Throughout the long course of the nation’s history, from the earliest days of state-building to the protracted wars of resistance, the People have always been the decisive force behind every revolutionary victory. President Ho Chi Minh consistently emphasised that, for the revolution to succeed and for the Fatherland to be firmly built and defended, it is essential to rely upon the People, to trust the People, to respect the People, and to remain bound to them as if by blood and flesh.

Inheriting and promoting the national tradition, and fully imbued with Ho Chi Minh’s thought, from its very inception and throughout the process of leading the revolution, our Party has always internalised and creatively applied the principle that “The People are the root,” regarding it as a foundational tenet of the Vietnamese revolutionary path. This principle has proved entirely sound and remains congruent with the requirements of the revolutionary mission in the new era - a period in which our nation stands at a historic juncture, poised to rise vigorously and to achieve rapid and sustainable development. Accordingly, in today’s context of globalisation, digital transformation, and ever-deepening international integration, the Party’s mass mobilisation work is not only the vital bridge binding the Party closely with the People, but also the means through which endogenous strength is unleashed, and the aspiration for prosperous and happy development is kindled. For this reason, thoroughly grasping and profoundly implementing the principle of “The People are the root” and resolutely advancing mass mobilisation work constitute the key to consolidating the People’s trust, enhancing their role as true subjects of the revolution, and ensuring the success of the cause of renewal, national construction, and defence in this era of national ascent.

The principles of “The People are the root” and “The People are at the centre” in Ho Chi Minh’s thought and the Party’s documents

On the basis of inheriting the traditions of the nation and the culture of humankind, President Ho Chi Minh developed a conception of the people with a very broad connotation, primarily referring to the masses. He frequently referred to the people in various intimate and accessible terms. He made clear: “The People comprise the four classes of workers, peasants, petty bourgeoisie, national bourgeoisie, and other patriotic elements.” In many of his writings and speeches, he used the term “People” to mean all citizens of Vietnam, the descendants of the Dragon and the Fairy, without distinction of age, gender, wealth, or social rank, with workers and peasants forming the overwhelming majority - the foundation of the nation. Always attaching importance to the role and strength of the People, President Ho Chi Minh counselled: “Towards the people, we must never act against their will. Whatever the people desire, we must strive to fulfil,” for “The will of the people is the will of God. To follow the people’s wishes is to succeed; to go against them is to fail. This is the profound truth passed down from the sages of old.”

The tradition of “Respecting the People” - one of the nation’s finest values, inherited and fostered by our Party - laid the groundwork for affirming the role and position of the People in the cause of national liberation and nation-building. The Vietnamese revolution has always been a cause for the People and by the People. Throughout its development and its leadership of the revolution, our Party has consistently upheld the principle that the masses are the makers of history; that the revolution is the undertaking of the People; that the People are the root of the nation, the basis of every victory, and the creators of all material and spiritual wealth in society. President Ho Chi Minh affirmed: “In the firmament, nothing is more precious than the people”; “In society, nothing is more noble, more glorious than to serve the people’s interests”; and “Only with firm roots can the tree endure/Victory’s edifice must be built on the foundation of the people.” The Party has the noble mission of leading the nation and the People, yet its entire strength originates from its close and inseparable bond with the People; the Party is both leader and the faithful servant of the People. The strength of the people can only be fully and maximally unleashed under the leadership of a truly revolutionary Party; only when the people’s strength is mobilised, organised, and united under Party leadership can it become an invincible force. Historical practice has affirmed the role of the People as subject and the central position of the People in the process of renewal, construction, and defence of the Fatherland.

Party General Secretary To Lam works with the Central Commission for Propaganda and Mass Mobilisation (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Over nearly forty years of renewal, and more than thirty years of implementing the Platform for national construction during the transitional period to socialism, our country has achieved immense, historically significant accomplishments, enabling vigorous and comprehensive development. In practice, compared with previous Congress documents, the principle of “The People are the root” was not only more emphatically affirmed in the Documents of the Party’s 13^th National Congress, but for the first time the Party identified the People as occupying the central position and the role of subject in the renewal process, with the direction: “To practise and widely promote socialist democracy, the People’s mastery and their role as subject; to consolidate and strengthen the People’s trust, and to enhance social consensus”; and “To emphasise the role of subject and central position of the People in the strategy of national development.” At the 13^th National Congress, this principle was expressed consistently, comprehensively, and throughout the entire document, across all fields: from formulating guidelines, policies, and laws to their implementation; in economics, society, national defence, security, and foreign affairs; and in Party-building and political system consolidation.

After the National Congress, in a speech at the Conference of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organisations on the implementation of the Resolution of the 13^th National Congress, the late General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong continued to stress that the Party and State set forth lines, guidelines, policies, and laws that create the political and legal foundations to respect, guarantee, and protect the People’s mastery, affirming “the role of subject and central position” of the People in the entire process of building, developing, and safeguarding the Fatherland.

With regard to the principle of practising socialist democracy, the 13^th National Congress of the Party supplemented two important elements: “the People supervise, the People benefit,” thereby completing the principle: “The People know, the People discuss, the People do, the People inspect, the People supervise, the People benefit.” This is a new and notable development of our Party as the sole ruling Party, emphasising that all power belongs to the People, thereby laying a firm foundation for the completion of the socialist rule-of-law State of the People, by the People, and for the people, under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, successfully fulfilling the goal of socio-economic development. The People occupy the central position and are the subject in the strategy of national development; the Party’s leadership must be oriented towards this central position, must unlock the resources and creativity of the People, and must generate the People’s positive dynamism: “All guidelines and policies must genuinely originate from the needs, aspirations, rights, and legitimate interests of the People; strengthen close bonds with the People, rely upon the People to build the Party; take the People’s prosperity and happiness as the goal of striving, consolidating, and reinforcing the People’s trust in the Party, the State, and the socialist regime.”

Inheriting and developing the principle of “The People are the root,” in his writings and speeches, General Secretary To Lam has continued to underline the requirement to care for the People’s livelihoods, to promote democracy, and to ensure the People’s mastery. He affirmed: “Our Party has no interests other than the legitimate interests of the People; every effort, every sacrifice of the Party is for the prosperity and happiness of the People, and the mass mobilisation work serves nothing other than this objective. Above all, this goal must be carried out in the best possible way”; our Party exists and develops thanks to its close, organic bond with the people, and its goal is the People’s prosperity, freedom, and happiness.

The principle of “The People are the root” has always been the red thread running through, the theoretical foundation and the guiding maxim of our Party in leading and directing the cause of building and developing Vietnam over the past years, yielding great and proud achievements - not only in terms of economic growth, political and social stability, safeguarding national sovereignty, and elevating the country’s position, stature, and prestige, but, more importantly, in the practice of democracy, bringing to the Vietnamese people lives that are increasingly prosperous, happy, progressive, and civilised.

Thoroughly grasping and effectively implementing the principle of “The People are the root”, fully promoting the People’s role as subject in the cause of national renewal

Inheriting the values of President Ho Chi Minh’s thought on “The People are the root”, in the cause of national construction and defence - particularly in today’s renewal under the socialist-oriented path - this principle has always been a consistent standpoint in the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam. It is the foremost and enduring lesson of the Vietnamese revolution, serving as the foundation for formulating the country’s socio-economic development strategies. In recent years, the principle of “The People are the root” has been thoroughly disseminated throughout the political system, becoming the cornerstone of policy-making and implementation by the Party and the State. Many breakthrough and unprecedented decisions have been promulgated and effectively carried out, producing significant achievements, consolidating the People’s trust in the Party and the regime, awakening the strength of great national unity, fostering social consensus, and orienting the nation towards the goal of prosperity and happiness for the People.

The Party’s 13^th National Congress affirmed that never before has our country attained such a position, potential, prestige, and international standing. These remarkable achievements are the result of determination, concerted effort, and the unity of the entire political system. Across historical periods, our Party has strongly promoted the role of the People as subject and as the central position, resolutely realising the aspiration for a prosperous and happy nation; harnessing the strength of great national unity to achieve historic successes in renewal and development. With the development goals set for 2025, 2030, and the vision to 2045, the Congress documents supplemented many new points regarding the Party’s leadership of mass mobilisation, focusing on the role of the People as subject and central position in national development, in the entire process of building and defending the Fatherland. They also emphasised the promotion of socialist democracy, guaranteeing the People’s mastery as enshrined in the Constitution and law; effectively implementing the principle “The People know, the People discuss, the People do, the People inspect, the People supervise, the People benefit”; and the mechanism “The Party leads, the State manages, the People are the masters”, with the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organisations as the core. The Resolution also specified the need to strengthen the close bond between the Party and the People, to rely upon the People to build the Party, and to create a profound shift in the awareness and actions of Party committees and the political system with regard to mass mobilisation. It established mechanisms to bring into play the People’s role in building a clean and strong Party and political system in the new context.

Military force of Tuyen Quang province help the locals with disaster relief (Photo: qdnd.vn)

In practice, across the various stages of national development - particularly in recent years - the role of the People as subject and as the central position, and the strength of the People, of great national unity, has constantly been renewed to meet the demands of reality. The People’s mastery has been concretised in diverse forms, addressing the pressing issues of life: from implementing socio-economic policies, ensuring social welfare, reducing poverty, and improving living standards, to mobilising the masses to respect the law, to actively participate in building a pure and strong Party, a law-governed, integrity-based, action-oriented State serving the People, and to advance patriotic emulation movements. In particular, with the implementation of grassroots democracy regulations (now the Law on Grassroots Democracy Implementation), the principle “The People know, the People discuss, the People do, the People inspect, the People supervise, the People benefit” and the mechanism “The Party leads, the State manages, the People are the masters” have generated social consensus, consolidated great national unity, and become the pillar of socialist democracy. In parallel with the renewal of the political system, the Party’s mass mobilisation apparatus has been consolidated and coordinated with Party bodies, the Fatherland Front, and socio-political organisations, playing a nucleus role in building great national unity, nurturing the “People’s will” as a national treasure, and contributing to the success of renewal. Under the leadership and direction of Party committees and authorities, movements such as “Clever Mass Mobilisation” and “Government Mass Mobilisation”, with numerous exemplary models and outstanding individuals, have spread widely, contributing significantly to the fulfilment of socio-economic and political objectives at all levels.

“The People are the root” is not only a core thesis in Ho Chi Minh’s thought but also today serves as a theoretical and practical foundation for inspiring and realising the “aspiration for a prosperous and happy nation.” On this basis, the entire Party, People, and armed forces have demonstrated high unity of thought and action in the revolution of streamlining the apparatus and reorganising administrative units. The Central Committee’s Resolution was adopted with near unanimity, reflecting the Party’s political resolve of “daring to think, daring to act, and daring to bear responsibility” before history and the People for strategic decisions. The decisive and timely direction of the Politburo and the Secretariat has provided fresh momentum for the political system to act with the spirit of “unshaken in victory, undaunted in defeat,” resolutely overcoming all barriers to achieve the common goal.

More importantly, when the Party’s political will is united with the People’s heart, an invincible strength emerges. This reform has not only streamlined the state apparatus and saved resources but has also generated broad social consensus, reaffirming the truth that when “the Party’s will” resonates with “the People’s heart,” no difficulty is insurmountable. Behind this consensus lies the nation’s burning aspiration - an aspiration forged over millennia - to rise, now converging on the goal of building a prosperous and happy Vietnam. The people nationwide yearn for a clean, streamlined, effective, and efficient state apparatus to lead the nation into a new era. That aspiration has impelled the Party and State to undertake bold, unprecedented reforms. The merger of 63 provinces and cities into 34 administrative units, the elimination of intermediate district levels, and similar measures testify that the Party has listened to the People’s voice and acted for the common interests and aspirations of the nation. At the 80^th Anniversary of the Founding of the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (28 August 1945 - 28 August 2025), General Secretary To Lam affirmed: “Every stage we have traversed bears the imprint of unity, intellect, and discipline; of steadfast goals and flexible strategies; of the Party’s will intertwined with the people’s heart,” and “…unity is strength; integrity to keep the people’s trust; action to turn resolutions into reality; creativity to overcome challenges; effectiveness to improve the People’s quality of life; and above all, serving the people, so that every policy ultimately returns to the supreme goal of the prosperity and happiness of every Vietnamese.”

Nevertheless, reality shows that the deeper we advance in the renewal process, the more challenges and difficulties arise. The development of the socialist-oriented market economy has, on the one hand, liberated enormous resources among the People, improving living standards; but, on the other hand, has produced social stratification, divergent interests and opinions, and more complex and sensitive reactions to changes in policies and to various socio-economic, political, cultural, and environmental issues. The explosion of the Internet and social media has accelerated the spread of information, creating multifaceted forums of public opinion, including distortions, falsehoods, and hostile slanders against the regime. Deep international integration has enabled us to mobilise external resources and enhance the country’s standing but has also been exploited by hostile forces to intensify their opposition to the Party, the State, and our People. Facing such opportunities and challenges, we are ever more conscious of the paramount importance of the lesson “The People are the root”, of the role of the People as subject and central position, of the harmony of “the Party’s will and the People’s heart”, and of the immense strength of the People and the entire nation in the cause of national renewal.

Key solutions for effectively applying the principle of “The People are the root” in mass mobilisation work to meet the demands of national development in the new era

After nearly forty years of renewal, with the strength and momentum accumulated, and with new opportunities and prospects, we now possess the necessary conditions to usher the country into a new era - the era of the nation’s vigorous ascent - successfully achieving the goal of building a prosperous, powerful, and happy Vietnam by 2045, on the centenary of national independence. In the context of epochal global change, intense geopolitical competition among major powers, an unpredictable world order, economic crises, and the impacts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, digital transformation, climate change, and more, the effective implementation of the principle “The People are the root” in the current situation requires that mass mobilisation work focus on a number of key, coordinated solutions:

Firstly, to raise the awareness and sense of responsibility of Party committees at all levels, Party organisations, the political system, and the People regarding the position and importance of effectively applying the principle of “The People are the root” in the Party’s mass mobilisation work in the new context. Efforts must be intensified to implement Resolution No.25-NQ/TW of the Party Central Committee (3 June 2013) on “Strengthening and renewing the Party’s leadership over mass mobilisation work in the new situation,” as well as the Regulation on Mass Mobilisation Work within the political system (Decision No.23-QĐ/TW, 30 July 2021 of the Politburo). Focus must be placed on promptly and effectively addressing urgent concerns and the legitimate, lawful petitions of the People.

Secondly, to build a socialist rule-of-law State of Vietnam that truly belongs to the People, is governed by the People, and serves the People; to accelerate administrative reform and promote democracy. It is essential to renew and strengthen the institutionalisation of the Party’s lines and policies into State policies and laws that are timely and resonate with the people, enabling them to exercise their mastery in practice. The mass mobilisation role of State bodies must be reinforced, with concrete regulations ensuring that government agencies perform this task effectively.

Thirdly, to renew the content and operational methods of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, socio-political organisations, and mass associations. It is necessary to effectively implement Resolution No.43-NQ/TW of the 13^th Party Central Committee (24 November 2023) on continuing to promote the tradition and strength of great national unity in building an increasingly prosperous and happy country.

Fourthly, to promote socialist democracy and the potential and creativity of the People; to develop mechanisms and policies that unleash all resources and creativity of the People; to affirm their role as subject and central position in nation-building and defence; and to strengthen great national unity, awakening the will and aspiration for development. The law on grassroots democracy must be effectively implemented, together with the principle “The People know, the People discuss, the People do, the People inspect, the People supervise, the People benefit” in all types of organisations and grassroots units.

Finally, to enhance the role and responsibility of the People in building the Party and a clean, strong government, thereby consolidating the close bond between the Party and the People. At the same time, the responsibility of setting an example among leaders, key officials, and Party members must be emphasised. Professional ethics and public service ethics standards should be established and implemented at every locality, agency, and unit.

Dr PHAM TAT THANG, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Head of the Central Commission for Propaganda and Mass Mobilisation