 A discussion at the 78th session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Bangkok, Thailand. (Photo: VOV) |
Emphasizing people as the driving force for development, documents of the 13th National Party Congress call Vietnamese people and culture the internal strength and motivation for national development and defense in the current period. Vietnam plans to create a favorable environment and social conditions to inspire patriotism, national pride, confidence, and aspiration toward the development of the talent and dignity of the Vietnamese people as the center, goal, and driving force of national development. In its guidelines for economic development the Communist Party of Vietnam emphasizes the promotion of Vietnamese cultural values and human strength.
Promoting the human factor in all national development activities, the Communist Party of Vietnam aims to combine economic growth with social justice for the people and not sacrifice social justice for economic growth. Vietnam believes it is impossible to perform welfare activities well or reduce division and inequality in a poor economy with low growth.
 Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam addresses the event (Photo: VOV) |
Economic growth and social justice are closely related. Economic growth serves as a material premise to ensure the effective implementation of social policies. Social justice is the driving force and the goal of economic growth. Effective implementation of social policies and taking care of the disadvantaged will create an environment and driving force for economic growth.
Being aware of the importance of culture, the Communist Party of Vietnam has affirmed the need to "Harmoniously combine economic growth with cultural and social development and social progress. Economic development is the basis and premise for the implementation of social policies." This concept requires advanced cultural values to penetrate into all areas of social life to create sustainable values and "engage cultural factors and humanistic spirit into social life and behavior in families, schools, and society as well as in production, business, and communication activities."
The Communist Party of Vietnam affirms the State’s important role in linking economic growth with social justice. Economic growth creates material wealth. Fair distribution is the division of products in a proper way. Vietnam is building a socialist-oriented market economy, which means a market economy to serve the people and for the people.
The State plays an important role in creating an equitable environment with equal opportunities in production and business. The State directs the development process, allocates resources, regulates the implementation of social and economic policies, distributes income among economic sectors, and redistributes it through social welfare. The State creates opportunities for all individuals and organizations to promote the strength of individuals, businesses, and communities to participate in social welfare activities.
Economic growth and social justice need to focus on the interests of workers and the people. Economic growth serves workers while the interests of workers drives economic growth. The Communist Party of Vietnam encourages people to become rich legally. Vietnam defines the coordination of economic growth with social justice as a common goal for the people and recognizes that economic growth goes hand in hand with culture, health, and education development.
The Communist Party of Vietnam’s determination to associate economic growth and social issues with the people and place people at the center reflects the good nature of the political regime that Vietnam is building with goals that include rich people, a strong country, democracy, equality, civilization, and becoming a developed country with a high per capita income whose people enjoy happiness from their economic achievements.