The Farmers’ Association in Quang Dien donates agricultural produce to the isolation area. Photo: Hoang Trieu
Socialist democracy is of the working people and for the benefits of the working people.
In Vietnam, on the first days when realizing the damage caused by the COVID-19 to people’s life, the government and relevant ministries issued many policies to support people and entrepreneurs and help them overcome their difficulties. Particularly, the government issued Resolution No 42/NQ-CP about measures to support people in need due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the resolution, the government, entrepreneurs and the community are together responsible for ensuring life for working people.
Also in the COVID-19 pandemic, President Nguyen Phu Trong advised cadres, soldiers and people both inside and outside the country to act like soldiers to prevent and combat the pandemic.
With the motto: “People’s health is above all else,” the PM issued Direction No. 16 about urgent ways to prevent and combat COVID-19, which was thoroughly supported by the people, especially the execution of social distancing, aiming at reducing the infected cases. The structure the Party as the leader, the government as the manager, and the working people as owners shows the positive nature of socialist democracy in Vietnam.
With people as owners of the country, Vietnam has created the equality in solving the problems caused by the pandemic such as employment and social welfare.
With the spirit of "Good leaves protect torn leaves; less torn leaves protect more torn leaves,” the mobilization of the whole society to help fight against the pandemic proved effective. Through the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee and socio-political organizations, we have mobilized the contributions of numerous people with the amount of up to hundreds of billion dongs just in a short time. This shows clearly the nature of socialist democracy.
Socialist democracy is implemented through the socialist law-based state. In Vietnam, the fight against the pandemic proves the government is of the people, by the people and for the people.
All forces have been mobilized to protect people’s health. The whole political system including doctors, medical officials, military forces, policemen, etc., have involved themselves in the combat. Many good ideas have been suggested such as “rice ATMs” that supplied rice for poor people.
The reality of the fight against the pandemic in Vietnam proves that even while doing it, our economy still develops.
Although we are not economically better than other countries in the area and in the world, all infected cases have been completely exempt from fees for isolation and treatment. This shows the profound humane character of the socialist democracy in our country.
Alive, President Ho Chi Minh once said: “A government for the people is the government that aims at legitimate benefits for the people. Everything is for the benefit of the people, but no any other benefit.” Through this COVID-19 pandemic, we have better understanding of Uncle Ho's teachings.
Story: Tran Trong Huong (MA)