Our Values &

Conditions for

Democracy

What we must vigilantly uphold to

protect and support our

local democracy

Our values of democracy

The values of democracy—Transparency, Equality, Pluralism, and Citizen Empowerment—are both our map and our lodestar, guiding us toward a just and thriving society. They show us the way and remind us why we move forward.

If we lose the map or can’t find the lodestar, we risk getting lost—mistaking power for progress, forgetting why the journey matters, and finding ourselves in treacherous places.

But simply knowing our destination isn’t enough. To walk the path, we also need solid ground beneath us.

Our conditions for democracy

The conditions for democracy—Trust in Government, Citizen Involvement, Civil Discourse, Education, and Fairness of Opportunity—are the foundation that makes the journey possible. They are the well-paved roads that help us travel, the clear air that allows us to see ahead, and the bridges that help us cross divides.

When these conditions erode, the journey becomes perilous. When the path is broken, movement slows, and voices are lost.

Democracy moves forward when we protect both the why and the how—the values that show us where we need to go and the conditions that make that journey possible.

How we defined our values & conditions

Many organizations have identified what they see as the core values of democracy and the conditions on which its health depends, each defining democracy and its requirements through the lens of the culture they represent and the size of the communities they serve.

When we sat down to describe what democracy means on a local level and how we can support it right here in Cleveland Heights, we thought about what democracy looks like on a smaller scale and how we can impact its strength through our own expectations, involvement, and activism.

OUR VALUES OF DEMOCRACY

  • TRANSPARENCY

    Access to information promotes accountability, reduces corruption, and enables better decision-making. While we respect legal and ethical limits to transparency, including pending legal actions and individual privacy and safety, responsible transparency must be the norm, as it empowers citizens to be more informed and improves decision-making.

  • EQUALITY

    All people are treated equally and fairly, regardless of their background, characteristics, where they live, what they believe, or how they love and identify. Everyone has equal access to resources and opportunities, and they enjoy equal inclusion in civic life.

  • PLURALISM

    Diversity makes communities stronger. Collaboration among those with different backgrounds, experiences, and ideas results in better decisions, policies, and plans. We are better able to serve all people when we seek to include and understand people who are different from each other.

  • CITIZEN EMPOWERMENT

    People are the life force of democracy, and their participation in civic life must be protected and encouraged. Everyone has the right to speak, receive information, share ideas, and question other views without retaliation from those in power.

OUR CONDITIONS FOR DEMOCRACY

  • TRUST IN GOVERNMENT

    When people trust their civic leaders to manage government with integrity and competence, they are more likely to participate in electoral processes and civic activities. Governmental leadership that is responsive to its constituents and effective in providing for the common good strengthens democracy.

  • CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT

    By participating in the processes of governmental decision-making and functioning – such as committees, community partnerships, public comment, and more –  citizens strengthen their relationship to their government. This results in greater transparency, accountability, understanding of operations, responsiveness to citizen concerns, and trust. Citizen participation also enables government to better understand the needs and concerns of citizens

  • CIVIL DISCOURSE

    A respectful exchange of ideas and viewpoints, even when people disagree, is crucial for informed decision-making and a healthy political process. The right to disagree without actual or fear of reprisal or disparagement must be protected.

  • EDUCATION

    Not only must we have a strong base of common knowledge and can readily obtain and retrieve information without significant barriers, but we also need to be able to assess information thoughtfully and critically to put it in appropriate context, understand its meaning, and interpret it through the lens of our core values.

  • FAIRNESS OF OPPORTUNITY

    Employment, contracts, positions of power and influence, and access to information and resources are open to all and given based on qualifications and merit, not nepotism, favoritism, or cronyism. People holding the same or lateral positions should have equal access to information and/or opportunity for advancement

OUR FINDINGS

“A functioning, robust democracy requires a healthy, educated, participatory followership, and an educated, morally grounded leadership.”

Chinua Achebe