Golden Globe Science and Technology Award 2022 - Photo: thanhnien.vn

1. The 13th National Party Congress determined that the need to “Focus on arousing strong patriotism, pride, self-reliance, compassion, solidarity, social consensus, and the aspiration for the national development of the whole country. Developing mechanisms and policies to promote the spirit of dedication to the country by all Vietnamese people”⁽¹⁾ is one of the guidelines set forth to bring the country into a new stage of rapid, comprehensive and sustainable development.

The intellectual forces, with their high educational qualifications, are those who are able to create new scientific knowledge and at the same time, spread and apply scientific knowledge, putting it into practice, contributing to creating material and spiritual value ​​for society.

Friedrich Engels considers that “The cause of emancipation of the working class still requires doctors, engineers, chemists, agronomists, and other experts as the issue is not just about managing the political machinery, but also about managing the entire social production system”⁽²⁾. Hence, intellectuals play a great role in state management, managing the entire social production , contributing to promotion of the development of social production.

President Ho Chi Minh affirmed: “Intellectualism is a precious asset of the nation. Likewise in other countries, it’s even more so in Vietnam. Certified as true, in this resistance war for national salvation, Vietnamese intellectuals made important contributions. Some directly participated in the resistance work, making great sacrifices and fought side by side with the people’s army. Some actively participated in helping activities in other ways”⁽³⁾. Therefore, in the resistance war as well as in national construction, true and revolutionary intellectuals are truly “a precious asset of the nation”. Without such intellectuals, “revolutionary work becomes much more difficult”.

2. To achieve the goal of making Vietnam a developed country following the socialist orientation with high income by the middle of the 21st century, as set forth in the 13th Party Congress, its required to promote the will and strength of the great national unity bloc combined with the strength of the times; upholding the will to be independent, self-reliant, self-strengthening, proactively and positive integration and improve the efficiency of international cooperation; maximizing internal strengths and taking advantage of external resources. In particular, promoting the spirit of dedication, and arousing the aspiration of intellectuals to develop a prosperous and happy country, plays an important role for the following reasons:

Firstly, the spirit of dedication and aspiration to develop the country is part of the social consciousness. It exists and develops through the consciousness of each individual.

Living in a social environment, people have a social nature. However, each person lives in a different social group, a different social class, with different jobs and occupations, hence, they get their own career, their own group, and social class that has an impact on how they live. Intellectuals also have their own professional imprint and that exists, and develops in each individual, and is “socialized” within the intellectual forces. Therefore, promoting the spirit of dedication and creativity, while arousing the intellectuals’ aspiration to develop the country is crucial to building a Vietnam with a rich people, a strong country, democracy, equality, and civilization.

Secondly, intellectuals always have the desire and aspiration to serve the country and the people.

In all periods, especially in the period of promoting industrialization, modernization and comprehensive renovation of the country, Vietnamese intellectuals who participate in scientific research or training human resources; whether those who participate in leadership, management work or activities in the field of national defense and security etc., always have the need and desire to research, develop and apply science and technology into practice, bringing material and spiritual values to society.

Many intellectuals have not hesitated to face difficulties, or hardship, and even sacrificed their lives to dedicate, and serve the country and the people. In the context of the modern scientific-technological revolution, intellectuals always need to research, study, and constantly improve their professional qualifications in order to devote more and more to the Fatherland and to the people. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels once said: “Once, ‘thought’ separates from ‘interest’, it will inevitably humiliate itself”⁽⁴⁾, but compared with material needs, the needs and aspirations to perform the intellectual function, to represent the intelligence of the nation in intellectuals, is much higher than the material needs. In other words, a genuine intellectual always value prestige more than benefits. This is the honor and duty of the Vietnamese intellectuals before the destiny and future of the Fatherland and the nation of Vietnam.

Thirdly, promoting the spirit of dedication, arousing the aspiration to develop the country, helping Vietnamese intellectuals attain the motivation to improve their professional qualifications, and contributing to elevating the intellect and strength of the nation.

In today’s conditions, the sustainable development of a country significantly depends on the level of scientific-technological development of that country. Therefore, at the 13th National Party Congress, the Party determined that the synchronous development of natural sciences, engineering sciences, and technology to be one of the key forces driving  the development of a modern productive force and helping to renovate the growth model, enhance productivity, quality, efficiency, and competitiveness of the national economy.

Developing science-technology requires high-quality human resources, in which intellectuals are the core force. Therefore, one of the strategic breakthroughs reaffirmed at the 13th National Party Congress is “Developing human resources, especially high-quality human resources, promoting research, transfer, application and strongly developing and renovating science and technology; arousing aspirations to develop a prosperous and happy country, promote Vietnamese cultural values, human strength, solidarity, and national pride in the cause of national construction and defense”⁽⁵⁾.

Over the years, Vietnamese intellectuals have “step by step raised the country’s level of science and technology, approaching the level of region and the world”⁽⁶⁾. The contingent of Vietnamese intellectuals has directly participated in the training of human resources for the country, making a great contribution to raising people’s knowledge and fostering talents; many scientific works and a number of inventions and initiatives were created by Vietnamese intellectuals. This is one of the important achievements affirming the spirit of dedication and aspiration to develop a prosperous and happy country by contemporary Vietnamese intellectuals.

Fourthly, promoting the spirit of dedication, arousing aspiration for national development, Vietnamese intellectuals have made active contributions to building scientific arguments for the formulation of the Party’s guidelines and the State’s laws and policies.

As “full intellectuals”, not “half-way intellectuals, etc., bookworms”⁽⁷⁾, who “represent the nation’s wisdom”⁽⁸⁾, the Vietnamese intellectual forces - especially elite intellectuals, leading experts - those with high levels of ability to grasp trends, the laws of movement and development of history; grasping the revolutionary and scientific nature of Marxism - Leninism, Ho Chi Minh’s Thought - have made positive contributions to building scientific arguments for the formulation of the Party’s guidelines and the laws and policies of the State; making a contribution in protecting the ideological foundation of the Party, fighting and refuting wrong and hostile views.

Fifthly, promoting the spirit of dedication, arousing the aspiration to develop the country, helping the Vietnamese intellectual community to obtain many inventions of practical value, scientific value, ideological value, and high-artistic value.

Creativity is one of the features characteristics of intellectual activity. Creativity in thought and action will help the intellectuals make important contributions in promoting science-technology and socio-economic development. Many scientific works, inventions, and creations have been published with valuable practical, scientific, and ideological and artistic value, thanks to the creativity of the Vietnamese intellectual community. At the 7th Central Conference of the 10th Central Committee, the Party affirmed: “Through creative activities, our country’s intellectuals have made great contributions in all fields of national construction and defense”⁽⁹⁾.

To achieve the goal of becoming a developed country in the middle of the 21st century, in accordance with the socialist orientation, requires a high political determination and the solidarity of the whole society. In which, promoting the spirit of dedication and awakening the desire for prosperous and happy national development of the Vietnamese intellectual community - a vital creative workforce in the process of promoting industrialization, modernization, and integration - becomes increasingly necessary. To do so, it is necessary to implement some fundamental solutions as listed below:

Firstly, strengthen the Party’s leadership role among intellectuals. The reality of Vietnam’s revolution since the Party’s establishment until now “affirms that the correct leadership of the Party is the key factor determining the victory of the Vietnamese revolution”⁽¹⁰⁾.

In order to promote the spirit of dedication and arouse the intellectuals’ aspiration to develop the country, our Party has issued thematic resolutions on the development of the intellectual community, and the development of science and technology. For example, Resolution No. 02-NQ/TW, dated  December 24, 1996 of the 8th Central Committee “On strategic orientations for development of science and technology in the period of industrialization and modernization and tasks until the year 2000”; Resolution No. 27-NQ/TW, dated  August 6, 2008 of the 10th Central Committee “On building an intellectual workforce during the period of accelerating industrialization and modernization of the country”; Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW, dated  November 1, 2012 of the 11th Central Committee “On the development of science and technology for the cause of industrialization and modernization in the context of a socialist-oriented market economy and international integration” etc. Intellectual propaganda and intellectual activities are also mentioned in many documents issued by the Party and State. These are official documents, creating a legal framework for the practice of democracy, respecting and promoting the freedom of thought in research, creation, consultation, criticism and scientific activities, especially the theoretical study and practical summary of the process of national renewal, socialism, and the path to socialism in Vietnam; policies for developing and protecting the country in the new period, etc., the guidelines and policies for intellectuals have created significant motivation and a firm belief among intellectuals to promote their spirit of dedication and enact their desire to develop a prosperous and happy Vietnam.

Secondly, improve the environment, and create favorable conditions for the intellectual forces to operate. People in general and intellectuals in particular, live and operate in certain natural and socio-economic environments. These types of environments greatly affect people’s quality of life as well as the efficiency of creative activities.

The promulgation and completion of the system of legal documents and regulations, especially the democratic regulation in science and technology activities, has created a favorable legal corridor for intellectuals to have the opportunity to contribute more and more to the sustainable development of the country.

Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW, dated  November 1, 2012 of the 6th Plenum of the 11th Central Committee “On the development of science and technology for the cause of industrialization and modernization”, expressed the importance of democratic practice, respect, and promotion of freedom of thought in the research, creation, consultation, and criticism activities of scientists. That spirit was further affirmed at the 13th National Party Congress: “There is a mechanism to promote democracy, freedom of creativity, and uphold ethics and responsibility in scientific research. Prioritizing investment in the development of infrastructure, working environment, research, and innovation of intellectuals”⁽¹¹⁾.

Thirdly, appreciate, treat, and honor intellectuals on the basis of properly assessing the results of their qualities, capabilities, and dedication. Along with the development of the country, the number of Vietnamese intellectuals has increased rapidly in quantity, improved in quality, highly qualified, and have made significant contributions to socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security.

To further promote the spirit of dedication and the desire for national development among the intellectual community, the 13th Party Congress has directed the timely removal of obstacles and the effective implementation of policies on training, development, and attraction of talents. “It is necessary to value and treat appropriately talent individuals, scientists, and technologists in Vietnam and abroad, especially leading scientists and those who are capable of leading particularly important scientific and technological tasks.”⁽¹²⁾. This is the continuation of the tradition of respecting talented people - the core of the nation. Therefore, the fields where intellectuals play the role of the core force, such as education and training, science, and technology, are identified by our Party as the “top national policies”.

Fourthly, to protect intellectual property rights and copyright in scientific works, to protect these rights is to protect the legitimate interests of intellectuals in the process of transferring scientific research achievements, inventions, and initiatives and encourage this force to continue to contribute to science through publication and socialization of research results. Intellectual property rights, copyright, legitimate interests (both material and spiritual) of creators are protected, which will stimulate and arouse intellectuals’ desire to contribute to the country.

In order to appreciate the role of advising, criticizing and socially auditing by scientific research agencies in planning the Party’s direction, policies, state laws, economic, cultural and social development projects; organizing forums to encourage and ensure the rights and responsibilities of intellectuals when participating in advisory and critical activities; criticizing and eliminating negligence, prejudice and restrictions on constructive criticisms of intellectuals, especially leading intellectuals, scientists, and highly qualified technologists.

Directive No. 42-CT/TW dated  April 16, 2010 issued by the Politburo “On continuing to innovate and improve the performance quality of the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations during the period of promoting the industrialization and modernization of the country”, identified one of the important tasks as “Proactively consulting, criticizing and assessing society as part of the process of developing guidelines, policies of the Party and State; major programs, projects, and schemes related to scientific and technological development, education and training, and socio-economic development before a decision is made by the competent authorities”.

This spirit is further affirmed in Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW, dated November 1, 2012 of the 6th Plenum of the 11th Central Committee “On the development of science and technology for the cause of industrialization, modernization” and in the Document of the 13th National Party Congress: “Truly respect and create conditions to improve the effectiveness of consulting and criticizing activities by experts and intellectuals”⁽¹³⁾.

Throughout history, knowledge has always been the foundation of social progress, with intellectuals serving as the workforce that creates and spreads knowledge, representing the intelligence of the nation, and making great contributions in all fields in order to build and defend the Fatherland. This is especially true in regards to raising the country’s level of science and technology; in building the scientific basis for the formulation of the Party’s guidelines and strategies and the State’s policies and laws; in training human resources, raising the intellectual level of the people and cultivating talents; in creating works of scientific, ideological and artistic value, and so on.

To promote innovation, the transfer, application, and strong development of science-technology, together with education and training, science-technology is truly the leading national policy. Hence, we must build an increasingly strong, high-quality, ethical, and responsible group of intellectuals working in education and training, in research, and application of science and technology. In particular, it is necessary to promote a high spirit of dedication, and the aspiration to develop Vietnam into a country with a rich people, a strong democratic country, that practices equality, with a strong civilization, firmly walking towards socialism.

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Received: March 17, 2023; Revised: April 16, 2023; Approved for Publication: April 20, 2023.

Endnotes:

(1), (5), (10), (11), (12), (13) CPV: Documents of the 13th National Party Congress, vol.I, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2021, p.47, 203-204, 104, 167, 167, 167.

(2) K.Marx and F.Engels: Complete Works, vol.22, Truth National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 1995, p.613.

(3), (7) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, vol.5, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, p.184, 275.

(4) K.Marx and F.Engels: Complete Works, vol.2, p.122.

(6), (9) CPV: Documents of the 7th Conference of the 10th Central Committee, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2008, pp.83, 82.

(8) Do Muoi: Vietnamese intellectuals in the cause of national construction renovation, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 1995, p.237.