Declaration of principles

"Freedom, democracy, justice, sustainability and solidarity. These are the ideals of Social Democracy. In the confrontation of these ideals with everyday reality, principles provide direction."

Declaration of principles, Dutch Labour Party

1. Ideals
 
1.1 Freedom, democracy, justice, sustainability and solidarity.

These are the ideals of Social Democracy. In the confrontation of these ideals with everyday reality, principles provide direction. For the Dutch Labour Party, PvdA, the right to a decent life is a core principle - one that enables full participation in society, with room for those who wish to participate and dignity for those who cannot. A decent society is one in which freedom, solidarity and responsibility join forces.

1.2 Social Democracy is a European and an international movement that fights for these ideals.

The Dutch Labour Party, PvdA, is the representative of this movement in the Netherlands. This movement opposes all violations of human rights and all unreasonable inequality of income and power. It opposes poverty, discrimination, the depletion and pollution of nature and the environment. The ‘social-democratic method’ is connected with a strong economy and a vital market, but is marked by a framework that cannot automatically be provided solely by that market - that of social justice, democratic accountability, public interest, cultural development and ecological sustainability.

1.3 The way in which the movement trimmed its sails during the course of the 20th century demonstrates a sense of responsibility and of realism.

Social Democracy played a leading role in 19th-century opposition to the unbridled capitalism, which affected the living conditions of large groups of the population. It played a leading role in the emancipation of workers and other groups suffering discrimination, and in the reconstruction of a Europe ravaged by two world wars. Social Democracy has a historic connection with the reconstruction of parliamentary democracy, with the welfare state and with a socially negotiated economy. Social Democracy therefore wishes to contibute to the modernisation of these pillars, which support a decent society. The core conviction of Social Democracy always has been, and still is, that such modernisation cannot be achieved without a strong and democratic government.

1.4 For over a century now, Social Democratic ideals have inspired and united people with the most diverse backgrounds and convictions.

The Dutch Labour Party, PvdA, seeks to mobilise these people and offer them a place from which they can fight for their ideals - inside and outside politics, but always in a democratic way. Social Democracy believes that politics can make the difference between a marginal and a decent existence, between humiliation and emancipation, between the rivalry of nation states and international cooperation, between apartheid and freedom - politics matters!
 
2. Principles in the Modern Era
 
2.1 The right to a decent life
 
Provision of opportunities, distribution of power and income, and investment in knowledge are all necessary ingredients if people are to make the best of themselves. This entails constant choices: weighing the freedoms of one against the freedoms of another, rights against duties, and freedom against social justice. In an open economy, effective redistribution is a difficult task. This is no excuse for abandoning ambitions; however aims must be formulated clearly. The unshakable conviction that all people are equal results in a plea for the right to a decent life. At the very minimum, everyone is entitled to a level of social security, which enables him or her to participate fully in society. Everyone should be able to count on being treated with respect by the government, its agencies and employees - the kind of respect that the government may require from its citizens in return.
 
2.2 Solidarity and togetherness
 
Large parts of the working class, as well as many women, have been emancipated from their traditional, culturally deprived positions. An extensive, albeit diverse, middle class has arisen. Although the middle class is the main giver of solidarity, it does not always reap sufficient benefit. On the other hand, not everyone in the Netherlands is well educated, prosperous and emancipated. Nowadays, perhaps more than ever before, a lack of education, persistent deprivation and exclusion go hand in hand. On balance, too many migrants have difficulties in finding a place in society. The interests of these different groups are so divergent that public willingness to take responsibility for one other has come under pressure. Solidarity thrives on a foundation of profound togetherness and sympathy. Increasing diversity puts pressure on thatfoundation. Turning the tide requires selective migration policies, the development of a shared orientation towards the past and future of our society, and a radical effort to stamp out discrimination and deprivation.
 
2.3 Decentralised government
 
Public administration is under pressure. Social problems seldom observe administrative boundaries. Sometimes they have cross-border characteristics; sometimes they are particulary local in nature. Efforts to control these types of problems are often accompanied by a mania for organisation and bureaucratisation, resulting in poor implementation and a lack of democratic control. Citizens are, understandably, up in arms about this. The development of large-scale, anonymous power structures stands in opposition to an increasing need for a small-scale decentralised democracy. Social Democracy again favours a government that is as local as possible and with the most localised representatation. This could entail rethinking the distribution of tasks between the European Union and its member states, as well as within member states and between national and local governments. It is for the advocates of larger-scale government and representation to prove the benefits of these.
 
2.4 Selective and sustainable growth
 
A strong economy is essential for quality of life. Although enterpreneurial   production methods are a major motor of innovation, prosperity and employment, the economy is not everything. Unrestrained economic activities are obstacles to quality of life when the need for 'work, work, work' turns into the haste of 'rush, rush, rush', when commerce results in cultural sameness, when markets turn a blind eye to nature, the environment and animal welfare, when the burdens of our economic growth are shifted to developing nations and future generations. In short, growth must be selective and sustainable.
 
2.5 A versatile democratic constitutional state
 
The need for social improvement remains undiminished. However, the criteria for determining which are effective instruments have grown stricter. ‘Top-down’ change is often slow to convince the public.
 
Those who assume that support for laws and regulations is self-evident may often be disappointed. Citizens seek and find their own ways of influencing society: as Dutch and European citizens, as consumers, as neighbours, at their workplace and as volunteers. But the constitutional state, with its parliamentary democracy, its traditional balance of powers and its emphasis on basic rights, remainsat the centre. It does, however, need a much more versatile character, with a larger variety of means of influencing society and forms of governance. Herein lies a huge potential for social change. The Dutch Labour Party, PvdA, therefore promotes policies, which attract citizens to becoming organised and taking responsibility, not just for their own sake, but also for the future of society as a whole. 
 
2.6 Freedom as a right
 
Freedom is not some kind of reward; freedom is a right. Apart from the right to be free, Social Democracy promotes the opportunities and means for everyone to enjoy that freedom. However, the starting points are not the same for all, and the risks for many are great. Providing opportunities only, even equal opportunities, is not sufficient. People also have the right to security - the security of a decent life. Social Democracy distinguishes itself in this from (neo) liberalism. We advocate the creation of opportunities and the redistribution of resources in order to create more equal starting points, and we plead for solidarity in order to enable everyone to have a decent life, within and beyond the Netherlands. We strive to embed and curtail the market mechanism, and to safeguard a public domain that is not dominated by commerce, in which essential services are accessible to everyone.

2.7 Society as a choice
 
Social Democracy gives meaning to the formation of society, social cohesion and public ethics without paternalism or timidity. This is what distinguishes Social Democracy from (neo) conservatism. From its beginnings, Social Democracy has always applauded when people united by their own choice, in order to liberate themselves, not to conform. We strongly believe in a relaxed society in which men and women have choices concerning paid work, care, education and voluntary work. We defend a liberal ethic in which - against a background of basic law that applies to everyone - there is room for different ideologies, lifestyles and cultures.
 
3.  Desires
 
3.1 The Netherlands and the world
 
3.1.1 Globalisation
 
Increasingly, the world is becoming a single economic unit. This is related to technological developments, but is also the result of political and economic decisions. Globalisation offers both opportunities and threats for developed and developing countries. However, the balance is not always positive, as one can see from the situation in which many African countries find themselves. Globalisation should result in fairness and reduce injustice and inequality, instead of increasing it. The best remedy for the exclusion of developing countries is the removal of trade barriers geared towards these countries. Auxiliary global trade agreements advance fairer participation in the global economy by these countries. Developing countries should also be addressed in terms of their own efforts: their work towards good governance and constitutional democracy, their struggle against corruption and their efforts towards international redistribution. Effective development aid aimed at combating poverty and at the emancipation of vulnerable groups is also important.
 
3.1.2 Sustainable development
 
In the global economy, the sustainable use and fair distribution of space and raw materials should be paramount. Companies and consumers, individually or collectively, spontaneously or with encouragement, must contribute to this through responsible actions. Global agreements on reducing the use of fossil fuels and powerful stimulation of the development of sustainable alternatives, as well as the preservation of biodiversity, are very important. Human beings are responsible for safeguarding not only their own future living conditions, but also those of all other living organisms on earth.
 
3.1.3  Law and authority
 
Peace, security and human rights, as agreed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, have boundless significance. This is why international organisations like the United Nations need to be reinforced and democratised. The effectiveness of these international organisations is well served when as many nations as possible participate in them. For example, the European Union should promote this by entering into alliances with other countries that adhere to international law. When peaceful initiatives fail to defend or restore the international rule of law, an effective instrument of legal force is necessary. However, military intervention requires a mandate under international law. Combating terrorism and an effective approach to tackling the root causes of terrorism demand close international cooperation.

3.1.4  Europe as a community of laws and values
 
After two bloody wars ravaged Europe during the first half of the 20th century, the countries of Western Europe opted for international cooperation, by establishing NATO and the European Union. This collaboration has resulted in decades of unprecedented prosperity and peace in Europe. Constitutional democracy exists or is being established in practically all parts of Europe. But Europe is not yet complete. The European Union must be receptive to all European countries that share these same democratic values and that are prepared for far-reaching cooperation to solve common problems. The Dutch Labour Party, PvdA, endorses the European cultural ideal that encourages and respects national diversity, but discourages aggressive nationalism. Peaceful cooperation and open conventions have been – and remain – central to this. For its part, Europe should proceed decisively and democratically. A decisive Europe calls for acceptance of majority decisions and flexibility in all types of concerted action. A democratic Europe calls for strong national parliaments and a strong European parliament, demanding investment in knowledge and public debate about Europe.
 
3.1.5 European integration
 
The removal of trade barriers within Europe has contributed greatly to increased prosperity. On the question of whether more or less European integration is desired, subsidiarity and the securing of the public interest should prevail. In several areas, this leads to a plea for greater integration - for example, in foreign and security policies, in combating crime and terrorism. There should also be efforts to build greater European political and military unity within the Atlantic alliance. In other areas, however, these starting points lead to an argument for less integration. The advancement of the European single market threatens to curtail the potential of countries and parliaments to regulate unnecessarily the relationship between government and the market. This is undesirable in areas where major public interests are at stake, such as education, care or social security.

3.2 Opportunities and security
 
3.2.1 A decent life
 
In a world full of opportunities to succeed or fail, people must have the security that setbacks will not result in their being pushed to the sidelines. A decent existence is the very minimum that people should be able to count on. This is not merely a question of sufficient income, but also of social security in the broadest sense of the word: good education, humane care and housing, as well as protection against criminality and terror; respectful treatment by the government and the chance to take part as fully-fledged citizens in the public decision-making process.  

3.2.2 Responsibilities
 
People are primarily responsible for their own future. They deserve the chance to make something of this future. Opportunities that they will want to use. However, the knowledge society offers not only opportunities. Starting positions are not equal and there are many risks and uncertainties. Knowledge quickly becomes obsolete and deficits could be hard to overcome. In this sense, the mere offering of opportunities, even equal opportunities, is not enough. People should have an opportunity to make something of their own lives, without feeling insecure. They deserve the security that essential services are available for everyone, irrespective of success or misfortune. People are more apt to take risks if they know that they will not be left to fend for themselves if something goes wrong. Those who utilise their knowledge and efforts to increase the prosperity of all therefore deserve latitude; those who are successful but wish to insure themselves against bad luck or misfortune deserve security; those who have the will but not the means deserve protection; and those who need a helping hand from us to get back on their feet are entitled to prospects.
 
3.2.3 Education
 
Education, training, the advancement of creativity and innovation are the life forces of social-democratic aspiration. Acquisition, possession and improvement of knowledge are increasingly important in helping individuals and economies to keep their footing in the world; access to (particularly digital) information is becoming the key to social functioning for an increasing number of people. In such a knowledge society, education is not only indispensable to emancipation, integration and citizenship, but also to future prosperity and entrepreneurship. People should therefore have an opportunity to discover and utilise their talents. Accessible and high-quality education is therefore crucial. Not only does this serve the individual, it also serves the public interest.
 
3.2.4 A mixed economic order
 
Private enterprise is a principal motor of innovation, prosperity and employment. It works well to provide opportunities, but fails to provide security. Economic power can inflict damage when it is concentrated, if there is a lack of accountability and control, or if opposition forces are weak. Civilised capitalism requires a mixed economic order in which the market mechanism is curtailed and embedded in laws and rules. Over the years, this has been shown to be one of the main strengths of social democracy. A tax system based on the ability to pay, a vital public sector, equilibrium between social and economic goals, and protective, activating social security are characteristics of this type of social market economy.
 
3.2.5 Power and opposing power
 
Entrepreneurship and industry naturally tend to favour the interests of capital and financiers rather than the interests of workers, the natural environment and future generations. The internationalisation of the economy reinforces thistendency. An opposing power is essential in this regard. A company should therefore be seen as a partnership between management, employees and a variety of stakeholders. This broader social responsibility of companies should be not only encouraged, but also enforced.
 
3.2.6 Labour
 
The pursuit of full employment remains a central task of social democracy. Paid work forms the primary source of independent income. For many people, it is the basis of (self) respect. Through their work, many people also contribute to society. In this regard, control over the quality of labour and labour relations is essential. The organisation of workers, both within and outside companies, deserves appreciation and support.
 
3.2.7 Differences in income
 
Reasonable differences in income, based on effort, merits and responsibility, are acceptable. However, elites in the public and private sectors are increasingly finding ways to pay themselves exorbitant remuneration. This remuneration is totally out of proportion to their added value and to the incomes of other employees. This trend towards excessive inequality poses a threat to social cohesion. It contributes to a culture of self-enrichment and presents a danger of people buying political power. Such income differences must therefore be challenged.
 
3.2.8 Solidarity between generations
 
Solidarity is no longer simply a question of the fair sharing of burdens between the (privileged) wealthy and the (underprivileged) poor. The question of fair shares applies equally to the young and the elderly, to today's generations and those of the future. The question of fair shares increases in complexity as the ageing of societyincreases. The main thing is that, for future generations, there must be equilibrium in sharing the joys and the burdens.
 
3.2.9 Public services: supply
 
Public services should excel in accessibility, quality and reciprocity. Government is responsible for this; it is a matter of principle. Who supplies these services is not a matter of principle. If the market can do it better, the market should supply public services. If government can do it better, government should do so. Life, however, is not just a continuous price comparison. The public should be able to weigh freedom of choice against security. The certainty of high-quality (public) services is also a greater good, which may be more appreciated than the ability to repeatedly make individual choices. Restraint is required in marketing public services.
 
3.2.10 Public services: accessibility
 
Accessibility, irrespective of income is the greatest public interest. Money should never dominate where other considerations should prevail. Access to education involves talent; access to care is a question of who is ill and who is healthy. Not everyone is in a position to use public services, for example, due to psychological or addiction problems. It is socially undesirable if this results in an exclusion from services and, consequently, in a growth in the numbers of the homeless and beggars. To prevent this, the autonomy of those concerned may, under certain conditions, be curtailed.

3.2.11 Public services: quality and reciprocity
 
Public services should be of high quality and appeal to everyone. Only then are taxpayers prepared to pay for them. A society that invests in its citizens can count on reciprocity. People must be called to account for individual responsibility, decency and scrupulousness; improper use or misuse must be punished.
 
3.2.12 Culture, science and technology
 
Science and culture have intrinsic value. This is unrelated to their economic significance. Protecting the independence and plurality of art and science is therefore crucial. However, science is also important for the economy and for solving complex problems. This means that new scientific discoveries should benefit humankind as a whole, not just research financiers or wealthy consumers. With the development of science, biotechnology is particularly important. It could contribute to improving the quality of life by increasing food production, by developing new medicines and through prenatal screening. But not everything that is possible is permitted, and not everything that is permitted is necessary. The Labour Party shares the general rejection of the reproductive cloning of humans. Prenatal screening should be voluntary. New medical techniques should only be used for medical purposes and not geared towards the variable preferences of consumers.
 
3.3 The individual and society
 
3.3.1 Society
 
Society requires efforts from everyone. Social democrats appreciate the greatly increased opportunities for different individual lifestyles. However, the successes of cultural emancipation also place high demands on people's willingness to oblige. People should treat each other with respect. Criminal and antisocial behaviour in the public space, racism and discrimination, the misuse of social amenities, corruption, fraud and tax evasion undermine social solidarity and therefore need to be strongly suppressed. Upbringing, school, social support and, ultimately, criminal law play crucial roles in this.

3.3.2 An unstressed society
 
Paid work is important but is not everything. Mutual care, voluntary work and social life are extremely important to mutual trust and social commitment. They constitute an informal school for citizenship and tolerance. This school can only continue to exist when men and women are able to organise their work, care and studies so as to leave time for themselves, for their families and friends, for relaxation and social activities.
 
3.3.3 Citizenship
 
It is precisely in a society with increased self-reliance and with emancipated citizens from very diverse backgrounds that it is important for people to be able to cope with their mutual differences. Those who listen to and cope with differences of opinion bind modern society more effectively than those who seek consensus about what is proper and what is not. Upbringing and education lay the foundations for such modern citizenship: creating awareness of a common future is an essential feature of this. One aim of education is to teach young people to show understanding and respect for others.
 
3.3.4 Immigration and integration
 
The Netherlands has become an immigration country. Cultural and ethnic diversity is a permanent characteristic of Dutch society. A free-market economy such as that in the Netherlands could not exist without an influx of new creative, working talent. The Netherlands should always be open to receiving political refugees. At the same time, no society, including the Netherlands, has an unlimited potential for absorbing refugees. It is therefore logical that there should be criteria for entering the country and taking up residence. It is expected of all citizens, including immigrants, that they respect the democratic values of constitutional democracy and that they contribute to society, where possible through both paid work and, for example, voluntary work. All citizens, including immigrants, can count on protection against discrimination and on respectful treatment of cultural and religious expressions that fall within the bounds of constitutional democracy - respect for the religious freedom of others, acceptance of the fact that men and women, homosexuals and heterosexuals, all have equal rights in the Netherlands, including the right not to believe in any religion. Those who find obstacles placed in the path of their emancipation by family, tradition or religion deserve unconditional support.
 
3.4 Democracy and the constitutional state
 
3.4.1 Constitutional democracy
 
A decent life is only possible within a constitutional democracy. Therein, security serves democracy and citizens are protected from arbitrary power. This starting point should remain in place when weighing the pros and cons of protecting or curtailing privacy in the interests of public security. In a constitutional democracy, changes in power come about peaceably. In a large-scale society, government is inevitably indirect. This promotes effectiveness and democracy. Decisions are taken at the lowest possible level, in order to facilitate maximum public input. It is up to advocates of more centralised government to make their case.

3.4.2 Representative democracy
 
All political power must be based on a mandate from the voters. Political power requires public control and accountability. Members of parliament must be in a position to withdraw their confidence from the government. However, political power is increasingly exercised without the direct involvement of representative democracy: for example, by civil servants, professional organisations and lobbying groups, housing associations and school boards, non-governmental organisations and international institutions. Here too, however, proportional representation of special interest groups, public accountability and publicity are important. Members of parliament play a leading role in organising this.
 
3.4.3 A versatile democracy
 
Increasingly, people are able to organise and demonstrate independently, as well as taking new avenues of approach to further society. Some people, however, have a greater potential for this than others. To prevent the wealthiest and best-organised interests from having disproportionate influence on the political system, the principle of one person, one vote should remain the basis for any exercise of political power. Additionally, new forms of citizen government, participation and consultation should beencouraged, with the aim of giving the public more influence in areas that affect people directly.

Acknowledgement
 
The declaration of principles committee, which was installed by the party executive, started working on the drafting of the declaration in the autumn of 2003. On the 1st of May 2004, the committee released a first draft. All PvdA members were invited to send in their remarks and suggestions. A second draft was ready in August 2004, after which local branches were invited to send in their proposals for alteration. This resulted in a third draft version of the declaration of principles, which was presented to the Congress by the party executive. The PvdA Congress adopted the final version of the declaration on 29 January 2005.
   
The declaration of principles committee and the party executive are grateful for the contributions of many party members during the various stages of drafting this declaration. These contributions varied from comments on the first draft to the posting of personal declarations on the Labour Party's website; from departmental suggestions for sections already in early stages to proposed changes in later stages; from ideas offered by groups affiliated to the party to well thought-out written analyses by professional party members.