be part of the solution
- Ecological Wisdom
- Social Justice
- Grassroots Democracy
- Nonviolence
- Decentralization
- Community-Based Economics
- Feminism
- Respect for Diversity
- Personal and Global Responsibility
- Future Focus
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.
The first 4 are the "Four Pillars" shared by Green parties all over the world.
The Green Party is a political party, an association of people who
have come together for common political goals, and help advocates of
those goals get elected to government office. It is part of an
international movement of Green parties around the world.
The Green Party is currently the "third" party that has the greatest
potential to break through the two-party monopoly that has had a
stranglehold on our government for decades. At present, over 250
Greens now hold elective office, primarily at the local or municipal
level, including 7 in Illinois. Such numbers may seem small but every
political movement has to start somewhere, and for a third party in
the United States that was only formed in 1999, it is a significant
achievement. In 2006, the Green Party candidates for Governor and
Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, Rich Whitney and Julie Samuels,
received over 360,000 votes, more than 10.4 percent of the total, the
highest percentage received by a third party in modern times. It also
gave the Green Party "established" party status under Illinois law,
making it far easier for Green Party candidates to get on the ballot
and compete against Democrats and Republicans on a more level playing
field. In 2008, record numbers of Green Party candidates in Illinois
are poised to run for many offices, from county level to Congress,
and win.
Unlike other political parties in the United States, the Green Party
is distinguished by three unique characteristics:
First, the Green Party is based on values and principles,
not personalities, or politicians with more "image" and money than
substance. Specifically, we are united by our Ten Key Values.
Second, the Green Party and its candidates reject corporate campaign funding.
A corporation is a business entity that absolves its owners of any
personal liability, and is obligated by law to serve the interests of
its shareholders. Although some corporations do behave responsibly,
this is generally a bad combination, especially when government fails
to sufficiently regulate corporate conduct. It means that most
corporations will do whatever will maximize profits in the short term,
even if that means despoiling the environment, destroying jobs and
communities or otherwise creating social harm. These amoral
institutions have no loyalty to any community or nation, or concern
for the fate of the planet.
We, the people, allow corporations to exist, because, historically,
they have served as a powerful engine for economic growth. As a
result, giant multinational corporations are the dominant economic
institutions of our time. But we the people failed to remain vigilant.
We no longer use corporate chartering laws and other means to
adequately limit their activity. Thus, the corporations and their
major owners have been able to use their tremendous wealth and power
to control the Democratic and Republican parties, buy the allegiance
of their candidates and officeholders, and thereby control government
lawmaking and policy, especially at the federal and state level.
The United States was conceived, however imperfectly, as a government
of, by and for the people. But today, the corporations have come to
control government far more than government controls them. Our
democratic republic has been subverted and is now largely a
plutocracy, or rule by the wealthy. The Italian dictator Benito
Mussolini once described such a "marriage" between corporations and
government as the first stage of fascism. This state of affairs has
created other harms, such as an entrenched military-industrial
complex, repeated drives toward war, attacks on our civil liberties,
and an increasingly powerful executive branch.
We, the people, need to fight back and reclaim our democratic
republic. That is why the Green Party and its candidates, as a matter
of principle, reject corporate campaign contributions, even from the
better-behaving corporations. And that is why our Party and its
candidates fight for meaningful campaign finance reforms that will get
the corporate influence out of government, fight to rein in corporate
misconduct, and support alternatives to the corporate model, such as
worker-owned enterprises and cooperatives. Government and its policies
should be in the service of the people, the living human beings who
vote, not artificial entities that the people have created.
Third, the Green Party is a movement-based party.
If the people are to be in control of their own government, the
people have to be actively involved in forming and influencing its
policies. This is basic civics but it is a lesson often forgotten.
Politics should not be a spectator sport that people just passively
follow on the news, like some sort of horse race. If the people leave
politics to the powerful few, the powerful few will continue to
predominate.
The Green Party was formed by people who understand this civic
responsibility, and we need more of you to join us and help us be
more effective! As a party consisting mainly of people who work for a
living, we understand that few people can be politically active all
the time, but we also understand that it is not enough for people to
simply vote once every two years and expect the government to serve
the people's interests. Many Greens are active in the environmental,
peace, labor, women's, civil rights, health-care, social justice
and/or other socially progressive movements. We stay connected to
those movements and we get many of our policy ideas from them. We are
working to get the Green Party recognized as the representative of
these movements on the political field, rather then the Democratic and
occasional Republican pretenders who claim to represent them but
rarely do. If united behind a genuine people's party like the Green
Party, these movements could become a powerful political force.
Being a movement-connected, activist party provides another safeguard
that the Green Party will remain true to its mission. Because we are
involved in the progressive movements in society, the progressive
movements can help hold Green office-holders' "feet to the fire," and
ensure that they stay true to the people who helped get them elected.
As a result of its unique foundation, the Green Party is the political
party that consistently stands up for the interests of the people.
Get Involved! For the Green Party to Succeed, We Need Your Help!
It does no good to sit on the sidelines and complain that the
Democratic and Republican parties are rotten, or that the Green Party
isn't doing enough. This party is what it's members make of it. Change
doesn't happen by itself. People like you have to make it happen! Now
is the time to get involved in a real people's movement to reclaim our
democracy and build government of, by and for the people!
be part of the solution
