Enhance revolutionary morality, wipe out individualism - Ho Chi Minh

Ho Chi Minh's collected works, vol.12, p.438-439.

Introduction:

The work "Enhancing revolutionary morality, wiping out individualism" was written by President Ho Chi Minh in early 1969, published in the Nhân Dân (People) Newspaper on the occasion of the entire Party and people preparing to celebrate the 39th anniversary of the founding of the Party (February 3, 1969). This is President Ho Chi Minh's last article on revolutionary morality.

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 Our people often say: Party members go first; the village people follows. That is a sincere complement to our party members and cadres.

 After 39 years of fierce struggle, the August Revolution was successful, the first resistance war was won, and today we are both fighting against the US, saving the country, and building socialism in the North, our people believes that: our Party's very wise leadership has led our nation to advance continuously from one victory to another. In the history of our Party's struggle and in all daily activities, especially on the combat and production fronts, many of our cadres and party members have shown heroism, exemplary, hard work first, enjoy later and have made great achievements.

 Our Party has trained a revolutionary generation of the youth, male as well as female, who are very enthusiastic and brave in all works.

 Those are the fresh flowers of revolutionary heroism. Our people and our Party are very proud to have such worthy sons and daughters.

 But besides these good comrades, there are also a few cadres and party members whose morals and qualities are still low.

 They were influenced heavily by individualism, thinking of their own interests first in everything. They do not “work for the people” but only want “everybody works for them”.

 Individualism makes people shun hardships and difficulties, commit embezzlement, degradation, waste, and extravaganza. They are greedy for high positions, profit, and power. They hold themselves high, despise collective and the masses, and show dictatorship and bossism. They are alienated from the masses, from reality, and become bureaucratic, and dictatorial. They have not the will to strive forward and do not want to learn to make progress. 

 It is individualism that causes disunity, lack of organization, lack of discipline, lack of responsibility, failure to follow the guidelines and policies of the Party and the State, and creates harm to the interests of the revolution, and people.

 In short, due to individualism, many mistakes are made.

 To train our Party cadres and members into revolutionary fighters, the Party must strive to enhance education of the whole Party on communist ideals, Party’s lines and policies, and Party members’ responsibilities and ethics.  Self-criticism and criticism must be practiced strictly within the Party. The masses must be welcomed and encouraged to honestly criticize party cadres and members. The mode of action of the Party's branch must be serious. Party’s discipline and inspection work must be strict. 

 Each Party cadre and member must put the interests of the revolution, the Party, and people first. We must resolutely wipe out individualism, improve revolutionary morality, and foster collective thought, spirit of solidarity, organization, and discipline. Must go deeply into reality, close to the masses, truly respect and promote the people's right to collective mastery. Must try to study, practice, improve the level of knowledge to do well in all tasks.

 It is a practical way to celebrate the founding of our Party, the great Party of the working class and our heroic people. It is also a necessary work to help all cadres and party members to make progress, to contribute more to the cause of resistance to the US, to save the country to victory and to build successful socialism.

Source: Ho Chi Minh's collected works, vol.12, p.438-439.

Translated by  "Ngo Thanh Phat"