Innovation to bring the country through the crisis, step into development
After the country was unified in 1975, the people's greatest aspiration was to live in peace, prosperity and development. But the country stepped out of war with countless difficulties. The economy was exhausted, the material facilities were poor, production was stagnant, and people's lives were deprived.
Statistics on Vietnam's socio-economy in the period 1976-1985 have shown that the socio-economic situation and people's lives are still facing many difficulties, serious socio-economic crises, manifested by: low economic growth, no accumulation from the internal economy because it is not enough to eat, national production income is only equal to 80-90% of the national income used; hyperinflation is rampant.
In that context, the VI Congress in 1986 became a milestone of special significance in the country's development journey under the leadership of the Party. With the spirit of looking straight at the truth, speaking the truth clearly, the Party frankly pointed out the limitations and weaknesses in awareness and organization of implementation. At the same time, the Party set out the determination to implement the comprehensive and synchronous renovation in all fields: economy, politics, culture, society, foreign affairs, national defense, security and Party building. This has affirmed that renovation is the return to the goal of a prosperous and happy life for the people.
From the requirement to remove bottlenecks in the economy, the Party has gradually formed an increasingly complete awareness that the ultimate goal of development is not only to create wealth, but to improve the material and spiritual life of the people, ensuring that all people enjoy the fruits of development.
40 years of Doi Moi is also a process of increasingly deeper awareness of happiness. People's happiness is not simply understood as escaping poverty, but is increasingly being comprehensively accessed, with higher requirements. Happiness is having an increasingly better material life; having jobs, income, housing; being educated, taking care of health; living in a safe and stable environment; being guaranteed the right to mastery; having equal access to development opportunities; living in a kind, civilized, and compassionate society. Happiness is also the people's belief in the future of the country, in the leadership of the Party, and in the nation's ability to rise up.
People's happiness becomes a measure of development
The viewpoint of putting people at the center of development is increasingly clearly expressed in the Party's guidelines. One of the key tasks of the 13th Party Congress mandate identified is: "improving the quality of life and happiness index of Vietnamese people". The "happiness" factor identified in the Party Congress documents has shown that it is also one of the consistent goals that our Party always aims for. According to Prof. Dr. Phung Huu Phu - former Standing Vice Chairman of the Central Theoretical Council, the "happiness" factor is a highlight in the 13th Party Congress Document, human nature and humanity are strongly expressed.
After nearly 40 years of renovation, our country has achieved many outstanding achievements and miracles. The political report at the 14th Party Congress clearly stated that the GDP scale in 2025 reached over 514 billion USD, 1.48 times higher than in 2020, ranking 32nd in the world, GDP per capita reached 5.026 USD, joining the group of high-middle-income countries, highly appreciated by many prestigious international organizations. The Human Development Index (HDI) has improved significantly, increasing by 14 places, reaching 0.766 points, belonging to the group of high-developed countries. The happiness index in 2025 ranked 46th/143 countries, up 33 places compared to 2021.
The 14th Party Congress continues to identify the direction for national development in the 2026-2030 period, which is: Continuing to strongly innovate thinking, promote strategic breakthroughs, build a new development ecosystem, ensure the view of taking development for stability, stability for promoting development and constantly improving people's lives and happiness. Among the main development goals and targets for 5 years 2026-2030, Vietnam is also identified as striving to be in the group of 40 countries with the highest happiness index.
Under the leadership of the Party, the happiness of the People is not only established as a goal in the revolutionary line, but is gradually realized by specific, comprehensive and verifiable development achievements. This comprehensive development affirms that, under the leadership of the Party, the goal of the People's happiness has been and is being transformed from viewpoints and guidelines into vivid achievements in social life.
According to Mr. Nguyen Tuc - Chairman of the Advisory Council on Culture - Society (Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front), throughout the 40-year journey of renovation, the Party has always consistently stated its point of view: The people are the center, the subject of the renovation, construction and defense of the Fatherland; all guidelines and policies must truly originate from the lives, aspirations, legitimate rights and interests of the people, taking the happiness and prosperity of the people as the goal to strive for. This is the inheritance of Ho Chi Minh's thought of a truly people-oriented regime, a new development in the Party's thinking about the goal of national development in the renovation and integration period. AI VAN
