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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.
From the Green
Party US web site
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