The August Revolution was successful. On September 2, 1945, at the historic Ba Dinh Square, President Ho Chi Minh solemnly read the Declaration of Independence declaring to the entire nation, compatriots and the world about the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The Declaration of Independence strongly expressed the will and aspiration of the Vietnamese people: “It is better to sacrifice everything than to lose the country and live in slavery”. After 76 years, the Declaration of Independence is still deeply topical both at home and abroad.

Human rights are associated with national rights

On September 2, 1945, at the historic Ba Dinh Square, President Ho Chi Minh solemnly read the Declaration of Independence, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam - the first state of workers and peasants in Southeast Asia; ending a semi-feudal colonial state in Vietnam and more than 80 years under the yoke of colonialism and fascism. Vietnamese people have risen up from slavery to become citizens of an independent country, mastering their own destiny.

The Declaration of Independence is a culmination and typical work that reflected the fullest and most profoundly philosophical, political and human views of President Ho Chi Minh. It contains the values of human civilisation, the “indisputable truths” about human rights and national rights.

At the beginning of the Declaration of Independence, President Ho Chi Minh quoted immortal statements from the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America in 1776 and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of the French Revolution in 1791.

From the mention of human rights as a necessity of creation, inalienable by anyone, among which are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, President Ho Chi Minh, with his keen intellect and his revolutionary experience and practice, cleverly developed in a creative manner and presented an irrefutable thesis on the rights of peoples. Broadly, it states that all peoples have the right to live, and to be happy and free.

He went from the concept of man to the concept of nation in a general and convincing manner, affirming that human rights and national rights have a dialectical relationship and interact with each other. An independent nation is a prerequisite for ensuring the exercise of human rights and conversely, the good implementation of human rights aims to promote the noble values and true meaning of national independence.

Researching on the Declaration of Independence, Japanese Professor Shingo Shibata said that Ho Chi Minh’s famous dedication is that he developed the rights of people into the interests of the nation. Thus, all peoples have the right to determine their own fate.

Therefore, it can be said that the Declaration of Independence in 1945 is not only the declaration of independence of the Vietnamese people but also a declaration of human rights and the rights of colonised peoples in the struggle against colonialism and imperialism. And President Ho Chi Minh's elevation of human rights to national rights is a contribution of his theoretical principles to the treasure of thought on human rights.

The right to national independence, the right to live, to be free and to pursue happiness are the most basic values of human rights. But under the colonial and feudal system in Vietnam, those rights were stripped and trampled on.

In the Declaration of Independence, President Ho Chi Minh strongly condemned the crimes of the French colonialists "in stark contrast to humanity and justice". “In terms of politics, they absolutely do not give our people any freedom or democracy... They have built more prisons than schools. They have mercilessly slain our patriots; they have drowned our uprisings in rivers of blood.... Economically, they have mercilessly exploited our workers.... They have robbed us of our rice fields, our mines, our forests, and our raw materials... They have invented numerous unjustifiable taxes and reduced our people, especially our peasantry, to a state of extreme poverty…”

Under the glorious banner of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Vietnamese people stood up to repel the colonialists, feudalists and imperialists, regaining independence, freedom and human rights. Thus, human rights in Vietnam are not values given by anyone, but are the result of the long struggle of the Vietnamese people. The Vietnamese people broke the shackles of colonialism for nearly 100 years to build an independent Vietnam; overthrew the monarchy that lasted for dozens of decades and established the Democratic Republic regime.

 People gathered at Ba Dinh Square on September 2, 1945 to listen to President Ho Chi Minh's Declaration of Independence. (Photo: VNA)

At the end of the Declaration of Independence, President Ho Chi Minh solemnly declared to the world that Vietnam has the right to be a free and independent country and that in fact it is so already. The entire Vietnamese people are determined to mobilise all their physical and mental strength, to sacrifice their lives and property in order to safeguard their independence and liberty.

With a rigorous and sharp argument system, strong and persuasive words encapsulated in more than 1,000 words, the Declaration of Independence is a solid legal foundation that strongly affirms Vietnam's national sovereignty, laying the basis for the establishment of the law-governed socialist State of the people, by the people and for the people with the goal of Independence-Freedom-Happiness; for the sake of a prosperous people, strong country, democracy, justice and civilisation.

Lasting forever with time

Nearly 76 years have passed, but President Ho Chi Minh’s views and thoughts are reflected in the Declaration of Independence on human rights, national rights, aspiration and the resilient spirit to maintain independence and freedom, and still have a particularly profound meaning in the current cause of national construction and defence.

In particular, the human rights values initiated by President Ho Chi Minh in the Declaration of Independence are immortal values. Since then, the Vietnamese people have constantly strived for human rights and achieved many positive and important results.

Human rights, civil rights in political, civil, economic, cultural and social fields are recognised, respected, protected and guaranteed according to the Constitution and laws. With its achievements in ensuring human rights (both domestically and internationally), Vietnam was elected as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2014-2016 tenure.

 The Declaration of Independence was drafted and read by President Ho Chi Minh at Ba Dinh Square. (Photo: Le Phu/baotintuc.vn)

Since the date of the Declaration of Independence, the position of the country has changed significantly, the historical oath “The entire Vietnamese people are determined to mobilise all their physical and mental strength, to sacrifice their lives and property in order to safeguard their independence and liberty” always illuminates the hearts and minds of patriotic Vietnamese both at home and abroad.

Ho Chi Minh Thought and the Declaration of Independence have become the great spiritual strength of the entire nation, helping the entire Party, army and people to overcome all difficulties and obtain great achievements in the fight for national reunification, socio-economic development and international integration.

In particular, after 35 years, Doi Moi (Renewal) has transformed Vietnam from one of the poorest nations in the world to a middle-income country. The average economic growth is nearly 7% per year, the size and potential of the economy are constantly increasing; progress, social justice, cultural development and new-style rural construction have achieved many positive results; Vietnam's Human Development Index (HDI) has gradually improved; and the general living standard of the people has been gradually enhanced.

In addition, foreign relations and international integration have become more and more extensive and effective. The position and international prestige of the country continued to be enhanced. Vietnam has established diplomatic relations with 185 countries around the world, joined and actively built up the ASEAN Economic Community, effectively participated in regional and international economic links on many levels...

Years will pass, but the spirit of the Declaration of Independence that gave birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam will always live on in the hearts of the generations of Vietnamese people, not only because of its historical and legal value but also its noble values of human rights, national rights to live in independence and freedom as President Ho Chi Minh dedicated his whole life to realise.