Keywords: intellectuals, Party’s intellectual mobilization.

1. The Party’s intellectual mobilization in the cause of the national liberation struggle and building socialism

In the first political Platform (February 1930), the CPV advocated to mobilize and gather intellectuals, build a broad unity bloc of all patriotic social strata. Leader Nguyen Ai Quoc - Ho Chi Minh soon pointed out the important role of intellectuals, affirming that their participation was a significant factor determining the success of the revolution. In 1943, the Culture for National Salvation Association was established, gathering a large number of intellectuals and artists. On June 30, 1944, the Democratic Party of Vietnam was born, mobilizing a large number of young students and intellectuals to participate in movements organized by Viet Minh.

After Vietnam gained independence, the CPV and President Ho Chi Minh focused on gathering, training and building a contingent of intellectuals, attracting intellectuals to join the people’s democratic government apparatus. On July 22, 1946, the Socialist Party of Vietnam was born. The Democratic Party and the Socialist Party became the focal center, attracting intellectuals and talents. In 1948, the Literature and Arts Association was established(1), which was followed by the establishment of many specialized associations.

With the right revolutionary approach, the CPV successfully gathered a large contingent of intellectuals. Many of them gave up their well-off life abroad to return to Vietnam, going to war zones full of hardships to contribute their talents to the cause of the resistance. Typical intellectuals can be mentioned as: Huynh Thuc Khang, Nguyen Van To, Pham Khac Hoe, Vu Dinh Hoe, Ta Quang Buu, Ho Dac Di, Dang Van Ngu, Pham Ngoc Thach, Ton That Tung, Tran Dai Nghia, Nguyen Xien, Nguyen Van Huyen, Nguyen Dinh Thi, Xuan Dieu, and so on. Intellectuals, writers and artists stood side by side with all classes of people on the fronts, contributing to the victory of the resistance war. President Ho Chi Minh affirmed: “We have the right to be proud that the intellectuals in Vietnam all stand in the ranks of the resistance”(2).

At the 2nd Congress (1951), the CPV affirmed, the Vietnam Workers’ Party was the Party of workers, peasants and intellectuals; together with farmers and workers, intellectuals constituted an integral part of the revolution’s driving force; the foundation of the people’s democracy, led by the working class. The Congress emphasized the task of training a contingent of scientific - technical officials and artists of the country.

After the resistance war against French colonialism ended successfully, the country entered a new era: building socialism in the North and fighting to liberate the South. The CPV announced the “Policy of the Vietnam Workers’ Party towards intellectuals” which clearly stated the views of the Party and functions of the intellectuals in the national construction: “Intellectuals constitute a valuable asset of the nation. Without their cooperation with workers and farmers, the revolution could not be successful and the cause of building a new Vietnam would not be completed...”, it is necessary to “utilize intellectuals according to their talents, arrange their work reasonably,... ensure necessary working equipment for them, and treat them properly in accordance with the State’s capabilities”(4). Under the leadership of the CPV, intellectuals raised their will to persevere, promote patriotism, contribute talent, intelligence, and make sacrifices for the struggle for peace, independence, freedom and social progress. In the North, intellectuals were industrialized, staffed in agencies, factories, and unions. Intellectuals immersed in movements of cooperation, improvement of production management, technical improvement, contributing to promoting the movement of bringing science and technology into production. Competing with intellectuals in the North, a large number of intellectuals and students in the South actively fought against the reactionary rule of the US and its henchmen, contributing to the liberation struggle of the South. Intellectuals were the core force in cultivating patriotism and fighting in the fields of political ideology, the defense of national interests, peace and justice.

From the small and scattered intellectual class, which was culturally suppressed by colonialism, by 1954, the North had more than 500 people with university degrees and 3,000 people with professional secondary education certificate(5). After 1954, in the North, higher education was paid special attention to train human resources for the cause of national construction. Implementing the first 5-year plan (1961-1965), university and professional training was expanded on a large scale. By 1964, the number of people with university and professional secondary education increased to 30,709 people; 10 times as compared to that of 1954(6). Between 1965 and 1975, in the condition of evacuation of the schools, the university training was not only maintained but continued to develop. By 1975, in the North there were 41 schools and university branches, 10.3 times higher than  the figure of the 1955(7). In addition, schools of supplementing the culture for famers and workers were opened in localities, creating a source of people as well as providing places for more and more workers, farmers and soldiers to join after being discharged from the military. Many people later became talented leaders and scientists.

After the reunification of the country, the southern provinces had more than 100,000 people with secondary education level or higher(8), of which over 30,000 people with from professional secondary or higher levels, 16,000 people at graduate or post graduate levels.

Along with the revolutionary process, Vietnamese intellectuals constantly developed comprehensively, both in number, specializations, and qualifications, capabilities, obtaining many internationally recognized achievements in the fields of science and art. Many intellectuals were women, and of ethnic minorities. Intellectual associations were organized, developed and unite to gather intellectuals to participate, encouraging intellectuals to promote their talent in service of the revolutionary cause.

In the period before the national renewal, the mobilization of intellectuals, in addition to successes, had limitations at some specific times. Between 1930 and 1935, a number of left-wing localities were narrow-minded in implementing the policy of the front. During the resistance war against French colonialism, a number of progressive intellectuals in the temporarily occupied enemy area had not yet been gathered in the resistance front. After 1954, there was a lack of measures to counteract the enemy’s activities manipulating and inciting intellectuals to go abroad and migrate to the South. After the reunification of the country, there were no timely and effective measures to encourage intellectuals to stay in the homeland, there was a lack of appropriate strategies for those who stayed in the country, so the intellectual potentials were not promoted for national reconstruction. In the mechanism of planning, bureaucratic concentration, rigid implementation of administrative and industrialization policies, the position and role of intellectuals in society in the farmers - workers - intellectuals alliance was not clearly defined, which led to the failure in motivating intellectuals to eagerly innovate and devote to the national cause. 

2. The work of intellectual mobilization in the period of reform and international integration

During the national renewal, the CPV correctly applied the views of Marxism-Leninism, Ho Chi Minh Thought to intellectual mobilization. It also had more reforms suitable with the new period.

Firstly, the position and role of the intellectual contingent in political institutions and social development are clearly defined.

The Resolution of the 6th CPV Congress (1986) affirmed: “For intellectuals, the most important thing is to ensure freedom of creativity. Competences should be evaluated properly and facilitated to be properly used and developed”(9).

The CPV is aware of the important role of intellectuals in all fields, building intellectuals is the development of the country’s indigenous resources - the conditions to ensure independence, autonomy and to expand cooperation with other countries. The 1991 Platform defined: “It is to build a socialist state, a state of the people, by the people and for the people taking the working-class alliance with the peasant class and the intellectual as the foundation, led by the Communist Party”(10). Intellectuals are not only an integral part of the workers – farmers – intellectuals alliance, but also identified in a vanguard position in performing the renovation.

Secondly, there are mechanisms and policies consistent with specific intellectual activities.

Defining the specificity of creative activities, the necessity of appropriate policies to create motivation in the new conditions, the CPV made specific views in Resolution 05 of the Politburo, especially the direction of General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh at the meeting with intellectuals and artists at the end of 1987. The new, open-minded view shows the CPV’s belief in intellectuals as a new wind that strongly motivated and encouraged the intellectuals, writers and artists to promote their talent, to innovate to improve quality and effectiveness of scientific, creative, literary and artistic activities, contributing to national development.

The 7th Congress stated the policy: “For intellectuals, it is necessary to promote intelligence and capacities, expanding information, promoting democracy, appreciating talents, encouraging intellectuals, scientists to invent and create, protecting intellectual property rights, and treating right intellectuals’ contributions to the development of the country. Importance should be attached to the advisory and critical role of the scientific - technical, social sciences and literature - arts associations for projects developing economy, culture and society”(11). The main direction is to innovate leadership methods, to have appropriate management mechanisms, to build democratic regulations in creative activities, to create a corridor for intellectuals to develop their creative capacities, freeing up intellectual resources. It is necessary to pay attention to creating the environment, the “playing ground” in the fields of creativity: science and technology, education and training, culture - art, for intellectuals to work effectively and well perform the role and obligations to the country. Mechanisms and policies for intellectuals are identified as not social policies but investments in the development of human resources, the nation’s intellectual potential, and enriching internal resources for sustainable development of the country.

The 12th Congress (2016) affirmed: “It is essential to build an increasingly large, high-quality intellectual contingent to meet the requirements of national development; respect and promote freedom of thought in research and creation activities; appreciate intellectuals on the basis of proper assessment of quality, capacity and dedication results; protect intellectual property rights, treat and honor the contributions of intellectuals. There are special mechanisms and policies to attract the country’s talents. Importance should be attached to the role of social consultancy, criticism and assessment of scientific research institutions in planning the Party’s lines and policies, the State’s policies and laws and projects developing economy, culture and society”(12).

Thirdly, building a contingent of intellectuals is an important task of the entire political system. The 1991 Platform clearly stated: “It is imperative to train, foster and promote all the potentials of the intellectual contingent to create intellectual resources and talents for the country; pay special attention to building a contingent of skilled workers, talented businessmen, good managers, and highly qualified scientists and technicians”(13). Resources for the comprehensive development of intellectuals both professionally, politically and morally should be ensured to adapt to the times, and promote the effective contribution of intellectuals in practice.

Fourthly, the main tasks of intellectuals are clearly defined: Intellectuals at all levels and sectors participate in summarizing the practice and developing theory; strongly promoting the driving role of science and technology, researching, receiving and applying advanced technical and technological advances, renewing the management mechanism; participating in organizing and guiding the labor mass movement; renovating and improving the quality of education and training, aiming to raise the people’s knowledge, training human resources, fostering talents, effectively serving the development requirements of the country; acting as a core force in preserving, developing and disseminating cultural quintessence of the nation and humanity, building national cultures in the process of international integration to be in harmony with progressive cultures in the region and around the world.

Fifthly, the CPV’s views and guidelines on intellectual work have been implemented effectively.

With the renewal guidelines, the CPV’s point of view is to create all conditions for the contingent of intellectuals to further develop. This is clearly shown in the Platform for national construction in the period of transition to socialism and materialized in many documents of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, such as the Resolution of the 5th plenum of the 8th Party Central Committee on “Building and developing an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity”, Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW of the 11th Party Central Committee on “Developing science and technology to serve the cause of national industrialization and modernization in the context of a socialist-oriented market economy and international integration”, Resolution No. 29-NQ/TW of the 11th Party Central Committee on “Fundamentally and comprehensively renovating education and training, meeting the requirements of national industrialization and modernization in the conditions of a socialist-oriented market economy and international integration”, especially the thematic resolution on intellectuals - Resolution No. 27-NQ/TW of the 10th Party Central Committee (2008) on “Building up the contingent of intellectuals in the period of accelerating industrialization and modernization of the country”.

The CPV’s viewpoints and guidelines on intellectuals and intellectual work should be grasped and concretized at all levels and branches, and appropriate mechanisms, policies and solutions should be promulgated. Policies and laws have been gradually completed, ensuring benefits and creating conditions for intellectuals to promote their intellectual talents and creative capacities. Policies and guidelines were issued, contributing to promote democracy, encourage inventions and creativity; protect intellectual property rights, appreciate rightly the contributions to national development.

Sixthly, the work of mobilizing intellectuals has made new strides, making an important contribution to the achievements of the national renewal.

The policy of democratization in all aspects has been directed to implement, creating favorable environments and conditions for intellectuals’ creative activities. Scientific organizations have a clear operation mechanism, organizing many forums to encourage and ensure intellectual rights and responsibilities when participating in activities of consultation, criticism and appraisal of policies, socio-economic development projects. Documents have been issued to strengthen enforcement of protection of intellectual property rights in order to ensure intellectual interests when transferring inventions or patents; the Regulation on democracy in social sciences has been implemented.

Implementing the policy of treating and honoring intellectuals, the Party and State have issued many policies with specific criteria and regimes on remuneration and honoring intellectuals. There is a plan to arrange and use the pool of intellectuals reasonably. To adopt mechanisms and policies to attract and encourage intellectuals to strengthen in grassroots, remote and isolated areas, and overseas Vietnamese intellectuals to participate in donation, cooperation in training and scientific research, technology transfer.

The training and fostering of intellectuals has made a fundamental change. Education and training increasingly meet the requirements of industrialization and modernization of the country in the context of socialist-oriented market economy and international integration. Accordingly, the curriculum, content, teaching and learning methods have been fundamentally renewed, improving the quality and efficiency of university training.

The gathering of intellectuals have been done, consolidating and improving the quality of activities of intellectual associations. The new mechanism both upholds the responsibility of intellectuals and creates conditions for them to participate in the transfer and application of science and technology to agriculture - forestry - fishery production, building infrastructure, and improving people’s knowledge, care and protection of people’s health; it also encourages intellectuals to participate in monitoring, advising, consulting and critical social issues in the socio-economic fields.

The CPV’s leadership role has been strengthened for the intellectual contingent, all levels of Party committees always pay attention to consolidating and promoting the role of Party organizations in intellectual associations; to lead and direct the implementation of policies, regimes and specific regulations on training, fostering and building up a contingent of intellectuals. Dialogues between intellectuals and the heads of Party committees and authorities are conducted regularly by many localities and units in the spirit of openness and democracy.

Important issues, especially in the fields of advisory, planning development strategies, guiding documents on socio-economic development, national defense and security, building political system are discussed openly; intellectuals’ opinions are sincerely listened to, expressing the respect for the position and role of intellectuals in socio-economic development.

Thanks to the good implementation of the Party’s and State’s undertakings and policies, the contingent of intellectuals has rapidly developed in quantity and improved in qualifications and capacities, clearly demonstrating its role in various aspects of life.

In 2000, the contingent of intellectuals nationwide had 1,322,691 people (of college level or higher); in 2013, the figure increased to 6,550,234 (4.95 times higher); the number of MA was from 10 thousand to 118,653 people (11.86 times higher); the number of PhD increased from 12,691 to 24,667 people (1.94 times higher). Intellectuals work in various in fields and branches, mostly concentrate in the non-business sector such as education - training, and health care. There are more than 400,000 Vietnamese intellectuals abroad (including more than 6,000 PhD and hundreds of prestigious intellectuals). It is estimated that there are up to 150,000 Vietnamese intellectuals in the United States (in Silicon Valley alone, there are about 12,000 Vietnamese and more than 100 people working for the World Bank), 40,000 intellectuals in France, 20,000 intellectuals in Canada, 4,000 people in Eastern Europe and the Russian Federation, 7,000 people in Australia, and so on(14).

In 2019, there were about 300,000 overseas Vietnamese experts and intellectuals, mainly in industrialized countries(15). This is a valuable intellectual resource of the nation, rich in potentiality and a very important channel for transfering knowledge about Vietnam, helping us to move quickly on the world innovation map.

In 2017, the country had about 6.5 million people with a college or university degree or higher, an increase of more than 3.7 million people compared to 2009. Thus, the contingent of intellectuals increased by about 2.8 million people after 9 years (2009 - 2017) compared with 2.25 million people in the 10 years 1999-2009(16).

The system of science and technology organizations has developed strongly, in 2019, the whole country had more than 4,000 science and technology organizations of all economic sectors. The workforce has developed both in quantity and quality with about 67,000 researchers, reaching a rate of 7/10,000 people, of which many prestigious scientists are internationally recognized(17).

Science and technology increasingly contribute to the added value of commodity products, over 30% of the added value in agricultural production, and 38% in the production of seeds and animals. Vietnam’s global innovation index has continuously increased, ranking 42/129 countries in 2019 and the 3rd in ASEAN(18).

Intellectuals are the core in human resource training, step by step improving the people’s intellectual standard, fostering talents, contributing to build and develop an advanced culture imbued with national identity; they study theory and practice, providing scientific grounds for the planning of the Party’s guidelines and State’s policies and laws; contributing to clarify the development path of the country. The contingent of intellectuals directly advise, give suggestions and criticisms on major decisions of the Party and State; Intellectual do researches and create the basis for the acquisition and mastery of new technologies, such as information technology, materials manufacturing, genetics, biology, and basic biomedical... expanding cooperation activities in research and technology transfer, access to many foreign scientific achievements, step by step raising the national scientific and technological level. Regarding overseas Vietnamese intellectuals, many of them have returned to the homeland to work effectively in the fields of science, technology, education, training, economy, culture and society, contributing to the general development of the country. Many Vietnamese scientists have received international recognition. Many scientific works have made an important contribution to changing the economic structure, increasing labor productivity, promoting economic growth.

3. Problems challenging the work of intellectual mobilization

Facing the requirements of the cause of accelerating industrialization, national modernization and international integration, the contingent of Vietnamese intellectuals also has many limitations and shortcomings:

The quantity and quality of the contingent of intellectuals do not yet meet the requirements of national development. The team structure has unreasonable aspects in terms of profession, age, and gender. The elite intellectuals are few; there is a serious lack of leading experts as well as senior competent young experts; there are not many strong and prestigious scientific groups on regional and international scales.

In natural sciences and technology, the number of works published in prestigious journals in the world and the number of international patents registered is too small. The quantity and quality of researches, creative activities, application, and transfer of science and technology have not met the development requirements of the economy and social life. In the social sciences and humanities, theoretical research lacks the ability to predict and orient, unable to answer many problems posed by the innovation practice, and there are no major creative works. In culture and arts, there are still few valuable works commensurate with the country’s development achievements, the people’s creativity and great sacrifices in the cause of national construction and defense; theoretical and literary criticism and arts still have many limitations. The activities of preserving and promoting cultural values have not met the requirements of turning those values into economic, social and human development engines.

The level of intellectuals in many research institutions and universities lags behind the country’s development requirements and compared with some advanced countries in the region, especially in terms of creative capacity, practice and application, the ability to communicate in foreign languages and use information technology. Intellectuals mainly concentrate in universities, academies, institutes/research centers, and hospitals. Some with degrees and titles also work in management in political, economic and social organizations and agencies.

The role, strength and contribution of intellectuals in all fields and for the development of the country in general are still limited. In 5 years (2006-2010), the whole country had only about 200 patents and utility solutions granted at the National Office of Intellectual Property and only 5 patents were registered in the US, an average of one patent per year. In 2011 alone, Vietnam did not have any patents registered in the US. In Southeast Asia, Singapore (4.8 million people) had 647 patents; Malaysia (27.9 million people) with 161 patents; Thailand (68.1 million people) had 53 patents. The country with the same population and development level as Vietnam’s - the Philippines, also had 27 patents(19).

The human resources index of Vietnam remains low, at  3.79/10 by 2010, those of other countries are: Indonesia 3.44/10; Thailand 4.04/10; Philippines 4.53/10; Hong Kong 5.2/10; Malaysia 5.59/10; China 5.73/10; India 5.76/10; Taiwan 6.04/10; Japan 6.5/10; Singapore 6.81/10; South Korea: 6.91/10. The rate of human resources for scientific research per 100 people in Vietnam is 0.8; compared with 2.19(20).

During 15 years (2001-2015), Vietnamese scientists published 18,076 scientific articles in journals in the ISI list. Compared with other Southeast Asian countries in the same period, the number of scientific articles in Vietnam surpassed those of Indonesia and the Philippines, but were only equal to 28% of that of Thailand, 25% of Malaysia and 15% of Singapore(21). In terms of national development capacity criteria (patents), Vietnam was not listed on the world map. Vietnam had to import technology (patents) for about 97%(22).

The cause of the above limitations is the lack of an overall strategy for the development of the contingent of intellectuals in the new context and situation (from investment in the development of the education system, university training and post-graduate education; detecting, fostering, attracting and using talents; a system of policies on selecting, fostering and using intellectuals; developing science, technology and technology associated with promoting the potential of the contingent of intellectuals; remuneration policy...). Some party committees and authorities have not fully seen the role and position of intellectuals in development, science, technology, education and culture; in some places, the practice of democracy, respecting and promoting freedom of thought in intellectual’s research and creativity is still limited. Some policies of the Party have been slowly institutionalized into mechanisms and policies; the overseas intellectuals and foreign scientists have not yet been attracted to participate in solving the problems of socio-economic development of the country. The working environment and remuneration is inadequate. Intellectuals do not have many chances to exchange, cooperate and work in scientific and cultural centers around the world.

The contingent of intellectuals has always been concerned and appreciated by the Party and State. Researches, recommendations and advice from practical sumarization and theoretical research of intellectuals are important scientific bases and arguments for the Party and State to plan the policies and directions to develop the country. The reality of innovation shows that, in order to build an effective team of intellectuals, it is necessary to unify and interact with three factors:, right perceptions andviews of leaders, policies in line with reality; environment and conditions to promote creativity and initiate initiatives; efforts to rise up with a high sense of responsibility of the intellectuals in order to make great and practical contributions to the cause of renovation, national construction and defense, and raising Vietnam’s position in the international arena. As the head of the Government emphasized: “We must make scientists dare to dream, dare to aspire, pursue aspirations, and have passion for scientific research. Out of a hundred jobs and thousands of things that need to be done to become a country of innovation, the first thing to do is to innovate the way people are utilized”(23).

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Endnotes:

(1) In 1957, renamed as the Union of Vietnam Literature and Arts Associations.

(2) Ho Chi Minh: Complete Works, vol.6, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2000, p.203.

(3) Published on Nhan Dan Newspaper, on August 29, 1957.

(4) Vietnam Labor Party: Labor Party Policy of Vietnam towards intellectuals, Nhan Dan Newspaper, dated August 29, 1957.

(5) Do Thi Thach: Promoting Vietnamese female intellectual resources in the cause of industrialization and modernization, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2005, p.69.

(6), (7) University and Professional High School: The 20-year Statistical Yearbook of Professional Higher and Secondary Education Development (1955-1975), Hanoi, 1976.

(8) 70 years of the Communist Party of Vietnam, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2000, p.474.

(9) CPV: Document of the 6th National Congress, Truth Publishing House, Hanoi, 1987, p.115.

(10), (11), (13) CPV: The Complete Party Documents, vol.51, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2007, pp.135, 84-85, 141.

(12) CPV: Documents of the 12th National Congress, Office of the Party Central Committee, Hanoi, 2016, p.161-162.

(14) Overview of current intellectuals, baodatviet.vn.

(15), (17), (18), (23) Prime Minister: The first thing to do is to innovate the way of using people, baochinhphu.vn.

(16) Building and developing the contingent of intellectuals - 10 years in Retrospect, http://tcnn.vn.

(19) Vietnam has too many PhDs but few inventions, http://giaoduc.net.vn.

(20), (22) The current situation and solutions to building a contingent of Vietnamese intellectuals in the cause of national renewal, National Political Publishing House, 2014, pp.96-97, 97.

(21) Nguyen Van Tuan: Vietnam’s scientific productivity through international publication, Vietnam Journal of Science and Technology, No. 10-2016, p.49.

Assoc.Prof., Dr. Nguyen Thang Loi

Assoc.Prof., Dr. Trinh Thi Hong Hanh

Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics