Before the "Doi moi" (reform) process initiated in December 1986, the CPV followed the Soviet model without sufficient consideration of Vietnam's unique context. This led to economic stagnation. Observing China's success with market-oriented reforms, Vietnamese leaders sought to innovate their thinking while maintaining a Marxist-Leninist perspective. Engels's revolutionary theory and scientific socialist doctrine were deemed particularly relevant, becoming a foundation for Vietnam's socialist path. The CPV's initial understanding of the transition to socialism was simplistic, but this improved significantly after 1986 with a deeper understanding and application of Engels's theoretical framework. This aligned with Ho Chi Minh's emphasis on Leninism as the most revolutionary doctrine. The CPV acknowledged past mistakes stemming from a lack of systematic theoretical thinking about the transition period, highlighting the importance of theoretical innovation. The innovative application of Engels's ideas, informed by practical experience and self-criticism, became a crucial factor in Vietnam's successful economic and political reforms.

The study draws heavily on the collected works of Marx and Engels, along with Engels's independent writings, supplemented by related scholarly research. The authors analyze key Engels's works such as "German Ideology", "Anti-Dühring", and "Dialectics of Nature" to extract his core views on theoretical thinking. They also examine the experiences of the Soviet Union and China in applying Engels's ideas to understand the successes and failures of different approaches to socialist development. The research integrates these analyses with Vietnamese Communist Party documents, particularly those from Party Congresses since 1986, to illustrate how Engels's ideas were adopted and adapted in the Vietnamese context.

This research employs a logical-historical approach, analyzing primary sources including the collected works of Marx and Engels, and official documents of the CPV (especially post-1986). The study aims to demonstrate Engels’s practical and theoretical contributions to the CPV's leadership policies for socialist development in Vietnam. While many of Engels's works were written independently, the research utilizes editions that include both Marx's and Engels's writings to provide a complete picture of their collaborative and individual contributions. The analysis focuses on how Engels’s dialectical and innovative thinking, particularly concerning the construction of socialism, informed the CPV's reforms. The authors contextualize Engels's contributions within the larger Marxist-Leninist tradition, highlighting his specific role in adapting Marxist principles for application in non-European contexts.

The study identifies four key aspects of Engels’s theoretical thinking: (1) Theoretical thinking originates from practical experience and is refined through continuous learning and generalization. (2) Theoretical thinking is closely connected with scientific thinking, particularly natural sciences, providing an objective foundation for understanding natural laws and their application to social phenomena. (3) Theoretical thinking is inseparable from dialectical materialism, which helps understand the connections and interactions within the natural world and society, avoiding metaphysical errors. (4) A deep study of philosophy's history is crucial for the development of theoretical thinking. The research shows how the CPV incorporated these aspects into its reform process. The economic reform, starting in 1986, was driven by a transition from a centrally planned economy to a socialist-market economy, incorporating multi-ownership structures and market mechanisms. The political reforms included strengthening the role of the people, improving legal systems, and enhancing international relations. Vietnam's economic growth since 1986, demonstrated by significant increases in GDP per capita and poverty reduction, is highlighted as evidence of the success of this approach. These achievements are presented alongside the continuous efforts by the CPV to refine its theoretical understanding and adapt its approach based on ongoing experiences and lessons learned. The study contrasts the Vietnamese experience with those of the Soviet Union and China, arguing that the CPV's creative adaptation of Engels's ideas has been a critical factor in its success.

The findings address the research questions by demonstrating how the CPV’s application of Engels’s theoretical thinking directly shaped its reform policies and contributed to Vietnam's development. The significance of the results lies in showcasing a successful case study of adapting Marxist-Leninist principles to a specific national context. The relevance to the field stems from its contribution to the ongoing debate about the theoretical underpinnings and practical application of socialist development models. The study’s emphasis on continuous self-criticism and adaptation highlights the dynamic nature of theoretical frameworks and the need to evolve in response to changing circumstances. The comparative analysis with the Soviet Union and China provides insights into the factors that contribute to successful and unsuccessful socialist transitions.

This research demonstrates the significant influence of Engels’s theoretical thinking on the CPV’s leadership and Vietnam's reform process. The CPV's creative application of Engels's ideas, combined with continuous self-reflection and adaptation, has resulted in significant socio-economic progress. The study underscores the importance of linking theoretical understanding with practical experience in navigating the complexities of socialist development. Future research could explore the long-term implications of the CPV's approach, examine the challenges of sustaining reforms, and further analyze the interplay between theoretical innovation and practical policy implementation in similar contexts.

The study primarily focuses on the CPV's perspective and utilizes official documents as key sources. While this provides a valuable understanding of the CPV's internal reasoning and policy decisions, it may limit the inclusion of alternative viewpoints and perspectives on the impact of the reforms. Furthermore, the research relies heavily on data related to economic growth and poverty reduction, and could benefit from a more thorough analysis of other social and political indicators. The study does not analyze challenges to the CPV's approach in detail and mainly focuses on its successes.