Core Values 2. Core Values The call for freedom, equality, justice and solidarity originates in old humanistic thoughts. It is central for the Christian idea of man, it has been the battle-cry of the French Revolution, it is reflected in the legal foundations of the United Nations, the UN's two Human Rights Covenants of 1966, and finally it also forms the core values of social democracy. The core values of a political ideology constitute its political compass. As the interrelated ideas freedom, equality, justice and solidarity are relatively open to interpretations, institutions which declare them as their values must likewise define them. Such definitions constitute the theoretical framework which is the basis for political action. Social democratic parties or organizations, like FES, therefore have to find ways to put freedom, equality, justice and solidarity into practice. This is hardly possible without international cooperation, as this world becomes more and more globalized. With projects in about 95 countries, FES has taken up this challenge. Freedom Without doubt, freedom is one of the most discussed terms in the humanities. Various important thinkers have defined the term and have developed different aspects. One basic accepted definition is: free persons have the possibility to make un-coerced decisions. But what is coercion and how can a coercion-free society be guaranteed? What if the free decision of a person restricts the freedom of another? Our current understanding of freedom is rooted in the Age of the Enlightenment(17 th -19 th century), when philosophers were arguing against inequality between different society groups. The European society in that time had a clear hierarchical order. Farmers had far less political and legal rights than royalty, or even merchants. This order was generally believed to be God-given. However, philosophers like John Locke(1632-1704) interjected and claimed that these rights needed to be safeguarded by societal regulations. “One basic accepted definition is: free persons have the possibility to make un­coerced decisions. But what is coercion and how can a coercion-free society be guaranteed?” 7