The Green Party holds
many of the same values and morals that I do. Below is a list of
10 key values supported by the Green Party.
1. GRASSROOTS DEMOCRACY
Every human being deserves a say in the decisions that affect their
lives and not be subject to the will of another. Therefore, we will
work to increase public participation at every level of government and
to ensure that our public representatives are fully accountable to the
people who elect them. We will also work to create new types of
political organizations which expand the process of participatory
democracy by directly including citizens in the decision-making process.
2. SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
All persons should have the rights and opportunity to benefit equally
from the resources afforded us by society and the environment. We must
consciously confront in ourselves, our organizations, and society at
large, barriers such as racism and class oppression, sexism and
homophobia, ageism and disability, which act to deny fair treatment and
equal justice under the law.
3. ECOLOGICAL WISDOM
Human societies must operate with the understanding that we are part of
nature, not separate from nature. We must maintain an ecological
balance and live within the ecological and resource limits of our
communities and our planet. We support a sustainable society which
utilizes resources in such a way that future generations will benefit
and not suffer from the practices of our generation. To this end we
must practice agriculture which replenishes the soil; move to an energy
efficient economy; and live in ways that respect the integrity of
natural systems.
4. NON-VIOLENCE
It is essential that we develop effective alternatives to society’s
current patterns of violence. We will work to demilitarize, and
eliminate weapons of mass destruction, without being naive about the
intentions of other governments. We recognize the need for
self-defense and the defense of others who are in helpless situations.
We promote non-violent methods to oppose practices and policies with
which we disagree, and will guide our actions toward lasting personal,
community and global peace.
5. DECENTRALIZATION
Centralization of wealth and power contributes to social and economic
injustice, environmental destruction, and militarization. Therefore, we
support a restructuring of social, political and economic institutions
away from a system which is controlled by and mostly benefits the
powerful few, to a democratic, less bureaucratic system.
Decision-making should, as much as possible, remain at the individual
and local level, while assuring that civil rights are protected for all
citizens.
6. COMMUNITY-BASED ECONOMICS AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE
We recognize it is essential to create a vibrant and sustainable
economic system, one that can create jobs and provide a decent standard
of living for all people while maintaining a healthy ecological
balance. A successful economic system will offer meaningful work with
dignity, while paying a “living wage” which reflects the real value of
a person’s work.
Local communities must look to economic development that assures
protection of the environment and workers’ rights; broad citizen
participation in planning; and enhancement of our “quality of life.” We
support independently owned and operated companies which are socially
responsible, as well as co-operatives and public enterprises that
distribute resources and control to more people through democratic
participation.
7. FEMINISM AND GENDER EQUITY
We have inherited a social system based on male domination of politics
and economics. We call for the replacement of the cultural ethics of
domination and control with more cooperative ways of interacting that
respect differences of opinion and gender. Human values such as equity
between the sexes, interpersonal responsibility, and honesty must be
developed with moral conscience. We should remember that the process
that determines our decisions and actions is just as important as
achieving the outcome we want.
8. RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY
We believe it is important to value cultural, ethnic, racial, sexual,
religious and spiritual diversity, and to promote the development of
respectful relationships across these lines.
We believe that the many diverse elements of society should be
reflected in our organizations and decision-making bodies, and we
support the leadership of people who have been traditionally closed out
of leadership roles. We acknowledge and encourage respect for other
life forms than our own and the preservation of biodiversity.
9. PERSONAL AND GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITY
We encourage individuals to act to improve their personal well-being
and, at the same time, to enhance ecological balance and social
harmony. We seek to join with people and organizations around the world
to foster peace, economic justice, and the health of the planet.
10. FUTURE FOCUS AND SUSTAINABILITY
Our actions and policies should be motivated by long-term goals. We
seek to protect valuable natural resources, safely disposing of or
“unmaking” all waste we create, while developing a sustainable
economics that does not depend on continual expansion for survival. We
must counterbalance the drive for short-term profits by assuring that
economic development, new technologies, and fiscal policies are
responsible to future generations who will inherit the results of our
actions.
Ten Key Values from other state and local Greens.
There is no authoritative version of the Ten Key Values of the
Greens. The Ten Key Values are guiding principles that are
adapted and defined to fit each state and local chapter.