Vietnam Shifts Focus to 'Practicing' Ho Chi Minh's Ideology to Drive Action

Following a decade of implementing Directive No. 05-CT/TW on learning and following President Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality, and style, the Politburo has issued Directive No. 07-CT/TW, dated July 13, 2026. This new directive shifts the emphasis from "learning and following" to "learning and practicing," aiming to imbue the study of Ho Chi Minh with greater dynamism and effectiveness. While the previous directive fostered a widespread adoption of Ho Chi Minh's teachings, contributing significantly to the Party's political, ideological, moral, and organizational development, it also revealed persistent issues of formalism in some areas. The rapid and unpredictable changes in the global and regional landscape, coupled with the expanding influence of ideological fronts in cyberspace, necessitate a more robust and action-oriented approach. Directive No. 07-CT/TW addresses this by redefining the learning process. Instead of merely asking "what to learn and how to follow," it poses the higher-level questions: "What results should be achieved through practice, and how can these be measured?" The directive mandates that the outcomes of learning and practicing Ho Chi Minh's ideology be assessed through work productivity, quality, efficiency, and the satisfaction levels of citizens and businesses. A key innovation in Directive No. 07-CT/TW is the inclusion of "Ho Chi Minh's method" alongside his ideology, morality, and style. This component is designed to create a bridge from awareness to action, and from ethical conduct to work effectiveness. Ho Chi Minh's legacy is seen as a comprehensive guide, where ideology provides direction, morality forms the spiritual foundation, method offers scientific tools for realization, and style embodies the dynamic expression of these elements in daily practice. Emphasizing "Ho Chi Minh's method" underscores the importance of developing scientific and effective problem-solving capabilities, grounded in reality and attentive to the needs of the people. Consequently, the directive directly links the practice of Ho Chi Minh's teachings with the spirit of innovation, daring to think, daring to act, and taking responsibility for the common good. In an era marked by increasing complexity and challenges, breakthrough progress is impossible without officials who are willing to tackle difficult tasks, make decisions, and accept accountability. Directive No. 07-CT/TW therefore calls for Party members and officials to confront difficulties, and mandates the timely replacement of those who evade responsibility or are hesitant to act for the collective benefit. Ultimately, the directive concretizes the learning of Ho Chi Minh into a practical requirement for cadres: not only possessing the qualities to desire action, but also the methods to act correctly, the courage to act, and the responsibility to see actions through to completion. This initiative is crucial as the Party accelerates its reform of leadership methods and strives to achieve the strategic objectives set forth by the 14th Party Congress. Effective implementation of Directive No. 07-CT/TW will facilitate a transition from learning to knowing, from following to practicing, and from commitment to generating concrete products and results. When these transformations become routine, the study of Ho Chi Minh will truly be effective, and his ideology, morality, method, and style will serve as a vital spiritual resource and a driving force for the nation's new stage of development.