HO CHI MINH NATIONAL POLITICAL ACADEMY
NGUYEN THI THANH DUNG
HO CHI MINH’ S POLITICAL THINKING -
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS AND METHODOLOGY
Major : Political Science
Code : 62 31 20 01
A SUMARY OF PHD THESIS
HA NOI - 2014
The thesis was compled
at Ho Chi Minh National political Academy
Academic Supervisor : Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Huyen
First Reviewer:

Second Reviewer:

Third Reviewer:

The thesis is to presented at the Academy coucil of Thesis Accessment,
organised at Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy
At , date month year 2014
The thesis can be found at National Library
and The library of Ho Chi Minh National Political Academy
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INTRODUCTION
1. The imperative of the topic
Up to present, the researches on Ho Chi Minh in general and his political career in
particular have mainly focused to clarify the creativity and the unique expressed in his
political behaviour and ideology, which were accumulated, challenged and selected
during a process to make it more and more improved. They were the result of a process
relating to not only logic and experience, right-or-wrong experiment but individual
aspiration and belief as well. To summary, what are the causes that lead to the creativity

PhD thesis.
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2. The purposes and tasks of the thesis
2.1. Purposes
On the argumentative base of Ho Chi Minh’s political ideology logic, the
thesis aims to analyze the factors forming Ho Chi Minh political logic; to clarify
the characteristics expressed in the content and method of Ho Chi Minh politcal
logic along with the meaning of these characteristics with the political logic
reform in Vietnam currently.
2.2. Tasks of the thesis
To put the above targets into practice, the thesis will solve the following tasks :
- Clarifying the argumentative matters relating to logic, political logic, Ho Chi
Minh political logic and the factors forming Ho Chi Minh political logic.
- Clarifying the main characteristics of content and method of Ho Chi Minh
political logic.
- Expressing the methodology of Ho Chi Minh political logic towards the political
logic reform in the current political reform of Vietnam.
3. Targets and scope of the thesis
3.1. Researched targets
- Main characteristics of Ho Chi Minh political logic.
- Methodology meaning towards the current reform career of Vietnam.
3.2. Scope of the reseach
From the perspective of Philosophy or Ho Chi Minh study, there have been a
number of researches with different interpretation. This topic just does a research
from the political philosophy perspective to discover the special features in Ho Chi
Minh political logic. The thesis focuses on not only the general Ho Chi Minh
ideology but also seeks for his political logic through the researches on his political
thoughts and behaviour. However, Ho Chi Minh’s life always associated with
politics; the political activities mainly governed other thoughts in different fields.
Every thought of Ho Chi Minh of other areas in his life always aimed at his political

- The thesis analyzes and generalizes the main prospects on content and Ho Chi
Minh political logic methodology, hence, interprets that the origin of creativeness in Ho
Chi Minh political thought and behaviour.
- The thesis infers the scientific comments that contribute to the development of
the branch of Vietnam political logic through the research on Ho Chi Minh political logic.
5.2. Contributions in reality perspective
- On the general basis of the basic Ho Chi Minh political logic, the thesis
analyzes, clarifies and affirms the values and the great stature of Ho Chi Minh through
the application of Party and People during this current stage.
- The date and knowledge of the thesis may be used as teaching material for
classes with the aim to enhance the political logic ability and political behaviour of the
leader officials or managers.
6. Argumentative and reality meaning of the thesis
6.1. Argumentative meaning
The thesis’s result will contribute to create the theoretical frame of logic, general
political logic and particular Ho Chi Minh political logic. It will become the base as well
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as the tool to analyze and to deeply know the foundation and specific traits of Ho Chi
Minh political logic. This content has never been researched systematically but it is very
important to interpret the origin of political logic and behaviour among the human
beings in general and towards Ho Chi Minh in particular.
6.2. Reality meaning
The thesis will contribute to the main picture of researches on Ho Chi Minh and
consider it as a typically economic circumstance to apply it into the current political
status. The thesis will become the referenced document and suggestion for the future
research on Politics, Ho Chi Minh study and related branches.
7. Structure of the thesis
Beside the introduction, conclusion and reference index, the thesis also consists of
4 chapters and 9 sections.
Chapter 1

1.2. Group of researches mentioning the political ideology and political logic
This is the content that has not attracted much attention in both domestic and
international arena. The researches on this content have brought about many different
viewpoints on political logic, but in general they are both unanimous that political logic
is a process gathering and transfering information to form the viewpoints based on the
knowledge of political issues.
The authors have distinguished the political logic with the logic of politics.
Politics is an important factor of political logic. The logic of politics wants to mention
the sustainable matters on ideology and morality that mention the political languages.
Political logic wants to express a system of logic - reality relating to the collective
actions, to distinguish with the art logic, historical logic, moral logic. However, political
logic consists of at least 6 characteristics : i) Arranging the meaning of social targets,
requirements, processes and structures according to the importance or emergency level;
ii) Mobilizing the support by accepting, defending, criticizing or objecting to the
collective entity, procedure and its activities; iii) Reflecting the stability or instability
through the calculation of cooperation plans, divergence, disputes over the arguments of
groups; iv) Making decision and policies through the construction plans and collective
guidance and common outlook; v) Holding the power of words through the convincing
skills, making speech, expressing feelings; vi) Making the topics for present : dividing
and adjusting the different fields and the authority boundary among the social fields
along with maintaining the political privilege in the limitation.
On the other hand, the researches also deal with the structure of political logic,
political logic method and factors affecting the formation of individual as well as
community political logic. Moreover, it also affirms the influence of political logic on
the nations’politics along with the relation between political logic and political culture.
1.3. Groups of researches mentioning logic, Ho Chi Minh political logic
Although the scientific researches has turned into a unified conclusion of existing
Ho Chi Minh political logic, they have just stopped at bringing about a problem or
methodology, not the specialized research of Ho Chi Minh political logic to apply into
real situation in our country. These researches have provided the authors with all-sided

necessary to deeply recognize objective reality (through language, signs and images) and
find a direction and solution to modify objective reality in order to bring benefits to the
people and communities.
The thesis neither studies thinking as a complex psychological process as
psychology approach does nor as a process dissect the activity of neurons in
psychoanalytic research Thinking, here, is studied as activities that occur in human
brain with distributed operations analysis, synthesis, comparison, compare to form
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opinions, thoughts, words, actions to improve objective reality. It is an advanced stage of
cognitive processes including acquisition, processing information and generating new
knowledge in operations analysis, synthesis, comparison to create the awareness and
improve the world through practical activities of man.
Thinking occurs when practical problems arise, in other words, it is practical
problems that require thinking. When the practice impacts, knowledge transfer into
human brains, meanwhile, takes place in the brain’s process of analysis, synthesis,
comparison, comparison they are the manipulations of thinking that take place to
address management information. The result of this process will be reflected in language
(including speech and writing, gestures). In this process, knowledge and practical
circumstances should be regarded as raw materials, inputs of thinking. From the
knowledge about things that people take actions accordingly. In turns, the real action
was to provide evidence for a new thinking process. So, the consideration of thinking
should include the content of thinking, the way of thinking and the product of thinking.
The content of thinking is the practical situation and it will be reflected throughout the
process of thinking, through the manipulation analyze, synthesize, compare, compare to
create the products of thinking they are thoughts, views, behavior.
Products of thinking is knowledge (knowledge about the objects, phenomena).
Knowledge is manifested through thought, perspective, human behavior. So thoughts,
views, behavior are the expression of man's understanding of the objective world,
which is the product of the process of analysis, synthesis, comparison and matching
taking place in man’s brain. Therefore, learn about thinking (as a process) is different

knowledge about how to win, to hold and to exercise power to help human percept, plan
and implement political decisions. In other words, political thinking is thinking about
political matters in a certain way. In this sense, political thought appeared with the
emergence of state, owned class nature and dominated by class stance. Products of
thinking process are the ideological point of view or the "technology" to resolve conflicts
in political reality.
Political thinking of each person depends on many factors: the objective factors
are: the practical conditions, the value in the history of thought, ideology and dominant
orthodoxy; the subjective one is the capacity of man. In the same practical
circumstances, the same living conditions, the same class standpoint, the same
ideological, but the way of thinking is different from man to man. Therefore, each
person's way of thinking primarily due to subjective specified factors.
Subjective elements are formed from innate qualities, are trained through practical
activities with the capacity, quality and mettle to metabolize certain objective factors on
subjective prism of each person.
Political thinking has close relationship and has a dialectical impact to political
ideology. Ideology and political systems reflect the views of political and economic
relations between classes, between nations and between peoples around the issue of
winning, keeping, and organizing and implementing state power. Political thinking
always arises from a socio - economic conditions of acertain society.
Thus, political thinking and political ideology have close relationships and
interactions. Thinking is the process of political concern, think about the political issues,
and ideas are the results of that process. To understand the political thinking of a person,
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we need to go through thoughts, words, and actions of people that shine on cognitive
reasoning to show the basic characteristics of the thinking process. Political thinking of
man can be understood through his/her ideas, views, words, writings and actions in
practice. If the practice provides practical materials to form the ideological thinking, the
attempt of the subject to generalize the practice to express the essence of it is in the form
of practical reasoning. Therefore, studying political thought should go with learning

dominates the thinking process. These are distinctive features dominating Ho Chi
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Minh’s political thinking process. The thought of what and how about political issues.
With similar political contents but different way of thinking, the results are diverse. Even
the same thinking content and the same thinking method, the results may be different.
That is because of the method or the content or the way to manipulate thinking? For
example, with dialectical method, different people give different results. Ho Chi Minh
applied Marxist dialectical method but inherit both the East - West values to create
something of his own. Political thinking of Ho Chi Minh is one kind of successor,
developed a creative thinking and can be called "beyond gross" on Vietnam national
identity. Ho Chi Minh is the hyphen between Vietnam and the world, between tradition
and modernity.
2.2. Factors affecting the formation of Ho Chi Minh’s political thinking
2.2.1. Objective factors
* Vietnammes Social Practices in the late nineteenth century and early
twentieth century
In the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, Vietnam society
directly affected by the aggression policy of France colonial dominatio. Under French
colonial rule, Vietnam society had profound transformation in all spheres: political,
economic, social. Nguyen Tat Thanh witnessed poor people living in hungry and
exploitation. He could see the vicious humiliation on the faces of every person in Nghe
An. In Hue, he witnessed the plight of working people and the image of his white
western swagger, arrogance and cruelty. Growing up, homecoming, delving into the
lives of people, Nguyen Tat Thanh penetrated the identity of people suffering
dehydration: heavy taxation, meticulous service. Being exposed to the patriotic elites and
heard them talking about the country, he understood the time and the torment of his
father's generation: lost nation, broken families. What helearned, heard, accompanied
and with the explanations of his father, are vivid lessons and powerful impression. In his
recognition, Nguyen Tat Thanh’s will was to expel the French
Ho Chi Minh’s Political Thinking was sproutied from it. They were the

design, construction and operation of institutions and political institutions. Thinking
focuses on build forms of government organizations operating in an objective manner, in
accordance with the will and interests of the ruling class but less dependent on the
individual power. Thinking about the concentration of power into the virtuous leader,
talented and reputatable; the participation of the elite leadership team with special
qualities and intellecture in the state apparatus.
- Marxist - Leninist political thinking - materialistic dialectical method of
thinking. This is the typical method of thinking, covering most dominant thinking in all
areas. In certain aspects, the method of thinking is another concrete manifestation of
dialectical thinking. Thanks to the dialectical method of thinking, Ho Chi Minh
recorded, total - integrated and creative applicated in practical revolutionary Vietnam.
To collect and study Marxism - Leninism with the path Lenin had directed, applying
dialectical thinking methods, Nguyen Ai Quoc created a suitable path for Vietnam's
revolution to win completely. Marxist - Leninist, terms of geographic, is Western
thinking, but due to it’s decisive influence to the formation and development of Ho Chi
Minh’s political thinking, the thesis considers it a separate element.
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In short, Ho Chi Minh’s political thinking is a node of the nation’s intellectual and
the era’s intellectual. It was the movement, the development of patriotism in Vietnam
late nineteenth century to the 20s of the twentieth century, when catchint Marxism -
Leninism, Ho Chi Minh’s political thinking was formed. With his receptive, creative
application, Ho Chi Minh contributed an additional steps, methods to develop, enrich
Marxism - Leninism with new arguments, drawn from the practices of the country and
its people. Economic context - domestic and international political factors, along with
the source argument on objective, were all impacted to the formation of Ho Chi Minh’s
political thinking.
2.2.2. Ho Chi Minh’s subjective factors and practices
Regarding quality, in Ho Chi Minh convergenced all the qualities needed for a
true revolutionaries. The soul of a great patriot, a fervent communist revolutionary
soldiers, willing to sacrifices for national independence and freedom of the people. He

always changing in accordance with the history, set the stage for the transformation and
development of Ho Chi Minh’s political thinking. His political thinking, therefore,
always had an additional development on the correspond practical platform and made its
own characteristics, notably and can not be mistaken with any other politicians.
Chapter 3
KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF HO CHI MINH’S POLITICAL THINKING
3.1. The special points in the content of Ho Chi Minh’s political thinking
3.1.1. Thinking about the choice of the objective of Vietnam revolutionary
This is expressed first of all in thinking about the selection of Vietnam's
revolutionary path: National independence associated with socialism. This is covering
and vital content, containing Ho Chi Minh’s creative in comparison with his
predecessors, the contemporary politicians of the country and the world.
The revolutionary targeting primarily derived from the wisdom of the choice to
seek a path of national liberation - the path to the West. This was a creative point in Ho
Chi Minh’s thinking in comparison with same time patriots and started his political
career. The way that Ho Chi Minh selected as national independence associated with
socialism. The goal was confirmed consistently since the 1920s, to find a way to help the
country until after the government won, the administration building. According to Ho
Chi Minh, socialism only brings new life of freedom, true happiness for the people. The
goal of the revolutionary path in Ho Chi Minh’s thought was fundamental difference
with the way of the patriots in the nation's history.
3.1.2. Thinking about the way and method to achieve revolutionary goals
It is the thinking about the revolutionary methods and forces, the role of party
organizations for the victory of the revolution. Ho Chi Minh had launched the innovative
argument, even contrary to the views of the comrades in the Communist International.
Typically, it is the view of the revolutionary forces.
In Brief political platform, Ho Chi Minh wrote: "the Party must be very in touch
with bourgeois intellectuals, middle peasants, youth, Tan Viet etc. to pull them away
on the side of the proletariat class. As for rich farmers, medium, small landowners and
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in all fields of economics, politics, culture and society. People have the right to self-
employed, meaning that there is a right to have his body protected and freedom of
movement, freedom of profession, freedom of speech, and freedom of study in the
framework of the law. People have the right to collective ownership, local ownership,
home and working places ownership. People were the masters of all the unions, the
social and political institutions through elections and dismissal. State's inheritance,
development and creative application of the models which used in history is to choose a
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suitable model for practical and cultural traditions of the people of Vietnam. That state is
unity between classes, people and humanity, bringing its own characteristics on the basis
of inheriting the advanced state model of Vietnam and the world. It is the product of
independent, innovative and revolutionary in the political thinking of Ho Chi Minh. It
also had created a character, and the difference in his successful political career.
3.2. The main characteristics of the process of political thinking of Ho Chi Minh
3.2.1. As the system
Systems and consistency thinking are the hallmarks of the theoretical thinking of
Ho Chi Minh. He had an overview, look at things in a holistic unity of the parts to the
whole, between the individual with the general trend of the world. From the general
perception, from the system of the world revolution, he got the position, the role of
revolution in Vietnam's trend. Achieving that level, Ho Chi Minh had developed
politics not only to political science, but also the art of leadership, talent and ability is
innate politician.
Ho Chi Minh’s political thinking systematic expressed in many ways. It is a
systematic relationship between the revolutions of national liberation in Vietnam with
the world revolutionary movement; the recognition of a socialist society is not
immutable but need to be considered in a state of movement, change and frequently
renovated. Ho Chi Minh’s political thinking systematic also expressed in a multi-
dimensional perspective, the coexistence of opposing attributes and the interaction of
opposites, the transformation between opposites with each others to create higher quality
in the development process of the system; or it is the similarities found in the difference

Vietnam peaceful, unified, independent, democratic, prosperous and worthy contribution
to the cause of world revolution". in thoughts of Ho Chi Minh, national independence
must be a full and true independence and it is performed thoroughly according to the
principles of the country of Vietnam must belong to Vietnamese; all matters of national
sovereignty can be solved by the people of Vietnam, no foreign intervention.
People of Vietnam do not accept any intervention; all the support and help
Vietnam fight for independence, freedom is welcome and appreciate; any imposition
infringe national sovereignty are denied, dismissed. That independence by the people of
Vietnam won through struggle and it brings a life of freedom and happiness for the
people. Ho Chi Minh had devoted all his life to think what to do to perform for the
country's independence and freedom for the people, our fellow citizens who have
enough food, clothing and education as well. That was the principle, the direction in
thinking and political action of Ho Chi Minh.
3.2.4. Flexibility and improvisation
President Ho Chi Minh was a communist soldier in target consistent and flexible
in approach. His supreme purpose was for the nation's independence and freedom for the
people happy. The goal is immutable, but to achieve this is a process fraught with
difficulties and hardships, requires struggle, sacrifice of many classes of people, many
generations. In each step up, revolutionaries have to deal with numerous variations,
requires revolutionaries to clear, sober, sensible way to fight change to suit the specific
historical conditions that poses the struggle. The strategy in a specified period of time
did not harm “the immutable ", meaning the long-term objectives had been identified.
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Flexible method, sometimes offensive and sometimes retreating sometimes need
to compromise on principles to achieve long-term goals. It is not only the science but
also an art of Ho Chi Minh's revolutionary. This was shown most outstanding
revolutionary period Vietnam during the period 1945-1946. Main flexibility,
improvisation during the revolutionary leadership had shown his character and talent.
This is a typical characteristic, made the distinctive features of the political thinking of
Ho Chi Minh.

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an objective of the revolution. Political thinking of Ho Chi Minh takes people as the
original. This was also thinking about a moral politics. Ho Chi Minh career to pursue is
to strive "for our country to be completely independent, our people are entirely free,
people who have enough food, clothing and education as well. According to him, the
highest morality is "wholeheartedly serving the people, ready to fight for the people,
exemplary in all the work for the Party and for the people".
Humanity in Ho Chi Minh’s political thinking also expressed tolerance in
humans, with who makes mistakes and even enemies. This had raised him to reach not
only cultural tolerance, but also the culture in every gesture, every action, in daily life
and in the harshest periods of the revolution. Tolerance cultural helped him constantly
open to absorb and positive factors, progressive and humanistic world to enrich the
national culture. This helped make a special point in Ho Chi Minh’s political thinking -
humanity and cultural thinking.
Chapter 4
MEANING OF METHODOLOGY OF HO CHI MINH POLITICAL
THOUGHT WITH THE INNOVATION POLITICAL THOUGHT IN
VIETNAM TODAY
4.1. Political Thought in Vietnam after nearly 30 years of innovation
Party's political thinking is the cognitive process of the path, the way of achieving
socialism; restructuring of the organization and operation mechanism of the political
system, firstly innovating methods of the Party leadership; innovate and improve the
efficiency of state management in order to maintain political stability and to build a
socialist regime stronger; implementation role of the Fatherland Front and other political
organizations - to ensure socialistic democracy, promoting human rights of all people.
During the renovation process, the party insists Marxism - Leninism, Ho Chi Minh
ideology underlying ideological lodestar for action. Through applying the principles of
Marxism, the instructions in thought and action of Ho Chi Minh that the innovation
achieved significant achievements in all aspects.
4.1.1. Thinking about socialism and the path to socialism in our country

thinking and doing is not right in Party building and building socialism. Therefore, it
needs a advanced theoretical base. Application of the Ho Chi Minh political thought of
construction, renovation Party is a practical work leads to success.
Eleventh Party Congress continued to assert the leadership of the Party is the
decisive factor leading to the success of Vietnam's revolution. So that, the work of Party
building should continue to innovate content, methods, further improve militancy,
persuasive effectiveness of ideological work, propaganda and learning activities of
Marxism - Leninism and Ho Chi Minh thought, the Party's guidelines, policies and laws
of the State Uncompromising struggle to foil any conspiracy and activities "peaceful
evolution" of the hostile forces. Proactively preventing, combating and critical
expression "self- evolution", " self-transformation" within us; overcome the deterioration
of political ideology, ethics and lifestyle in a small section of cadres, party members".
4.1.3. Thinking about building rule of law with socialistic orientation
Government is an important part of the political system and have a great impact
on all aspects of social life. The government apparatus and in accordance with the
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requirements of economic development will become a major driving force to promote
the development of productive forces. In contrast becomes conservative forces,
hindering social progress, can even pull back history.
Shortly after born, with the right leadership of the Party and President Ho Chi
Minh, the government organized society completed tasks revolution. After reunification,
domestic and world economic-politics situation poses many changes required to renew
the state organs. Along with the innovative elements in the political system, the
government also changes accordingly. After nearly 30 years of innovation, the greatest
achievement that the government has achieved successfully is to organize and
implement the renewal of the party come to life, especially economic reforms, opening
a turning point in transition economies from centralized mechanism, subsidized
economy to a socialistic orientation market economy under the management of state;
state apparatus was gradually switching mechanism operating areas of social life
through the implementation of a major reform of the institutional system, first of all

weak. Activity of the Fatherland Front and mass organizations in many places also
form, operating under heavy administration, and so on.
To address the above problem is to find effective solutions to build and
maximize the role of national solidarity. To do this it is necessary to go back to the
instructions of Ho Chi Minh on ethnic solidarity and, more importantly, to creatively
apply these guidelines in the practice revolutionary Vietnam.
4.1.5. Thinking about building officials
As a professional political activist, Ho Chi Minh saw very clearly the role of
officials in the revolutionary. He said that staff is second conveyor apparatus of the
Party, State and people's organizations, " who brought the policy of the Party and the
Government to explain for people to understand and implement. They also are the
people to bring the social ideas to report to the Party, Government understands, from
that to put the right policies". He said that official had to be the leader, it's just as loyal
servants, the slaves of the people. Therefore, according to Ho Chi Minh official must
undergo training and retraining with many different forms, and he also stressed that
training official is the roots of the Party. Success or failure depended much on good or
bad official. Official is the subject of the revolution led by the Party. Leadership
positions, positions of official is due to the Party, State as well as officials of the task is
assigned to by the people.
After nearly thirty years of innovation, with the vigorous activity in the
practical reforms initiated by the Communist Party of Vietnam, the thinking of the
team leaders, management has made certain changes. On the field of theoretical
thinking, management and leader officials in our country there has been more
dynamic, innovative, adapting to the new mechanism; the level of knowledge and
leadership capacity of economic-social management increasingly high. Their role has
been confirmed through the achievements of the innovation. Besides these
accomplishments, plenum, 4 ( XI Party Congress ) also emphasized that "A small part
of officials and party members, including those members hold leadership-management
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positions, including a number of senior officials have degradation of political ideology,

Putting benefit of the people is the foundation also means that all policies and
guidelines of Party and State must be suitable with that. Party doesn’t have any benefit
outside the people’s benefit. This requires the Party to actually instill and manipulate
Ho Chi Minh thinking about the role and power of the masses in the revolutionary.
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Party must close to the people to understand feelings and aspirations of the people,
practices, from that issue policies in accordance with the people, promote the strength
of the entire population to participate in reform, innovation and clean up the political
system in general and state in particular.
4.2.3. Renewing political thinking should have a strategic vision and flexible
implementation
The identification of strategic vision is an expression of strategic thinking based
on the analysis of objective reality and forecast the development trend for building
strategic action. This is one of the important factors determining the sustainable right
of political decisions. However, the determination of that vision, in the process of
implementing an objective and subjective response requires timely Party to steer
Vietnam's revolution go to complete victory. The forecast shows the opportunities and
challenges in the development process, the basis for the party to seize opportunities,
overcome challenges to win.
4.2.4. Renewing political thinking towards a humanistic cultural politics
Any change in political direction, finally lead to a politics of the people and for
the people, to ensure the benefit of people, promotes real sovereignty of the people. A
politics for the people is cultural politics. Only when politics really for most people, for
the legitimate rights and interests of the majority of people, which is humanistic
politics. Because the birth, survival and development of any politics must be formed
from the people. Although the people in concept in each political regime is different
from other but a cultural politics is politics toward legitimate rights and interests of the
majority of people. It is politics as Ho Chi Minh said: of the people, by the people and
for the people - the people's politics. To form this cultural politics, we must first be
derived from activity of leaders, rulers, decision makers and policy advocates pioneer