Political Theory - Research Journal and scientific voice of Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics - Photo: PTOJ

Currently, the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics has 12 journals, including 07 journals at the Center of the Academy, 05 journals at affiliated academies; the Political Theory Journal is the oldest and is the official scientific organ of the Academy. 

Fourty-five years ago, in the atmosphere of the Great Victory in the Spring of 1975, the country unified, and the whole country moved to socialism to meet the urgent need to research theoretical issues on building and defending the Fatherland, the Politburo decided to establish the Central Theoretical Research Committee and the Central Theoretical Research Committee decided to establish the Journal of Theoretical Information. 

Also, during this time, the Director of the Nguyen Ai Quoc Senior Party School decided to publish the Internal Research Journal, circulated within the school, then widely distributed and developed into the Journal of Theoretical Research.

After merging the Institute for the Study of Marxism - Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought and the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics into the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics in October 1996, from January 2000, the Journal of Theoretical Research and the Journal of Theoretical Information were merged into the Political Theory Journal. 

Nearly half a century since the publication of the first issue in 1976, the Journal has undergone many historical stages of development and overcame many difficulties and challenges. In the first 25 years from 1976 to the end of 2000, the Journal of Theoretical Information and the Journal of Theoretical Research published 274 and 131 issues, respectively.

After merging into the Political Theory Journal, from January 2001 until now, the Vietnamese print edition of the Journal of Political Theory has published 250 issues. 

From publications released every three months, every four months, the Journal has gradually moved to monthly publication; From 40 pages each, printed on black paper, through many page increases, the Journal has a capacity of 160 pages each, printed in color and elegantly presented. 

From having only a printed edition, from 2013 on, the Journal has had a new type of e-journal and an English edition. 

The Journal consistently implements its principles and purposes in the development stages. All articles published in the Journal guarantee to stand firmly on the viewpoints and methodologies of Marxism - Leninism, Ho Chi Minh’s thought, viewpoints and lines of the Party, policies and laws of the State, actively participate in the development of theory, communication and implementation of the Party’s lines, policies and laws of the State, protect the ideological foundation of the Party, and oppose wrongful and hostile viewpoints. 

The Journal’s publications have always accompanied the development of the Academy, the political theory and science cadres, and made practical contributions to the implementation of the Academy’s political missions of training and fostering cadres of the Party and the political system; doing scientific research, summarizing theories, advising on national development policies. 

In recent years, with the three versions, published in Vietnamese and English, and with a rich system of categories that is suitable to the needs of learning, research, forum for exchange, enriching knowledge of political theory, research and teaching methods, identification and struggle with false and hostile viewpoints, the Journal has attracted a wide range of readership with both domestic and foreign readers.

The primary and outstanding contributions of the Journal to the theoretical work of the Party can be broadly assessed as follows:

Firstly, the Journal has contributed to the task of summarizing practice, theoretical research, developing Marxism - Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought, perfecting lines and policies of the Party, and policies and laws of the State. 

As the political science forum of the Academy, the Journal articles have timely and vividly reflected the results of practical summaries and theoretical researches of the Party, and clarified the sustainable values of Marxism - Leninism, Ho Chi Minh’s thought, analyzed practical problems raised, introduced new and creative models in practice and proposed many solutions from the practice of comprehensive national renovation. 

Following up the process of building and perfecting the Party’s lines and policies, the ideological situation, and academic activities throughout the Party, the Journal has focused on reflecting the results of practical summaries and theoretical researches of the scientific cadres, leaders, and managers of departments, ministries, sectors, and localities. 

On the occasion of the Party Congress, on the Journal forum, many scholars, researchers, and teachers of political theory have made valuable, theoretically grounded and practical contributions to the draft documents of the congress. The recommendations in the Journal have partly helped to concretize the Party’s Platform, strategies and documents; contribute to summarizing practice, researching and perfecting the theory on the renewal path, socialism and the way to socialism in Vietnam.

Many articles published in the Journal have also made practical contributions to solving pressing problems posed in ideological and theoretical activities and practice organization, unifying the awareness of the Party’s lines and policies, improving leadership and management capacity of Party committees and state agencies, working capacity of officials at all levels, branches, and localities. Performing the function of the scientific mouthpiece of Vietnam, the Journal has really been a scientific forum for domestic and foreign scientists and theoretical and political researchers, including sharp articles updating urgent current issues of the theory and practice of nation building on various aspects at specific times.

Secondly, the Journal has actively participated in the communication and education of Marxism - Leninism, Ho Chi Minh’s thought, the lines and viewpoints of the Party, policies and laws of the State for the contingent of leaders, managers, researchers, and teachers of political theory in the national political system.

The communication and education of Marxism - Leninism, Ho Chi Minh’s thought and the Party’s lines and viewpoints, the State’s policies and laws in the Journal have not only timely served the implementation of the resolutions of the Party, major political activities of the Party and the country but also met the basic educational requirements of Marxist - Leninist theory, Ho Chi Minh’s thought, the Party’s lines and undertakings, and the State’s policies and laws for cadres and party members.

In addition to propagating and disseminating the Party’s viewpoints and resolutions, articles in the Journal have deeply analyzed, explained, and clarified the theoretical and practical basis of the Party’s viewpoints and undertakings. Many articles by Party and State leaders published in the Journal, such as those of comrades Truong - Chinh, Nguyen Van Linh, Do Muoi, Vo Chi Cong, Le Duc Tho, Dao Duy Tung, Phan Van Khai , Hoang Tung, Nguyen Duc Binh, Le Xuan Tung, To Huy Rua, Nguyen Xuan Thang, etc. have deeply analyzed the Party’s viewpoints and undertakings.

Thirdly, the Journal has contributed to improving the quality of the Party’s cadre training and fostering.

The Journal has always focused on timely reflecting the training and fostering activities of the Academy’s cadres, especially timely publishing the directive statements of the leaders of the Party and the State on the requirement to improve the political theory knowledge of cadres; the task of training and fostering political system cadres. Following the requirements to improve the quality of training and fostering, building a team of leaders, managers, political theorists in the political system, the Journal has always set up training contents and methods and fostered political theory for cadres in the appropriate position and capacity. Along with research articles on training philosophy, about learners as leaders, managers, research, discussion articles on goals, mottos, educational methods, student management.. . have directly contributed to the renewal of programs and contents, improvement of the quality of lectures and curricula, innovation of methods and improvement of student training, fostering and management organization. The Journal is a valuable reference for both teachers and learners of political theory at the Academy, political schools, cadre schools of ministries and branches, and in universities and colleges across the country.

Fourthly, the Journal has always been a pioneer on the ideological front, contributing to firmly defending the ideological foundation of the Party, identifying and overcoming misconceptions, and fighting against wrong arguments of hostile forces.

In addition to affirming the correct perceptions, viewpoints, and ways of doing things, many articles published in the Journal have combined criticism of distorted perceptions, viewpoints, shortcomings in the implementation organization, thereby making an essential contribution to protecting the ideological foundation of the Party, fighting against wrong and reactionary viewpoints.

Fifthly, the Journal has contributed to promoting research activities and improving the quality of scientific research work of the Academy, in the process of building and developing the theoretical cadres of the Party in general, and Academy cadres in particular.

Following the functions, tasks and development of scientific research of the Academy, the Journal has timely reflected the scientific research achievements of the Academy, contributing to promoting the scientific research movement among researchers and lecturers at units in the Academy and theoretical researchers across the country. Not only publishing research results of the Academy, the Journal always spends a large part of its pages to publish research results of political theory scientists across the country.

The number of articles written by authors outside the Academy accounts for a significant proportion, showing that the Journal is a national scientific forum and is always highly appreciated by the State Council for Professor Title. Through articles in the Journal, many lecturers and researchers of the Academy have increasingly matured in theory and scientific research; Many doctoral students of the Academy are eligible to defend their doctoral dissertations.

Sixthly, the Journal has actively contributed to the work of external information.

Since 2013, the Journal has had an English version (published every three months) and a website (with both Vietnamese and English languages), and from October 2021, it has been upgraded to an electronic journal. The release of the English and electronic versions of the Journal is in line with the general trend of modern journalism. With an e-journal, the Journal has a comprehensive and fast promotion that makes it easy for readers and writers to access. In particular, the English Journal - with carefully selected, translated, and edited articles, beautifully presented, high-quality prints, has met the needs of foreign readers who wish to learn about the political theory of Vietnam, about Vietnam’s development achievements, and the Academy’s activities. In 2020, the English Version of the Journal of Political Theory was awarded a consolation prize in the Foreign Press Award.

Currently, the entire Party, people, and army are making efforts to implement the Resolution of the 13th Party Congress, to strive by 2025 to overcome the low middle-income level; to have modern industry; by 2030 to become a developing country with modern industry and high middle income; by 2045, to become a developed, socialist-oriented country.

In order to achieve the set goals, the Party requires strengthening practical summarization and theoretical research, providing scientific arguments to develop the theory, perfect the lines and undertakings of the Party, policies, and laws of the State, effectively handling and promptly solving problems raised from practice.

As a journal of the Central press group, a theoretical and scientific forum, a media outlet of the Party, a scientific mouthpiece of the Academy, in response to the requirements of ideological and theoretical work, in the context of globalization and international integration, the Journal of Political Theory is facing the requirement of continuing comprehensive and robust renovation, affirming its position and role on the ideological and theoretical front of the Party, and at the same time developing into an international standard scientific journal. In order to meet the requirements in the new period, the Journal of Political Theory needs to perform the following contents well:

Firstly, always thoroughly grasp and implement the four steadfastness in the spirit of the 13^thParty Congress. Do well in planning, strengthening the organization of article placement, selection and content editing.

Secondly, strictly implement the principles and purposes of education of Marxism - Leninism, Ho Chi Minh’s thought, the Party’s lines and undertakings, the State’s policies and laws, and fight against false and hostile viewpoints.

The Journal needs to continue to closely follow the ideological life and theoretical life of the Party, especially the latest achievements in the development of the Party’s theoretical thinking, timely and diversely reflect domestic and foreign political and scientific research achievements, including theoretical research results and practical summaries of the Academy, in order to contribute to the process of renewing thinking, unifying ideology within the Party, and reaching consensus in society on Marxism - Leninism, Ho Chi Minh’s thought, and the Party’s lines; solve newly arising ideological problems; fight against false and hostile viewpoints. Strive to make the Journal’s publications always an essential learning and reference material for lecturers and students in the cadres training and retraining systems in the Academy and the graduate training systems of other training institutions in the country and the region.

Thirdly, the Journal must promote the participation of scientific cadres, cadres in practical activities inside and outside the Academy, and foreign scholars.

The Journal needs to promote more collaborators, increase article placement; In the article structure, it is necessary to increase the proportion of articles by scientists, leaders and managers outside the Academy so that the Journal is increasingly becoming a national academic forum, expressing scientific opinions, multi-faceted perspectives, and different voices from disciplines, fields and localities across the country and from abroad.

Fourthly, strengthen in-depth practical summary and theoretical research articles on basic and urgent issues during renewal, national construction and development and national defense in the new period.

The Journal should strive to fulfill its role not only as a “collective propagandist”, but also as a “collective organizer” as taught by V.I.Lenin by having a plan to coordinate with branches and localities to organize practical summaries so that the Journal has articles that serve as useful references for leaders, managers, and scientists who study political theory and social science.

Fifthly, the Journal continues to make more active contributions to the Party, State and Academy’s external propaganda and information activities.

Promptly propagate the Party’s lines and undertakings, the State’s policies and laws, and Vietnam’s achievements in politics, economy, culture, society, national defense, security and foreign affairs to countries around the world, helping international friends and partners better understand Vietnam’s views and domestic and foreign policies, enhance mutual understanding, and build strategic trust, thereby enhancing the scientific position of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics in the system of leadership training, management and policy research centers in the region and internationally.

Sixthly, promote the application of modern technology in the activities of the Journal.

In the context of the strong development of the scientific-technological revolution, which has had a substantial and profound impact on journalism - communication, the Journal needs to strengthen the application of modern technology to the editing and publishing process, diversify types in order to truly be the leading Journal in the Academy’s press system. It is also necessary to gradually renew and upgrade the electronic Journal according to international standards to become a scientific forum for Vietnamese researchers, foreign politicians, and scientists, contributing to promoting the theoretical achievements of Vietnam to the world.

The Journal needs to accompany the theoretical cadres to summarize 40 years of renewal, 35 years of implementing the Platform for national construction in the transition to socialism in Vietnam; besides, organize the study of the nation’s political ideology, new theoretical achievements of the world, in order to contribute to supplement and creatively develop Marxism - Leninism and Ho Chi Minh’s thought; provide valuable scientific arguments for perfecting the theory of the renewal path, socialism and the way to socialism in Vietnam, planning the lines and undertakings of the Party, policies and laws of the State; become a “bridge” linking theory and practice, between practical summarization and theoretical research to increase practical material for theory.

ASSOC. PROF., Dr. LE VAN LOI

Vice President, Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics