Choosing the path of the Russian October Revolution and the end of the crisis of the national democratic movement in Vietnam in the early 20th century

1- NGUYEN AI QUOC'S CHOICE OF A NEW SOCIAL MODEL FOR VIETNAM

Since the mid-nineteenth century, independent Vietnam was invaded by French colonialists and turned into a colony. The coexistence of two modes of production, capitalist and feudal, at the end of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, created two fundamental contradictions in Vietnamese society: the contradiction between the Vietnamese people and colonial imperialism and between peasants and feudal landlords, of which the contradiction between the Vietnamese people and imperialism was the main contradiction. Resolving these contradictions was an urgent requirement of Vietnamese society, but by what path and then what political regime to build was an unprecedentedly urgent issue, leading to a deadlock in the national democratic movement in Vietnam, with the result that all uprisings against imperialism and feudalism by the Vietnamese people were successively defeated.

In that historical context, like many Vietnamese patriots at that time, the young man Nguyen Tat Thanh was very concerned about the fate of the country, looking for every way to liberate the nation. Nguyen Tat Thanh "searched for the shape of the country" as the poet Che Lan Viet said, in fact, he searched for the future social model of Vietnam. That social model was not an independent country with an old feudal political and social system as his predecessors determined, or a capitalist regime of the Japanese, French, or Chinese style as advocated by Phan Boi Chau, Phan Chau Trinh, and Nguyen Thai Hoc. He believed that "if the country is independent but the people do not enjoy happiness and freedom, then independence is meaningless" (^[2].. Nguyen Tat Thanh's wish when going abroad in June 1911 was to seek a new political regime for Vietnam after the country's independence, where the people would be the masters of society, not only freed from the domination of foreign powers, but also freed from the slavery of feudal kings and mandarins in the country. The meaning of Nguyen Tat Thanh's journey to find a way to "save his compatriots" was to find a path of struggle that not only aimed at solving a single goal like the ancients, "national independence", but had a "dual" goal of "national independence and land for the tillers", more deeply, saving the country and saving the people.

According to that purpose, the essence of saving the country is saving the people, liberating the nation is liberating the people from all oppression, exploitation, and injustice. That is why Nguyen Tat Thanh greatly respected his predecessors such as Phan Boi Chau, Phan Chau Trinh, Hoang Hoa Tham, but did not follow their path. It can be imagined that the process of finding a new social model for Vietnam by Nguyen Tat Thanh/Nguyen Ai Quoc went through the following stages:

Preparation phase (before 1911): This was Nguyen Tat Thanh's youth, a period in which the historical context of the country, homeland and family created and nurtured great morality and sentiments: patriotism and love for the people, fostering the great will to save the country and save the people for Nguyen Tat Thanh.

The Search Phase (1911- 1919): This was the time when Nguyen Tat Thanh worked and studied in colonies and major capitalist countries such as the US, UK, and France. This process helped him to improve his awareness of culture, society, worldview, and outlook on life compared to when he was still in the country. From the reality of Vietnam and the world, he came to the political conclusion that when independence was regained, it was impossible to establish a social institution according to the monarchical model, because that regime was outdated; at the same time, he was also very skeptical of the bourgeois democratic model, although it was new but did not achieve the "dual" goal as he desired. If the decision to go to the West "to see how they do it and then come back to help his compatriots" in 1911 was Nguyen Tat Thanh's break with the political model of the Eastern monarchy and feudal state, opening the process of researching and learning about Western society, then the "8-point petition" sent to the Versailles Conference (1919) demanding the right to self-determination for the Vietnamese people was rejected, leading him to the decision to definitely distance himself from the capitalist model and institution.

Decision stage (1919- 1920): This was the time Nguyen Ai Quoc was in France, but closely followed and directly participated in Vietnamese patriotic organizations, and had a change in political ideology from traditional patriotism to revolutionary patriotism, following the proletarian stance, with the important milestone being reading and absorbing the content of "Draft Theses on the National and Colonial Questions" by VI Lenin, July 1930. In this document, VI. Lenin believed that when Western capitalism invaded the East as a colony, a national liberation movement would appear against colonial capitalism. As an anti-capitalist movement, it objectively belongs to the proletarian movement, because its object of struggle is capitalism. As a proletarian movement, the national liberation movement must follow the path of proletarian revolution to be able to be completely successful. Accordingly, the national liberation movement in the new era objectively has socialist tendencies, that is, after gaining independence, the political institution established is a new type of political institution, national independence is closely linked to socialism.

Nguyen Ai Quoc read and understood that truth, so he both explained the reasons for the failure of the national and democratic movements in Vietnam in the early 20th century and realized that the path to victory of the Vietnamese revolution was the path of proletarian revolution: "To save the country and liberate the nation, there is no other path than the path of proletarian revolution" (^[3]), “Only socialism and communism can liberate oppressed nations and working people”(^[4]).

National liberation along the path of proletarian revolution is national liberation associated with the liberation of the working people, human liberation, gaining national independence is the urgent and immediate goal, to pave the way, while liberating the working class and the working people is the long-term and ultimate goal. Therefore, after regaining independence, the revolutionary forces must move towards establishing a political regime in which power belongs to the majority, "not in the hands of a few", that is, a political regime of the people led by the Communist Party. That also means that in 1920, when Nguyen Ai Quoc became a communist, it was also the time when he found a new path to save the country, a path that could achieve the "dual" goal: saving the country and saving the people. Nguyen Ai Quoc's policy was: "We have sacrificed to make the revolution, so we should do it thoroughly, meaning that after the revolution, power should be given to the majority of the people, not left in the hands of a small group of people. Only then will we avoid making many sacrifices, and only then will the people be happy" (^[5]).

Speaking of Nguyen Tat Thanh and Nguyen Ai Quoc seeking a way to save the country (1911-1920) with that meaning, is to seek a new social model for the future Vietnam, a social model that is being realized in Russia, where the Communist Party under Marxism-Leninism leads, the country is independent, the government is a worker-peasant-soldier union, the factories belong to the workers, the land belongs to the farmers, industrial and agricultural development, gender equality, universal education, international integration,...

  II.NEW SOCIAL MODEL AND THE END OF THE CRISIS OF THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT IN VIETNAM IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY.Before 1920, the Vietnamese had many ways to solve the deadlock in Vietnam's development model, leading to many vibrant national and democratic movements, but in the end they all failed. Nguyen Ai Quoc was the one who found the most correct solution, which was to follow the path of the Russian October Revolution. Thanks to that, Vietnam gradually escaped the deadlock in the national and democratic struggle, developing that movement in the direction of proletarian revolution, which was both suitable for the times and met the wishes of the working people and the Vietnamese nation, gradually advancing on the path of "national independence", "land to the tillers" towards a society of rich people, strong country, democracy, fairness, and civilization.

The image of Vietnam in the future was envisioned by Nguyen Ai Quoc when he chose to liberate the nation through the path of proletarian revolution, a regime ruled by the people, under the leadership of the Communist Party, but the specific model of that political regime, the basic characteristics of that new type of State were still being researched and perfected by him for many years to come. In Nguyen Ai Quoc's articles in the newspaperThe Paria, newspaperHumanityof the French Communist Party, in Soviet newspapers, in playsBamboo Dragon, inShipwreck Log, in the workThe verdict of the French colonial regimeand especially in the workRevolutionary Road(1927), the political institutional model - the future State of Vietnam was gradually formed in a concrete way.

The model - characteristics of the political institution - the new type of State according to Nguyen Ai Quoc's thought and the way to reach that State generally have the following contents: National liberation by the path of proletarian revolution is the only solution to achieve the dual goal: saving the country and saving the people, national independence associated with socialism; Achieving national independence by the path of proletarian revolution, through the efforts of the entire nation; After gaining independence, a State of the people, by the people, for the people will be established, the State power belongs to the majority of the people, in which workers and peasants are the root, the masters; That State, that regime realizes national independence, free people, happy people, the ultimate goal is to reach socialism, communism; That regime, that State can be established before the proletarian State in the mother country; That institution and State must be established and built according to scientific and correct ways and methods, suitable to the characteristics of Vietnam; That institution and State must have solidarity with proletarian movements, national liberation movements, and with socialist and democratic regimes in the world; That institution and State must be led by the Communist Party, a Party that follows Marxism-Leninism...

These are the differences and new points in the nature of the Vietnamese revolutionary model and path according to Nguyen Ai Quoc's thought compared to other paths and ideologies at that time, the core of which is to gain national independence, although it is urgent and given top priority, it is not the ultimate goal. It is the struggle for national independence but does not lead to the re-establishment of the feudal regime like the previous uprisings and resistance wars in Vietnamese history, nor does it establish a capitalist regime and institution like the American Revolution or the French Revolution, but is basically like in Russia after the October Revolution in 1917, an institution of the majority, for the independence of the nation, the freedom of the people and the happiness of the people.

With that model, when we say that Nguyen Ai Quoc sought a way to save the country, he was essentially seeking a new model of State, a State owned by the people, led by the Communist Party, it also means that Nguyen Ai Quoc's process of spreading Marxism-Leninism to Vietnam was the process of spreading that new model of State and political institution into Vietnam. When we say that the workers' movement and the patriotic movement in Vietnam adopted Marxism-Leninism, it also means that those movements adopted the new political institution that Nguyen Ai Quoc sought and chose, which was to adopt the model of State owned by the people, under the leadership of the Communist Party, and towards a socio-political regime of the people, by the people, and for the people. Accordingly, when we say that the national and democratic movement developed into a proletarian revolutionary movement, it also means that those movements shifted to the goal of establishing a political institution, a model of State owned by the people, under the leadership of the Communist Party. Is "Doing bourgeois democracy and land revolution to move towards a communist society" of independence, freedom, happiness, rich people, strong country, democracy, fairness, civilization.

Due to the correct orientation of the purpose of the struggle, a struggle that not only brought independence, but more importantly, established a democratic regime, of the people, by the people, for the people, the anti-imperialist and anti-feudal movement in Vietnam broke out strongly. When the movement became a proletarian movement, it led to the birth of communist organizations and the establishment of the Communist Party in Vietnam in early 1930.

InBrief Platform, Brief Strategy, Brief Action Programof the Party, inAppeal on the occasion of the Party's foundingof Nguyen Ai Quoc (February 1930) as well as inPolitical platformof the Party (October 1930), the contents of the political system and the new-style State model were presented concisely and clearly: It was a social model simulating the Soviet society of workers, peasants and soldiers in Russia.

In 1930, in the historical context of the world and Vietnam, when there was no more suitable state model or political institution than the Soviet regime in Russia, choosing that model was correct and progressive, creating new momentum for the Vietnamese revolutionary movement, the peak of which was the Nghe Tinh Soviet in 1930-1931.

In the following revolutionary process, through testing and theoretical research on political institutional models and state models in the world and in Vietnam's reality, Nguyen Ai Quoc and the Party arrived at the model.Democratic RepublicIndochina, creating the driving force for the emergence of a vibrant democratic movement in the years 1936-1939. During the national liberation movement of 1939-1945, Nguyen Ai Quoc - Ho Chi Minh and the Party continued to research, experiment and choose a more suitable political institution and state model, which was the institutionDemocratic Republic of Vietnam.

Political systemDemocratic Republic of Vietnamis a new State model and political institution determined by Ho Chi Minh and the Party Central Committee at the 8th Central Conference in May 1941.Viet Minh Frontis a type of stategovernment moneywith a program of action clearly showing that power belongs to the people, a transitional socio-political institution of the people, by the people, for the people. That model, that institution is the driving force, the flag calling on the entire Vietnamese people to rise up to carry out the August Revolution in 1945, establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam with Ho Chi Minh as President.Democratic Republic of Vietnamwas born, although the circumstances were very difficult, but basically quickly established a new socio-political institution according to Nguyen Ai Quoc's choice, with the purpose of independence and sovereignty of the country, freedom and happiness of the people.

During the period of 1945-1975, Vietnam won two resistance wars against the French colonialists and the American imperialists, restoring peace and unification to the country. From 1975 to now, although there are still many limitations, Vietnam has achieved many great achievements in the cause of building socialism, defending the country, and integrating into the world. Those great victories have many causes, but the most important is due to the new social regime with political, economic, cultural, and social institutions chosen by Nguyen Ai Quoc at the beginning of the 20th century and constantly supplemented, developed, and innovated throughout history.

*****

The fundamental problem of every social revolution is the problem of state politics, the new socio-political institution. Nguyen Ai Quoc's choice of the Russian October Revolution path in the early 20th century was essentially the choice of a new model of state and society for Vietnam, a model with the goal of combining national salvation with people's salvation, in which the characteristics of a stable country, free people, and happy people are the ultimate goals.

The world and Vietnam context, Nguyen Tat Thanh-Nguyen Ai Quoc's own perception in the early 20th century determined the choice of a future social model for Vietnam. The model and the way to reach that social model bore the strong imprint of the contemporary historical context. It was correct and had a positive effect on Vietnam, directly ending the crisis on the path to national liberation, bringing the anti-imperialist and anti-feudal struggle in Vietnam in the early 20th century forward, leading to the victory of the August Revolution in 1945 and the two resistance wars against invasion, unifying the Fatherland, and moving towards socialism.

The Russian October Revolution that took place 100 years ago (1917-2017) has profound historical and contemporary significance. For Vietnam today, the persistence in the good purpose of the chosen path and the creativity in innovating the model as well as adjusting the roadmap and solutions to reach that model are very important and have a decisive significance for the victory of the cause of building and defending the country in the new conditions of the period of promoting industrialization, modernization and deep international integration, when the world and domestic contexts are very different from before.

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Author address:Phone: 0913593354; Email: ngodangtri@yahoo.com.

[1]- Faculty of History, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU.