Social Democracy

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PRINCIPLES

1.  Social Democracy’s Social Philosophy

The broad goal of Social Democracy is to develop and modify the existing structure of Australian society to in order to bring it closer to being a free and just democratic society.  summarised below.

2.  The Primacy of the Human Person

Social Democracy maintains that every human being has an inherent dignity and essential worth which is absolutely independent of all value or usefulness to society.

On this principle rests the prime political goal of Social Democracy –

TO DEVELOP AN AUSTRALIAN NATION OF FREE MEN AND WOMEN BASED ON THE RECOGNITION THAT THE STATE EXISTS FOR THE GOOD OF THE INDIVIDUAL PERSON.

2.  Freedom – Humanity’s Rightful Inheritance

Social Democracy maintains that the dignity and essential worth of the human person can be best respected and preserved if each individual has the ready opportunity to participate in the making of decisions which affect him or her.

On this principle rests the second political goal of the Social Democracy –

TO DEVELOP AUSTRALIA AS A FREE SOCIETY IN WHICH ALL CITIZENS HAVE THE MAXIMUM POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICPATE IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND MAKING OF ALL DECISIONS (ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL) WHICH AFFECT THEM.

Responsibility – the corollary to freedom – imposes on the individual correlative responsibilities to the common good.

On this principle rests the third political objective of Social Democracy –

TO DEVELOP AUSTRALIA AS A JUST DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY IN WHCH POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC INFLUENCE OR POWER IS DISTRIBUTED ON THE WIDEST POSSIBLE BASIS THROUGHOUT SOCIETY.

3.  Establishing a Just Society

Social Democracy pledges itself –

TO DECENTRALISE TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE THE OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL OF THE MEANS OF PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION AND EXCHANGE.

Recognising the undue political power stems from a societal structure in which decision-making is remote from the individual, Social Democracy pledges itself – 

TO THE BROADENING OF THE POWER BASE OF SOCIETY BY DECENTRALISATION TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT EFFECTIVELY POSSIBLE OF POLITICAL AUTHORITY WITHIN SOCIETY.

DEMOCRATIC DECENTRALSM

THE IDEOLOGY OF FREEDOM AND JUSTICE

1.  Defining Decentralism

The guiding political philosophy of Social Democracy is decentralism, which may be broadly defined as the spreading through constitutional means of wealth, power and property on the widest possible basis throughout the community.

As a general principle, in a decentralist society, the state should do only what individuals or intermediate autonomous bodies are not able to do efficiently.  Further these autonomous bodies (local councils, trade unions, residents’ associations, cultural societies, professional institutes and so forth) should only do what individuals or family groups cannot do well.

2.  Political Decentralism

In the field of government, this means that there are certain duties (for example, immigration, defence or international treaties) which are most appropriately performed by a central political authority – the Australian Government.

Outside this range of duties, the central government’s function must be to help co-ordinate, towards the common good, the efforts of those levels of government or the many autonomous organisations which are more directly controlled by their constituents or members.

3.  Economic Decentralism

Economic decentralism means that the personal ownership of the nation’s wealth is equitably distributed on the widest possible basis.

Political decentralism without economic decentralism means that employees are relegated to the position of ‘wage slaves’ and have little or no opportunity to achieve their goals though the exercise of responsibility.

In order to bring about this free and just democratic society, Social Democracy is pledged to the creation of a nation economically strong, nationally secure, fully employed, in which poverty shall have no part, with the greatest possible educational opportunities and the highest possible moral and cultural values, and dedicated to the principles of liberty and peace.

1)  The establishment of the economic, social and political foundations of personal freedom by decentralisation to the maximum extent possible of the ownership and control of the means of production, distribution and exchange; by the devolution of power to the smallest units for effective decision-making; and by the decentralisation of population.  The implementation of economic democracy by support for profit-sharing, co-operatives, worker ownership, small-scale enterprise and employee and consumer participation in the control of industry.

2)  The maintenance of parliamentary democracy, the assertion of the individual and community duty to observe the rule of law, the assertion of independence in judgement and action of duly democratically elected political representatives.

3)  The preservation and support of the family as the basic unity of society.

4)  The acknowledgment of the roles of individual initiative, private enterprise and the state in social and economic affairs.

5)  The maintenance of the Australian federal system with a due distribution of power and economic resources between the Commonwealth, the states and local government.

6)  The maintenance of the industrial relations system as a means of determining wages and salaries and as the instrument for resolving industrial disputes.

7)  The acknowledgement of the necessary and proper role of the trade union movement in society and the democratic control of trade unions by their members.

8)  The strengthening and extension of the concept of Australian citizenship with due regard for Australia’s membership in the community of nations and recognition of Australia’s duty to contribute to the welfare of the underprivileged peoples of the world.

9)  The development and maintenance of an adequate defence force.

10)  The closest possible economic, cultural and mutual defence alliances with friendly nations.

11)  The adoption of electoral systems under both federal and state laws to enable appropriate parliamentary and local council representation for significant minority groups within the community.

12)  The establishment of the concept of education as a public good.

13)  The protection and conservation of our natural environment and the planned use of natural resources in recognition of the close relationship between humanity and nature and the finite nature of the earth’s resources.

Social democracy calls  upon all citizens to join with us in achieving these goals, so that Australians may enjoy a better life.