Democratic Socialists of America facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Democratic Socialists of America
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| Abbreviation | DSA |
| Governing body | National Political Committee |
| National Co-Chairs | Megan Romer Ashik Siddique |
| National Director | Vacant |
| Founder | Michael Harrington |
| Founded | March 20, 1982 |
| Merger of | Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee New American Movement |
| Headquarters | New York, New York |
| Newspaper | Democratic Left Socialist Forum The Activist (youth wing publication) |
| Youth wing | Young Democratic Socialists of America |
| Membership (2025) |  80,000 |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Left-wing to far-left |
| Regional affiliation | São Paulo Forum (associate, since 2023) |
| International affiliation |
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| Colors | Red |
| Senate |
0 / 100
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| House of Representatives |
3 / 435
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| State governors |
0 / 50
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| State upper chambers |
14 / 1,973
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| State lower chambers |
46 / 5,413
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^ A: Because DSA is not a political party with a ballot line, these counts include both endorsees and members, who are often also endorsees and members of the Democratic Party. See List of DSA public officeholders for more details. |
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The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is a political group in the United States and the country's largest socialist organization. It is a "big tent" group, meaning it includes people with many different socialist ideas.
The DSA was formed in 1982 when two smaller groups joined together. For many years, it was a small organization. That changed after Senator Bernie Sanders ran for president in 2016. He called himself a democratic socialist, and many young people who supported him joined the DSA. The group's membership grew from about 6,000 in 2015 to over 90,000 by 2021.
The DSA is not an official political party like the Democrats or Republicans. This means it doesn't have its own line on the voting ballot. Instead, the DSA supports candidates from other parties who share its values. These candidates can be Democrats, Greens, or independents. Famous politicians connected to the DSA include U.S. Representatives Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The DSA has a platform, which is a list of its main goals. Some of its goals include making college and healthcare free for everyone, creating a Green New Deal to fight climate change, and increasing the minimum wage. The group also wants to make big changes to the U.S. government and supports movements for social and racial justice.
Contents
History of the DSA
The DSA was created in 1982 by merging two groups: the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (DSOC) and the New American Movement (NAM). This brought together older socialists from the "Old Left" and younger activists from the "New Left."
One of the early leaders was Michael Harrington, a well-known writer and activist. In its early days, the DSA worked with community groups and supported progressive candidates in the Democratic Party.
The group's logo includes a red rose, which is a classic symbol of socialism. The original logo showed a fist holding a rose. The DSA changed the fist to a handshake between a Black hand and a white hand to show its commitment to fighting racism.
After 2016, a wave of new, younger members joined the DSA. These new members often had more radical ideas than the older leaders. They pushed the organization to take stronger positions on issues like supporting Palestinian rights and moving away from working only within the Democratic Party.
How the DSA is Organized
The DSA has a decentralized structure. This means that local chapters across the country have a lot of freedom to decide their own projects and priorities.
Every two years, members from local chapters elect delegates to go to a National Convention. At the convention, these delegates vote for the group's national leaders, who form the National Political Committee (NPC). The NPC helps guide the organization between conventions.
Membership Growth
When the DSA started in 1982, it had about 6,000 members. For many years, its membership stayed around that number.
The group's popularity exploded after Bernie Sanders ran for president in 2016. His campaign introduced the idea of democratic socialism to millions of Americans. Membership jumped to 43,000 by 2018 and peaked at 95,000 in 2021. As of 2025, the DSA reports having around 80,000 members.
This growth also changed who was in the group. Between 2013 and 2017, the average age of a DSA member dropped from 68 to 33.
Publications
The DSA publishes magazines like Democratic Left and Socialist Forum to share news and ideas. Some groups within the DSA also have their own newsletters.
The popular left-wing magazine Jacobin is not officially part of the DSA, but its founder is a DSA member and it often covers topics important to the organization.
What Do DSA Members Believe?
DSA members have a wide range of socialist beliefs. The group's main long-term goal is to end capitalism and create a democratic socialist society. They believe this would be a more fair and democratic world.
In the short term, the DSA focuses on reforms that can help working people now. They want to weaken the power of large corporations and give more power to workers and communities.
Some of the key ideas in the DSA's 2021 platform include:
- Government Reform: Getting rid of the Electoral College and the Senate.
- Economy: Raising the minimum wage, guaranteeing a job for anyone who wants one, and having social ownership of major industries like energy.
- Social Programs: Medicare for All, free college, and free child care.
- Environment: A Green New Deal to create green jobs and switch to renewable energy.
- Social Justice: Supporting anti-racism and reparations for slavery.
- Foreign Policy: Ending U.S. military intervention in other countries and withdrawing from NATO.
Working with Labor Unions
The DSA strongly supports the labor movement. They believe that workers should have more power in the workplace. The group has been involved in many campaigns to help workers form unions.
In 2020, the DSA helped create the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee (EWOC). This project provides training and resources for workers who want to organize their workplaces. The DSA also encourages its members to get jobs in key industries to help build stronger unions from the inside.
Protecting the Environment
The DSA is a major supporter of the Green New Deal. This is a plan to address climate change by investing in green technology and creating jobs in renewable energy. The DSA believes that major energy and transportation systems should be publicly owned, not run by private companies for profit.
In New York, DSA chapters campaigned for the Build Public Renewables Act. This law, passed in 2023, allows the state's public power authority to build and own renewable energy projects. Supporters called it a huge victory for the Green New Deal.
Foreign Policy and International Issues
The DSA generally opposes U.S. military actions abroad. The group calls for the U.S. to withdraw from NATO and to stop funding foreign militaries.
The Israeli–Palestinian Conflict
The DSA's position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has changed over time. In its early years, the group was more supportive of Israel. However, as new members joined, the DSA shifted to an anti-Zionist stance.
In 2017, the DSA voted to support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. This movement puts economic and political pressure on Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian lands.
After the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel and the start of the Gaza war, the DSA called for an immediate ceasefire. The group stated that the violence was a result of Israel's "apartheid regime." DSA chapters organized and joined many protests demanding an end to the war and an end to U.S. aid to Israel.
Russian Invasion of Ukraine
In 2022, the DSA condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In the same statement, the group argued that the U.S. and NATO helped create the conditions for the conflict through "imperialist expansionism." They called for the U.S. to leave NATO. This statement was criticized by many mainstream politicians but was defended by others on the left.
The DSA in Elections
The DSA's long-term goal is to create an independent political party for working people. For now, they use a strategy called the "dirty break." This means they often run candidates in the Democratic Party primaries to gain visibility and win elections.
Presidential Elections
In its early years, the DSA often supported Democratic presidential candidates, like Walter Mondale in 1984 and Jesse Jackson in 1988.
In 2016 and 2020, the DSA endorsed Bernie Sanders for president. His campaigns caused a massive surge in the group's membership. After Sanders did not win the nomination, the DSA did not endorse Hillary Clinton in 2016 or Joe Biden in 2020.
In the 2024 election, the DSA did not endorse a presidential candidate. Instead, it supported "Uncommitted" campaigns in the Democratic primaries to protest the Biden administration's policies on the Gaza war.
Congressional Elections
In 2018, the DSA had a major breakthrough. DSA member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez won a primary election against a powerful incumbent Democrat in New York City. Soon after, Rashida Tlaib won her primary in Michigan. Both went on to win their elections and become members of Congress.
Their victories brought national attention to the DSA. In the 2020 elections, two more DSA members, Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush, were elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. However, both Bowman and Bush lost their primary elections in 2024.
State and Local Elections
The DSA has had a lot of success in state and local elections. The group believes that building power at the local level is key to making change.
Since 2017, dozens of DSA members have been elected to state legislatures, city councils, and school boards across the country. For example, in 2019, six DSA members were elected to the Chicago City Council.
In 2025, DSA-endorsed candidate Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary for Mayor of New York City. This was a major victory for the organization.
Images for kids
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Protesters in San Francisco with a DSA banner calling for the abolition of ICE.
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A DSA banner from 2009 reads: "Obama Is No Socialist But We Are."
See also
In Spanish: Socialistas Democráticos de América para niños
- American Left
- The Squad (United States Congress)
- Barbara Ehrenreich
- Emily Gallagher
- Michael Harrington
- Zohran Mamdani
- Maria Svart
- Rashida Tlaib
- Cornel West
- For a more complete list of DSA members, see Category:Members of the Democratic Socialists of America
