The Left from a Marxist Perspective

The international scientific seminar with the theme "Theoretical foundations of the Left from a Marxist perspective" was held on November 25-26 in Hanoi.The seminar is one of the activities of the project "Choosing Left-Wing Theory in a Changing World" supported by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation (Federal Republic of Germany) and coordinated with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in 2009-2010. In this seminar, scientists and managers from Germany, the United States and Vietnam focused on discussing and exchanging experiences in theoretical research on the Left from a Marxist perspective in the process of globalization and change. Prof. Vu Cao Dam (Director of the Center for Policy Research and Analysis) in his introductory report presented different perceptions of the current Left. Traditionally, the "Left" includes the bourgeois intellectuals, intellectuals, and workers of the Third Estate, often sitting to the left of the National Assembly chairman's chair, always representing the revolutionary spirit demanding justice and freedom; in contrast to the “Right Wing”, sitting on the right of the president’s chair, of the conservative clergy and aristocrats who want to maintain the current socio-political order. The “Left Wing” advocates individual freedom, social justice, democracy, and advocates a rapid change in the current socio-political order. The spirit of the “Left Wing” is the revolutionary spirit of new values. Theoretical studies on the Left Wing in each country and region are one of the key issues that many reports aim at. Some reports can be mentioned such as: “Socialist tendencies in the current Left Wing movement in Latin America” – author Pham Hoang Giang has outlined some basic tendencies that the Left Wing movement is creating on the path towards socialism of some Latin American countries, that is: the ideology of building guidelines and orientations towards socialism of the Latin American Left Wing Parties; implementing the path of national independence, escaping the imposition of the capitalist world, dependence on foreign countries, strengthening solidarity and international cooperation, the goals of people's livelihood, democracy and equality need to be realized in the economic, cultural and social life of Latin American countries. Or "The issue of 'Left' and 'Right' of German political parties today" - Dr. Luong Van Ke, "The difference between the Latin American Left and the European Left creates a breakthrough" - Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen An Ninh... And many other reports also focus on studying the theory of the Left in some countries: Germany, the United States, Venezuela... Studying the theory of the Left from the Marxist perspective in Vietnam, Professor, Dr. Dang Canh Khanh pays special attention to "Ho Chi Minh's humanistic thought and the vitality of the current Left movement". He emphasizes the position and role of people in the development of the current Left movement. He believes that promoting the role of human beings is the subject and driving force of the Left movement and of development; human happiness is the highest goal of development, and also the highest goal of the Left movement. Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Van Kim - Vice Principal of the School affirmed: The seminar not only contributes to promoting new research directions on the Left but also contributes to expanding research and training activities in the fields of political science, historical science of the School in particular and social sciences and humanities of Vietnam in general.