Improvement

Democrats believe in continuous improvement, that no matter how well we understand or do something, we can always strive to do better. We apply this philosophy in public policy, in our approach to values, and in our understanding of the world.

In our approach to Opportunity, we see public policy as an enabling force, that makes more opportunities available to as many people as possible, and that prepares people to attain better outcomes through their own effort. We see the world as imperfect, as always changing, and we believe we have a responsibility to make it better by working together.

We embrace the quality movement in industry, and believe it also applies to public policy. Policy results can be measured, and better policies are those that yield better outcomes. Policies that don't perform well by objective measures should be dropped.

Democrats accept that different people have different values, and that values often come into conflict. It's our responsibility to find the best way to avoid or resolve conflicts so we can all move forward together. We see it as essential to a peaceful society that we help people to understand and appreciate other cultures, to be less fearful of others who are different. It is a responsibility of cultural self-discipline to refrain from backsliding into an us-vs-them mentality.

No person is perfect, but we give people the benefit of the doubt and assume they can improve. As a matter of policy we make tools and resources available to help people improve their own lives, which we see as a responsibility of each individual. Nobody is beyond redemption or reconciliation.

We trust the Scientific Method as the main process for finding practical truth, the understanding of the world that allows us to invent new things and make material progress. This is the type of science that should be taught in schools.

We tolerate beliefs contrary to established science, and will consider them in public policy if they produce testable hypotheses and meet the other requirements of the Scientific Method. This is an important means by which we make scientific progress. However, we do not believe primary education is the right place for this process to play out.

Lifelong learning is a responsibility of every individual in a changing world. We must not deny ourselves Opportunity by refusing to learn new skills. At the same time as it promotes progress, government must encourage and enable people to keep up, so progress doesn't erode our human capital or competitive position in the world.

Political themes: Continuous improvement. Measurement of policy outcomes. Need to improve our tolerance and understanding of others. Importance of the Scientific Method. Nobody is beyond redemption or reconciliation. Lifelong learning to maintain our competitive position in the world.