About the Green Party's Values

The Green Party is guided by the principles of its Four Pillars and Ten Key Values:

FOUR PILLARS

The Four Pillars are the basis of the Green Party. These core values, tied closely to the party's Ten Key Values, are derived from the Green vision of a thriving planet filled with happy, healthy, dignified people, living in sustaining and sustainable communities, who participate in their government, and treat one another and the world with dignity and fairness.

1. Ecological Wisdom
2. Social Justice
3. Grassroots Democracy
4. Nonviolence

1 - Ecological Wisdom
More than stop-gap solutions like recycling, this means living simply and in harmony with our surroundings. Humanity is not separate from nature, nor do individuals live in isolation from each other. Our actions, lifestyles and businesses have an impact on our human and natural environment. We seek to minimize our negative impact and maximize our positive impact on both civilization and wilderness.

2 - Social Justice
The promise of our Constitution and society are meant for all people, regardless of our superficial differences (including economic disparity). Everyone deserves the chance to live a healthy, meaningful life, with the ability to participate in the decisions that affect their lives and their surroundings. Green Parties seek to help individuals and their communities achieve that balance. Further, we oppose efforts by business or government to infringe on the human rights of citizens of the United States or of other nations.

3 - Grassroots Democracy
The legitimacy of government is derived from the voluntary consent of the governed. The closer the decision-makers are to those who would be affected by the decision, the more effective, efficient, and accountable government is. This value is based on Greens' unshakable conviction that people everywhere have the right to, capacity and responsibility for, self-determination.

4 - Nonviolence
Violence is morally wrong and logistically ineffective, because it treats the symptoms of problems, not the root causes. Greens acknowledge the need to take desperate measures in self-defense in life-or-death situations, but nonviolence to us means actively working to build a world where violence is unnecessary. In the 21st Century, where the international community has become increasingly dependent upon all cultures, we believe that there is no problem that cannot be solved through dialogue, and we believe that no problem CAN be solved through violence whether it's military or interpersonal, physical violence. Greens work to promote peaceful resolution to conflict. We also categorically reject the death penalty in any form.

TEN KEY VALUES

At its founding meeting in 1984, the Green Committees of Correspondence in the United States expanded the Four Pillars into the Ten Key Values:

1. Grassroots Democracy
2. Social Justice and Equal Opportunity
3. Ecological Wisdom
4. Nonviolence
5. Decentralization
6. Community-Based Economics and Economic Justice
7. Feminism and Gender Equity
8. Respect for Diversity
9. Personal and Global Responsibility
10. Future Focus and Sustainability

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 - Nonviolence
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 nonviolent 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 - Post-Patriarchal Values; 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.

There is no authoritative version of the Four Pillars or the Ten Key Values of the Greens. These values are guiding principles that are adapted and defined to fit each country, state and local chapter.

This campaign is grounded in these values. Look for lists of Key Values following articles and other content on this website.

To learn more about the Green Party of the United States, visit www.gp.org.