling for the “expansion of democracy” toward extreme liberalism; at the same time, they distort and slander our Party as an “obstacle” to democracy, idolise bourgeois democracy, and incite liberalism and a pragmatic lifestyle, etc.

Regarding the second direction, they exploit issues related to “ethnicity”, “religion”, “democracy”, “human rights”, and “freedom of the press”, alongside socio-economic difficulties and limitations, to deliberately distort and misrepresent the democratic nature of Vietnam; they falsely accuse the State of “lacking democracy”, “losing democracy”, or “violating democracy”, thereby denying the revolutionary achievements and the significant progress made in building socialist democracy in our country.

Voting in the 12th Military Party Congress, 2025 - 2030 term

These subversive narratives are disseminated, exaggerated, and spread widely across various information and communication channels and social media platforms, with the intention of “steering” Vietnam’s democracy toward the so-called “Western democratic model”, aiming to abolish socialist democracy. This is a particularly dangerous tactic that can easily cause misconceptions, ambiguity, or even confusion in evaluating democratic values; it undermines ideological steadfastness and erodes confidence among a part of cadres, Party members, and the people in the Party’s leadership and in the cause of renewal, construction, and protection of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The nature of our socialist democracy is noble and superior, which cannot be distorted

Socialist democracy is fundamentally different in nature and opposite in principle to bourgeois democracy, as reflected in the following core aspects. Firstly, socialist democracy emerged upon the seizure of power by the working class and working people; and it is fully promoted in the process of building a new society under the leadership of the Party. Secondly, it is a democracy of the majority and for the majority of the working people; it embodies the principle that “the people are the masters and the people exercise mastery”, and “the highest position belongs to the people, for the people are the masters”. The people are the subjects of state power, exercising their right to mastery through both direct and indirect democratic forms. Thirdly, the people exercise their mastery across all aspects of social life, guaranteed by the law, affirming that “the people are the masters, while the Government is the faithful servant of the people”. Fourthly, democracy is exercised through an organisational system that represents the socio-political power of the people, concentrated and manifested through the state; humans are “the centre, the objective and the most important driving force of national development”, enabling the people to promote the highest level of their proactiveness and self-consciousness in national construction and defence. Fifthly, the principle of “people know, people discuss, people do, people inspect, people supervise, and people benefit” is institutionalised through a comprehensive system of democratic regulations and institutions; and serves as the codes of conduct for cadres, Party members, and officers in their relations with the people. Sixthly, the operating mechanism of Party leadership, State management, and People’s mastery constitutes the firm foundation of the socialist democratic system. Seventhly, promoting democracy always goes hand in hand with strengthening the legal system and enhancing civic responsibility; expanding democracy must be coupled with reinforcing discipline and law, which is a fundamental rule of our socialist democracy.

Notably, all guidelines and policies of the Party and the State originate from the people, for the people’s interest, thoroughly implementing the ideology of “taking the people as the root”, building and promoting the people’s right to mastery, and “using the people’s talents, strength, and resources to benefit the people”; striving for “everyone to have a prosperous, free, and happy life, with conditions for comprehensive development”, paying attention to “caring for the lives of the elderly, the lonely, people with disabilities, those who have lost their working capacity, and orphans”. Democracy within state agencies, elected agencies, and within the National Assembly, the Government, and people’s councils at all levels has also been continuously strengthened and increasingly institutionalised more comprehensively. Most recently, on 12 August 2025, the National Assembly Standing Committee adopted Resolution No. 93/2025/UBTVQH15, regulating the implementation of democracy within the Ethnic Council, the National Assembly Committees, the Standing Committee of People’s Councils, and the Boards of People’s Councils.

The fundamental issues outlined above together constitute and reflect the nature of socialist democracy in Vietnam. Although still in the development process, the democratic system in our country has clearly demonstrated its progressive nature and superiority, fundamentally different from all forms of democracy in history, as V. I. Lenin affirmed: “Proletarian democracy is a million times more democratic than any bourgeois democracy: Soviet power is a million times more democratic than the most democratic bourgeois republic”. The bourgeois democracy that hostile forces deliberately seek to steer us toward, no matter how it is idealised, remains a democracy of the minority, serving the domination and exploitation of the bourgeois class over working people and society as a whole. Professor Paul Mishler of Indiana State University has pointed out that “all poverty, unemployment, lack of education… are the fault of the system” stemming from that form of democracy - the bourgeois democracy. Therefore, all narratives that distort the superior nature of Vietnam’s socialist democracy are merely irrational and unscientific claims, both in theory and in practice.

People excitedly respond to the big event of the country

The achievements of the socialist democratic regime in our country constitute a vivid reality that cannot be distorted or denied

The success of the August Revolution, which gave birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, marked the first time in history that Vietnam’s working people became the true masters of the country, independently organising, governing, and building a new society. Since then, throughout Party Congress documents and Constitutions, the people’s mastery has been consistently affirmed, with all state power belonging to the People.  The legal system has been continuously improved, effectively institutionalising and implementing the principle of “people know, people discuss, people do, people inspect, people supervise, and people benefit”. This ensures that the democratic rights of the people are exercised through increasingly specific, transparent, and effective mechanisms in practice.

The superior nature of Vietnam’s socialist democracy has been increasingly affirmed through major achievements of historic significance over nearly 40 years of renewal. The country has maintained political stability; the economy has developed dynamically; social and cultural factor have progressed; the material and spiritual lives of the people have been steadily improved; and fundamental human rights have been increasingly respected, guaranteed, and fully realised. “Vietnam’s economic scale reached over USD 470 billion in 2024, ranking 32nd globally and positioning it among the top 20 leading economies in terms of trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction”. According to the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) Report released in 2023 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) of the University of Oxford (UK), Vietnam is among the 25 countries that have succeeded in halving their MPI within a 15-year period; by 2024, the multidimensional poverty rate had declined to 4.06%. Vietnam’s Happiness Index in 2023 ranked 65th out of 137 countries and territories assessed.

The social security system has been developed into a comprehensive, inclusive network, taking people as the centre. Fundamental civil liberties, such as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, access to information, and freedom of belief and religion are consistently guaranteed. By 2024, Vietnam had 78.44 million internet users (accounting for 79.1% of the population), while 73.3% of the population used social media. Nationwide, there are more than 27 million religious followers, tens of thousands of dignitaries and practitioners, and nearly 30,000 places of worship. All religions are equal before the law and operate within the framework of the Constitution and the law.

Democracy within society has become increasingly advanced, substantive, and in-depth. Citizens participate in social management, either directly or indirectly, through their elected representatives. The people “exercise their right to mastery, promote creativity, and ensure social consensus.

Democratic activities within representative bodies, administrative, and judicial agencies at all levels have remarkable improvements, receiving high consensus and support from the People”. Elections for the National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels have truly become great festivals for the entire population (not just for voters); featuring very high voter turnout, with the proportions of elected deputies who are ethnic minorities, religious dignitaries, women, and young people steadily increasing. The 15th National Assembly comprises 30.26% female deputies (ranking second in the Asia-Pacific region and 9th out of 135 countries globally); 17.84% are ethnic minorities (marking the first-time participation of representatives from two very small ethnic groups, the Lu and Brau); and 9.42% are under the age of 40. This clearly reflects the representativeness, equality, and humanistic nature of Vietnam’s socialist democracy.

The arguments presented above, while not entirely comprehensive, provide sufficient grounds to affirm that despite certain difficulties in the construction and perfection process, the socialist democracy in our country still possesses a sound and superior nature, vividly demonstrated in all areas of socio-political life. Such reality completely refutes the distorted narratives and the deliberate attempts to “turn black into white”, downplay, and deny our achievements by hostile and reactionary forces. This is an objective, undeniable reality; concurrently, it serves as the scientific and practical foundation to reject all false claims attempting to negate the socialist democracy that our Party, State, and People are steadfastly building./.

Assoc. Proff., Dr. NGUYEN MANH HUONG and Senior Colonel, Dr. NGUYEN VAN TRUNG