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Identity Statement
I. Identity & Mission
The Citizens League builds civic imagination and capacity in Minnesota by:
- Identifying, framing and proposing solutions to public policy problems;
- Developing civic leaders in all generation who can govern for the common good; and
- Organizing the individual and institutional relationships necessary to achieve these goals.
II. Principles
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We believe in the power and potential of all citizens. All Minnesotans are capable of developing an in-depth understanding of complicated public problems, of imagining innovative and effective policy solutions and ideas, and of governing for the common good. This capacity must be developed and encouraged.
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We believe in democracy and good governance. Democracy requires that citizens have the interest in governing for the common good; the facts needed to make informed decisions; and the practical skills and "common ground" to analyze, debate, and solve public problems in light of shared democratic ideals and the long-term interest of Minnesota. The Citizens League has demonstrated that an open and transparent process, where citizens with a wide range of expertise can invest their time and energy, is the best means to develop effective public policy solutions and to build civic capacity.
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We believe in civic leadership and active citizenship. All Minnesotans have both the right and the responsibility to be active citizens and govern for the common good. This role of active citizen is integrated into all other individual roles; it cannot be delegated to experts or elected officials. Active citizenship is the shared identity that allows people with diverse interests to work together on important public problems, building the common ground necessary to achieve the common good.
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We believe in good politics and political competence. If democracy is "rule by the people," then politics is the practice of democracy -- the means to solve public problems. Politics is what citizens do -- how they govern. Effective politics makes it possible to implement good public policy and to organize to achieve the common good, despite our very real differences. When governed by democratic ideals, the skills of politics give citizenship relevance, dignity and worth. The Citizens League will support the development of political leadership and the skills of non-partisan political competence.
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We believe that individuals and institutions must sustain these ideals from one generation
to the next. Minnesota's public policy successes and our quality of life were made possible by individuals working within and across all types of institutions. These institutions and systems of policy-making are our civic legacy in Minnesota, and they must be re-made and re-imagined by each generation in order to maintain and sustain our quality of life and our ability to solve public problems.
III. Civic Operating Guidelines
- Defining a problem: People who are affected by a problem help to define the problem in keeping with our mission and principles.
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- Explanation: All Minnesotans have the capacity to help define policy issues. They do so according to the current realities of the particular policy question, (e.g. their direct and indirect role in an issue; the known facts and long-term trends; the real political/social/economic dynamics) and the civic ideals in our mission and principles. It is our goal to involve representatives from a broad range of groups and institutions that are affected by a policy question.
- Benefit: How a problem is defined determines the resources and strategies used to solve it. An incomplete definition of the problem wastes resources and entrenches citizens and resources in solution strategies that are ineffective and unsustainable. Also, when people see their individual role in an issue, and their connection to others and to the broader political dynamics, it is easier to imagine and implement solutions without becoming polarized.
- Implications: This guideline requires that the Citizens League value individual expertise but still recognize the need to develop the knowledge, leadership skills and relationships required to effectively address a policy issue. Reconciling diverse self-interests around the common interest of Minnesota is a fundamental purpose of our work.
- Transparency and governance: Participants' involvement will be considered in our decisions and policy-making, in keeping with our ideals.
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- Explanation: Our belief in democracy means that Citizens League activities have a clear agenda and purpose that is connected to our mission and goals. All participants are expected to contribute to the discussion, to connect their self-interest with the common interest, to evaluate outcomes and to help set recommendations and next steps.
- Benefit: Participants need to trust that their involvement will make a difference and influence the process and outcome (in keeping with our ideals). This guideline also builds the governance and civic leadership capacity of these participants to impact policy outcomes in other settings.
- Implications: This guideline acknowledges both the skills required to analyze and debate policy issues and the need to develop new processes and mechanisms to have this conversation. This guideline also challenges the Citizens League to make the communication and framing of its ideals and policy positions as clear as possible.
- Resources: All participants help identify and contribute resources to solve the problem.
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- Explanation: All participants are expected to come as contributors to the process, bringing those resources they have at their disposal. These resources include their time, knowledge, in-kind support, relationships, and money that they can leverage in the places where they spend time (work, family, congregations, boards, community, etc).
- Benefit: This standard asks citizens and institutions to invest as co-producers of solutions (and the common good), and it prevents wasting money, time and civic capacity. It acknowledges that chronic policy problems are a sign of systemic failures that require solution strategies that use resources differently.
- Implications: This guideline recognizes the capacity and resources that all individual participants have to address a policy issue, as well as the broader systemic and institutional causes of policy problems. It challenges institutional leaders to recognize how existing resources can be tied up in ineffective programs. It is often the case that these existing resources should be restructured and reorganized before investing additional resources.
- Implementation: All participants help implement and sustain outcomes in the places where they have the authority and influence to act.
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- Explanation: Participants in Citizens League work not only contribute ideas and solution strategies, they also help to implement and sustain these recommendations in the institutions where they spend their time (work, family, congregations, community, etc).
- Benefit: This guideline increases our relevance in the community by ensuring that our recommendations both are implementable and are actually implemented. It builds the political competence of our participants to be effective citizens. Acting within and across a broad base of institutions recognizes the fact that all institutions -- not just government -- have a role to play in solving public policy problems and sustaining solutions from one generation to the next.
- Implications: This guideline encourages the Citizens League to involve representatives of people and institutions who can help implement outcomes, and it challenges all participants to see their role in this process. As with other guidelines, developing the civic identity and civic/political leadership skills of our members must be a critical element in all of our work. Increasing the size, diversity and civic capacity of our membership builds a stronger and more effective base of support to improve and implement our work, and to increase our relevance in Minnesota.
The Citizens League Identity Statement was developed using the Civic Organizing Framework of the Minnesota Active Citizenship Initiative.
