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As ratified at the Green Party
Convention in Denver, CO, June 2000.
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.
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