Throughout the 95-year process of leading the Vietnamese revolution, the Party has always held the flag of great national unity high, considering it a fundamental, long-term strategic line, a source of great strength and motivation to build and defend the Fatherland.

Always identifying “revolution as the cause of the people, by the people and for the people”, mass mobilisation work is a strategic task that must be carried out regularly in all circumstances, in all localities, for all classes of people.

The Party’s resolutions and directives are the crystallisation of theoretical thinking, developed from practice, and are the will and aspirations of the entire Party, the entire people and the entire army. For the Party’s resolution to be a unity of the “Party’s will and people’s consensus”, gradually permeating into life, the people must be the centre of all political decisions.

In the first Platform (February 1930), the Communist Party of Vietnam emphasised the cooperation of mobilising the masses, when it determined that “The Party is the vanguard of the proletariat, must win over the majority of its class, must make its class lead the people” (Communist Party of Vietnam: Party Documents, Complete Works, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2002, volume 2, page 4).

Mobilising, gathering and organising the people to direct all classes of people to the goal of fighting for national independence and moving towards a communist society, to direct the masses to act in a revolutionary manner voluntarily and create great strength for the revolution. Without the Party’s leadership, the revolution cannot be victorious. Only when the Party is strong and stable can the revolution succeed. For the Party to be strong, it needs many factors, especially the relationship between the Party and the People.

All activities of the Party are for the happiness and prosperity of the people. Rely on the people to consolidate, build, and rectify the Party and a clean and strong political system. President Ho Chi Minh pointed out: “The Party must have close ties with the people. It must not be separated from the people. Being separated from the people means being lonely. Being lonely means certain failure” (Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, National Political Publishing House Truth, Hanoi, 2011, volume 5, page 278).

Along with Marxism-Leninism and the workers’ movement, it is the people who gave birth to the Party, nurtured the Party, accompanied the Party and were always loyal to the Party throughout the wars against invasion, national construction and development. 

The unique, creative and wise feature of our Party since its inception has been to arouse the desire for liberation, independence and freedom of the entire nation, to lead the people against the colonial and feudal regimes, to highly arouse the spirit, strength and national aspirations, to join forces and follow the Party. The victory of the August Revolution was the victory of the Party’s will - the people’s consensus - the people’s strength - the people’s intelligence. The Party correctly grasped the pulse of the times, launched an uprising of the entire people to overthrow the thousands of years of feudal domination, nearly a hundred years of the autocratic colonial regime, and to respond to the people’s eternal aspirations of Independence - Freedom - Prosperity and Happiness. Following the success of the August Revolution in 1945, the country faced 30 years of national resistance and construction as it transitioned to socialism.
As the ruling party, the Communist Party of Vietnam focused on mobilising the masses to engage in both resistance and nation-building efforts. It led the people in fierce struggles against colonial and imperial forces, ultimately achieving national liberation and reunification on April 30, 1975.

The principle of “the Party’s will, the people’s consensus” is exemplified through the issuance and implementation of resolutions and directives. President Ho Chi Minh warned against bureaucratic approaches that ignore public sentiment: “To close doors and formulate plans without engaging with the people is to act bureaucratically.” Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, National Political Publishing House - Truth, Hanoi, 2011, volume 5 (page 333).

He stressed that directives and resolutions must be built from reality, particularly reflecting the aspirations and needs of all social classes. It is important to listen to public opinions, organise them systematically, explain the documents to the people, collect their feedback, and instruct their implementation. During the process, it is necessary to review whether that opinion is correct or not, develop its advantages, and overcome its disadvantages to put it into practice so that the resolution can reach the hearts of the people and meet their aspirations.

The Party’s mass mobilisation work must eliminate views that regard the populace as unimportant or uninformed. When issuing a resolution or policy, it is essential for the Party and State to understand and listen to public sentiments, engaging in dialogue to ensure transparency about feasibility and effectiveness, while placing trust in the people, encouraging people to discuss and find solutions to arising problems. If a resolution has shortcomings revealed through practice, it should be openly acknowledged, welcoming public feedback. The perspectives of our Party and Ho Chi Minh on “Party's will, people's consensus” are strategic factors in our revolutionary endeavours for national independence and socialism today.

Throughout its leadership of the revolution, the Party has always developed a close attachment with the people, relying on them to strengthen and rectify itself — this is a source of both the strength and the law of existence and development of the Party.

The 6th National Party Congress was held in 1986 with the spirit of looking straight at the truth, renewing thinking, renewing organisation and cadres, and renewing the working style. It marked an important turning point as the country entered the period of Doi Moi (renewal). The first of the four major lessons is: “In all its activities, the Party must thoroughly grasp the idea of “taking the people as the root”, “building and promoting the collective mastery of the working people”, while ensuring that everyone “must pay special attention to consolidating the connection between the Party and the people.”

Resolution No. 08B-NQ/HNTW (dated March 27, 1990) on "Renovating the Party's mass work, strengthening the relationship between the Party and the people" relates to overcoming the situation that a part of cadres and party members is bureaucratic, commanding, far from the people, autocratic, and authoritarian, thus reducing revolutionary enthusiasm and limiting the promotion of great abilities of the people in the cause of national construction. This ideology continues to be affirmed by the 1991 platform on national construction in the period of transition to socialism.

Specifically, Resolution 25-NQ/TW (2013) on “Strengthening and renewing the Party's leadership in mass mobilisation work in the new situation" continues to raise awareness and responsibility of Party committees and political systems for mass mobilisation work in the new situation. The 13th National Party Congress further clarified and fully explained the close relationship between the Party and the people regarding the people's mastery: "In all their works, the Party and the State must always thoroughly grasp the viewpoint that "the people are the root"; truly trust, respect and promote the people's mastery; and persistently implement the motto “People know, people discuss, people do, people inspect, people supervise, people benefit.”

The tremendous achievements over nearly 40 years of national renewal affirm the principle that the revolutionary cause is by the people, for the people, and of the people. Building a close-knit relationship between the Party and the people is a crucial condition for ensuring the Party’s leadership and securing the success of the Vietnamese revolution.

The Party’s resolutions and directives set the direction for national development and embody its will and leadership role across all aspects of social life. The measure of success for any resolution lies in its ability to effectively address pressing real-life issues, inspire enthusiasm, confidence, and motivation among officials, Party members, and the masses, and bring about tangible improvements in both material and spiritual well-being. Strengthening public trust, promoting people’s participation, and respecting and listening to their legitimate aspirations have always been the objectives, driving forces, and key factors behind the success of the Party and State’s policies.

Throughout the revolutionary periods under the Party’s leadership, the strong bond between the Party and the people has always been the source of power and a decisive factor in every victory of the nation’s revolutionary cause. In any circumstances and at any stage of Vietnam’s revolution, the Party has consistently affirmed that the revolutionary cause belongs to the people, is carried out by the people, and serves the people. As a ruling party, it must pay even greater attention to strengthening its close ties with the people so that they trust, support, assist, and protect the Party.

During his lifetime, President Ho Chi Minh placed great importance on mass mobilisation. He believed that the people are the most valuable and essential asset, as they form the foundation of the nation. When united under a common goal, their collective strength is multiplied many times over. On October 15, 1949, President Ho Chi Minh wrote the article “Mass mobilisation” in which he made critical points on the subject: “The people’s strength is immense. Mass mobilisation is crucial. Poor mass mobilisation leads to poor results. Skillful mass mobilisation leads to success in everything.” (Ho Chi Minh: Complete works, The Su That (Truth) National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, Volume 6, page 234).

Throughout Vietnam’s revolutionary history, following Ho Chi Minh’s guiding ideology, the Party, State, and people have consistently carried out effective mass mobilisation efforts. The “Skillful mass mobilisation” movement has expanded nationwide, serving as a catalyst for patriotic emulation campaigns and propelling the Vietnamese revolution forward from one victory to another.

During the most difficult and arduous times when the colonial government implemented “white terror” aimed at severing ties between the Party, the masses, and the revolutionary bases, the people’s trust, sacrifice, protection and support created the strength that helped the Party remain steadfast to overcome losses and deal with all fierce challenges while maintaining the people’s faith in the Party’s leadership and the future of the revolution.

Through various forms of open, legal, and semi-legal struggles, the movement for civil rights and democracy (1936-1939), the anti-imperialist movement (1939-1941), and the Viet Minh Front Movement (1941-1945) created widespread influence, becoming central gathering points for all social classes to eagerly participate, develop forces, awaken patriotic spirit and the power of national unity. This created revolutionary momentum that led to the victory of the August Revolution in 1945, giving birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The victory of the August Revolution affirmed the correctness of the first political platform, which served as a banner for unity, gathering the masses, and the success of the Party’s mass mobilisation strategy.

With just a few thousand members, the Party placed absolute trust in the great strength of the people, forming blood ties and relying on popular support. They educated the people about the path to national independence, and organised and united the people to overthrow colonialism and feudalism towards bringing power to the people. This led to the victory of the people’s national democratic revolution, ushering in a new era in national history — an era of independence, freedom and building socialism.

In leading the resistance against French colonialism and American imperialism to reunify the country, and build and defend the motherland, the Party always emphasised mass mobilisation work alongside Party building, reaching out to all social classes to create comprehensive strength through practical revolutionary movements. The great national unity bloc was strengthened and expanded. The patriotic emulation movement quickly gained widespread support from all social classes, creating strength for the resistance and nation-building effort. It encouraged and motivated the entire army and people, while awakening revolutionary will, striving, sacrificing, and competing in labour and production for the motherland. This led to the victory of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign — which resounded across five continents and shook the earth — and the Great Spring Victory of 1975 that brought the country into a new period — an era of peace, independence, unity, and the whole country’s transition to socialism.

In the coming time, the domestic and international context will see many complex, rapid and unpredictable changes that will affect the country’s development process and people’s lives. Under the leadership of the Party, the mass mobilisation work of the entire political system must focus strongly on the lives, thoughts, and legitimate aspirations of the people; as well as enhancing the responsibility and exemplary role of officials and Party members, especially leaders.

Implementing President Ho Chi Minh’s teaching that “Skilful mass mobilisation leads to success in all matters”, the "Skilful Mass Mobilisation" emulation movement launched in 2009 has become a key focus of the patriotic emulation movement in the mass mobilisation sector. It has been actively supported by Party committees and the political system, closely linked to promoting the study and practice of Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, ethics, and lifestyle. Tens of thousands of models, exemplary individuals, and valuable experiences have emerged in mobilising the people. Mass mobilisation work has been integrated with the responsibilities, functions, and duties of each official, Party member, civil servant, and public employee as well as with the activities of agencies and units within the political system.

It has also been closely associated with Party building and rectification efforts, emphasising the exemplary role of officials and Party members. Beyond fulfilling assigned tasks, the movement has played a crucial role in fostering a strong sense of responsibility, shaping the image of dedicated and accountable officials and Party members. Through persuasion and encouragement, it has helped gain public support and consensus for the implementation of the Party and State’s guidelines, policies, and laws. The "Skilful Mass Mobilisation" movement has spread widely, becoming a driving force that fuels a vibrant patriotic emulation movement, continuously propelling the nation's revolutionary cause from one victory to another.

Mass mobilisation is also a fundamental aspect of Party building, contributing to enhancing the Party’s leadership capacity and combat strength, as well as strengthening its political responsibility and close relationship with the people. The Party’s and the political system’s mass mobilisation efforts must be directed toward improving people's lives; promoting public participation in building a clean and strong Party and political system; and relying on the people to reinforce these foundations.

To build on the achievements made and address existing shortcomings in response to new challenges, it is essential to strengthen public trust in the Party, the State, and the socialist system; unleash creativity, determination, and the aspiration for national development; and harness the great unity of the entire people.

Together, we must deeply internalise President Ho Chi Minh’s profound guidance: “Mass mobilisation is crucial. Poor mobilisation leads to poor outcomes, while skilful mobilisation ensures success in all matters.” Moving forward, mass mobilisation work must continue to be innovated to inspire and encourage all social strata to uphold patriotism and national pride, uniting efforts for the cause of national construction and defence.