That is why we consider any integral and biased thought to lack vital impact because it does not take into account alternatives and other possibilities. No single theory has the right to monopolistically alter the basis of human life. The development of society cannot adhere to any privileged ideology. Ideological tolerance and respect have a valuable place in a civilised society.
Social democrats reject Utopism and social demagogy as politically and spiritually dangerous phenomenon stand against all manifestations of violence both in theory and practice. The aim that justifies any way towards the ghost of approaching paradise, sooner or later will become the tragedy.
Although social democratic ideas manifest themselves in an average person as connecting with the Marx theory, we definitely discard Marxist ideological doctrine as a thought full of Utopism and violence. We reject its claim to be the only across-the-board scientific theory. In practice communist utopia caused violence against human society as well as caused the formation of totalitarian regimes.
Diversity of interests of people, social groups and nations is an objective reality of human life and the necessary precondition and stimulus for human and society development, searching for new ways and solutions. Intolerance causes aggravation of contradictions, and creates conditions for conflict. Social democrats stand for peaceful solutions. We put dialogue and solidarity coexistence against antagonism between people, classes, nations and cultures.
The aim of the social democratic policy is the protection of the rights and interests of the individual. The role of a person within society cannot be the role of a small screw in an economic machine. A person's value should not be defined only by production, but by the person as a whole. We reject contraposition of economic efficiency and social protection of a person. Only economics aiming to satisfy people requirements and promote personal development can be really efficient.
Social democrats believe in a status quo that can provide optimal ratio between economic growth and the quality of life. This is the only way to avoid conscious cultivation of dependant moods within the society and excessive social tension.
Social democrats believe in a policy built upon a strong moral base. Moral principles should be focused on both political and economic situations. We need this today as never before. Only a stable moral policy can create an economically stable state system in Ukraine. Moral responsibility enhances the people's trust of authority, can create stable economic and state system in Ukraine. However, we require morality in policy not only because of its practical advantages. We are confident that moral policy is the only policy that every single person deserves.
We believe in the principle of responsible policy. People create authority and need to know that this authority can be trusted and identified. Anonymity is the first step towards irresponsibility, and this can turn into tyranny. That is why the state should be responsible for each individual, while the politicians and the parties should be responsible for the electorates. If we uphold these truth adventurism, extremism, venality of policy and radical changes will be kept at bay.
Responsible policy requires gradual action. Gradual in this case means reform for the sake of economic and social progress. However, gradual movement denies revolutionary extremism, and attempts at reform for reforms sake. We are confident that transformation is a necessity and that people cannot be stripped of their personal freedom. That is why social democrats are adherents of civic consent and social partnership, peaceful and constitutional solutions.
Gradual movement for us is closely connected to a sustainable ecosystem. Care for the environment is the responsibility of all humankind. Our environment is a testament to our past, present and future and the preservation should be a constant in our basic principles of sustaining life.
Social democrats do not intend to impose artificial models of development on society. We do not put the concepts of a kind of thorough society that should be built in the future. The main point of the social democratic policy is uniting and organising people to protect their own rights and interests in revealing specific social problems and searching the ways to solve them, in order to facilitate the development of existing positive tendencies within the society. We can reach this only basing on social democratic values:
FREEDOM, JUSTICE, SOLIDARITY.
FREEDOM is the right for personal self-development. It means release from humiliating for human dignity dependence on others. Freedom requires protection from oppression and violation of personal rights. However, this is not enough. Freedom stipulates that every person should have all prerequisites for the life on the basis of personal responsibility. Freedom becomes reality when it provides ownership and protection under the law. Freedom should be spread to all life spheres and once threatened, is a threat to all.
Freedom is not only a right but also a duty. It requires personal effort and respect of every individual. At the same time freedom is a common achievement of many people. One can reach personal freedom only respecting other's freedom.
JUSTICE is the equal freedom for all. First of all this means equal rights and equality of all before the law. Justice also stipulates equal possibilities for the development of individual talents and aspirations, social support of personal efforts of everyone. That is why justice is not compatible with destroying the individuality or levelling of personality. We discard equality in poverty, which is unjust and amoral itself.
Justice stipulates participation of everyone in solving the issues regarding personal life. That is why justice is inseparable from responsibility.
SOLIDARITY means understanding the fact that we are necessary to each other, that each person needs respect, support and help of the others. Solidarity is natural manifestation of humanness. It stipulates the readiness of people to support each other, to protect the rights of others, to fight against injustice and breaking the freedom, wherever they take place. Only co-operation and not hostility between people can help us to reach welfare. That is why we are searching for uniting and not disjoining factors.
Solidarity is a powerful weapon in the arms of those who fights for his rights. By asserting other's rights, we assert our own. Solidarity unites those who conceive common interests. That is why it can not be forced. Solidarity can not be provided by means of state power. Solidarity society can be reached only by means of expanding the public dialogue and social partnership.
Our main values should be considered in their interrelation and indivisibility. They define, complete and confine each other, making all together the basis for our understanding of DEMOCRACY.
We consider DEMOCRACY as a system of relations between people and as a principle of organisation of society. Democracy requires:
Democracy for us is not only the aim but also the way of activity. It is not possible to reach democracy by non-democratic means, by means of duress and violence.
We consider democracy as continuous process of renewing the society and as a movement towards freedom. That is why democracy can not be restricted to only one field and is materialised simultaneously as political, economic, social and national democracy. All forms of democracy are connected with each other and determine each other.
Our positive ideal is civilised, free, democratic, solidarity, economically effective and environmentally sustainable human society, which is in constant dynamic development.
