Green party
From Wikinfo
[[de:Die Gr�nen]][[fr:Partis verts � travers le monde]] The various worldwide green parties are the political (or at least electoral) expression of the larger green movement. Both embody a deep concern for ecology (also see environmentalism), and connect that to a spectrum of political issues, attempting to implement a paradigm shift in how human beings relate to each other and the ecosystems we are a part of. Green party is used to describe any political party that shares those values, but primarily the explicitly named Green parties.
The term "green" is heavily appropriated by politicians and marketers, even used as a verb -- it's not uncommon to hear of "greening" a party or a candidate, or 'small-g greens'. Typically these do not support the full array of green values, but are at best movements or factions who support some green values from within other political parties or corporations. At worst the term is used simply for cynical public relations.
History
In March 1972 the world's very first green party (the United Tasmania Group) was formed at a public meeting in Hobart, Australia. At about that same time, in Atlantic Canada, 'the Small party' was formed with similar goals. In May 1972 a meeting at Victoria University, Wellington New Zealand, launched the Values Party, the world's first national Green party. The term 'Green' was first coined by the German Greens when they contested their first national level election in 1980. The values of these early movements were gradually codified into those of today's worldwide Green parties.
The distinction is very often made between "green parties" (generally spelled in lowercase) in this general sense of emphasizing environmentalism, and specific organized political parties with the name "Green Party" (capitalized) that have grown up around a statement of principles called the Four Pillars and the Green Party consensus process built on them.
The four pillars or four principles are:
- Ecology - ecological sustainability
- Justice - social responsibility
- Democracy - inclusive decision-making
- Peace - Nonviolence (as an end and a means)
There are Green Parties in hundreds of countries around the world, and Green representation at national, regional and local levels.
The organized Green Parties themselves may disagree with the distinction between "green party" and "Green Party", as many Greens argue that there is no respect for nature without peace, and no viable peace without thriving ecoregions. In other words, they claim that every truly green party will by necessity also subscribe to the Green Party tenets.
In 2001, delegates for green parties from 70 countries decided upon a Global Greens Charter which proposes six key principles.
External links
References
- Adapted from the Wikipedia article, "Green party" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_party November 30, 2003
