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, NY |
| Newspaper | Democratic Left Socialist Forum |
| Youth wing | Young Democratic Socialists of America |
| Membership (2024) |  78,000 |
| Ideology |
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| Political position | Left-wing |
| Regional affiliation | São Paulo Forum (associate member) |
| International affiliation |
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| Colors | Red |
| Members in the House of Representatives |
4 / 435
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| Members in state upper chambers |
12 / 1,973
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| Members in state lower chambers |
42 / 5,413
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| Members in other offices | 143 |
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is a large political group in the United States. It believes in democratic socialism, which means working for a fairer society through democracy.
The DSA was formed in 1982. It came from two smaller groups that joined together. Today, it has about 80,000 members. The group works to help ordinary people have more power. They do this by organizing protests and supporting political candidates. Many DSA members hold public offices. These include seats in the House of Representatives and state governments.
When the DSA started, Michael Harrington and Barbara Ehrenreich were its first leaders. It quickly became the biggest socialist group in the U.S. Its membership grew a lot from 2015 to 2021. This was partly because of Bernie Sanders's 2016 presidential campaign. Other reasons included the election of Donald Trump and the COVID-19 pandemic. The group also gained new members because of its support for Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war.
The DSA wants to change society to help working people. Their long-term goal is for people to own businesses together. This could be through government-run companies or worker-owned businesses. They support candidates and campaigns for things like better healthcare and affordable housing. They also support labor unions and Palestinian statehood.
The DSA has local groups all over the country. Its members in Congress have helped create important laws. These include the Medicare for All Act and the Green New Deal. As of 2023, several DSA members serve in Congress. These include Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, and Cori Bush. Many other DSA members serve in state and local government roles.
Contents
How the DSA Started and Its Early Leaders
The DSA was created in 1982. It was formed when two groups, the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (DSOC) and the New American Movement (NAM), merged. The DSA is a non-profit organization. When it began, it had about 6,000 members. Dorothy Ray Healey, a well-known communist leader, was a Vice Chair in 1982.
The DSA combines ideas from older and newer socialist movements. The NAM came from a student group called Students for a Democratic Society. The DSOC started in 1973 from a group that opposed the Vietnam War.
The DSA's official logo includes a red rose. This symbol came from the DSOC's logo. It shows a fist holding a red rose. The DSA's version changed the fist to a handshake. This shows their strong belief in fighting racism. The fist and rose symbol was first used by the French Socialist Party in 1969. It is now used by many socialist groups worldwide.
The DSA held its first big meeting in New York City in 1983. Barbara Ehrenreich was chosen as a co-chair. Important people like U.S. Representative Ronald Dellums also attended. The second national meeting was in California in 1985.
Who Joins the DSA?
In the early 1980s, the DSA had about 7,000 members. Its membership grew a lot after Bernie Sanders's 2016 presidential campaign. The election of Donald Trump and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also brought in many new members. The COVID-19 pandemic also led to more people joining.
By May 2020, about 10,000 new members had joined since March. Many people who supported Bernie Sanders in 2020 joined the DSA after he stopped running for president. The average age of DSA members also changed. Between 2013 and 2017, it dropped from 68 to 33. This led some to say the DSA helped create "millennial socialism."
What the DSA Believes In
DSA members have many different ideas within democratic socialism. These include socialist feminism (socialism focused on women's rights) and eco-socialism (socialism focused on the environment). They also include libertarian socialism and progressivism.
The DSA's main goal is to end capitalism and create socialism. But they focus on smaller changes now. These changes aim to give more power to working people. They also want to reduce the power of big companies.
The DSA believes there are many ways to achieve democratic socialism. They do not support social democracy (which keeps capitalism but adds strong welfare programs). They also reject authoritarian socialism (where the government controls everything).
Economy and Welfare
The DSA says no country has fully achieved democratic socialism. But they look at other countries for ideas. They admire the strong welfare systems in Sweden and Canada. They also like France's childcare programs. The DSA wants to move beyond capitalism completely.
Labor Rights
The DSA is very active in helping workers organize. In 2020, they helped create the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee (EWOC). This group helps workers form unions and get resources. The DSA often encourages its members to work in key jobs. This helps them start new unions or improve existing ones.
In 2021, the DSA worked with other unions to support the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. This bill aimed to protect workers' rights to unionize. It passed in the House of Representatives but did not become law.
Environment
Some DSA members support "degrowth." This idea suggests that countries should use fewer resources. This is a debated topic within the group. The DSA's International Committee is interested in these ideas. They believe they fit with the Green New Deal.
Public Renewables Campaign
In 2019, the New York City DSA started the Public Power NY Coalition. This group wants to expand publicly owned renewable energy. They work with unions and DSA members in the New York state government. The group was formed because a private power company raised prices. They were also concerned about pollution in poorer neighborhoods.
In 2023, DSA members in Congress, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman, supported the Build Public Renewables Act (BPRA). The DSA says their efforts helped pass this law in New York. They called it a big "Green New Deal" victory. It supports public renewable energy and union jobs. It also aims to lower electricity prices.
Immigration
The DSA wants to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). They also want to end immigrant detention and deportations. They call for a "demilitarization" of the Mexico–United States border.
Prisons and Police
In the 1990s, the DSA supported the Prison Moratorium Project. This project aimed to stop investing in private prisons. It helped lead to some companies pulling out of private prisons.
Foreign Policy
The DSA was part of the Socialist International until 2017. They left because they felt the International supported policies that hurt working people. In 2023, the DSA joined the Progressive International. They also became an associate member of the São Paulo Forum.
Israeli–Palestinian Conflict
The DSA's views on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict have changed over time. The group used to support Israel and Zionism. But after 2016, the DSA began to oppose Zionism. They now see Israel as an "ethnostate" that acts like an imperialist power. In 2017, the DSA formally supported the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
2023 Israel–Hamas War
On October 7, 2023, Hamas attacked Israel. The DSA said this attack was a result of Israel's "apartheid regime." They condemned all harm to civilians. They also called for an end to U.S. financial support for Israel. DSA members in Congress, like Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib, also spoke out. They called for a ceasefire and an end to Israeli occupation.
After the war started, many DSA groups organized protests. They worked with Jewish and Palestinian groups. They called for a ceasefire and freedom for Palestinians. Some rallies, like one in New York City, faced criticism. Some politicians accused the DSA of supporting Hamas. DSA members said these accusations were false.
On October 13, two DSA New York State Assembly members were arrested. They were protesting for a ceasefire. On October 16, Congress members Bush and Tlaib introduced a resolution. It called for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid for Gaza.
On October 20, the New York City DSA led a large protest. Over 3,000 people marched in Manhattan. They called on U.S. Senators to support a ceasefire. Many protesters were arrested for blocking traffic.
In November 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to criticize Rep. Tlaib. This was because of her statements on the war. Also in November, DSA members joined a hunger strike outside the White House. They called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Russian Invasion of Ukraine
In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. The DSA condemned the invasion. But they also said the U.S. and NATO had provoked Russia. They called for peace talks and for the U.S. to leave NATO. Many politicians criticized this statement. They called it "tone-deaf." Others defended the DSA's view.
Venezuela
In 2021, a DSA group visited Caracas, Venezuela. They met with President Nicolás Maduro. This visit was criticized by some. They felt it gave too much support to Maduro's government. Some also criticized the group for staying in an expensive hotel.
Elections and Politics
Historically, the DSA believed in working within the Democratic Party. They supported Democratic candidates like Walter Mondale in 1984. In 1988, they strongly supported Jesse Jackson for president.
Since 1995, the DSA has had a mixed approach. They support candidates in Democratic Party primary elections. But they also aim to build a strong movement outside the party. They believe this will eventually lead to a new workers' party. The DSA now only supports candidates who are democratic socialists.
Presidential Elections
In 1984, the DSA supported Walter Mondale for president. In 2000, they did not officially support any candidate. Some members backed Ralph Nader of the Green Party. Others supported Al Gore, the Democratic candidate.
In 2004, the DSA supported John Kerry. They believed his victory would help progressives. In 2008, they supported Barack Obama. After Obama's election, some people on the right called his policies "socialistic." The DSA and Obama's team both said this was not true.
In the 2016 presidential election, the DSA supported Bernie Sanders. His campaign led to many young people joining the DSA. After Sanders lost, the DSA did not officially support Hillary Clinton.
In 2020, the DSA supported Sanders again. After he dropped out, they did not support Joe Biden. Some DSA chapters supported Howie Hawkins of the Green Party.
In 2023, DSA member Cornel West announced he would run for president. He is running as an independent candidate. DSA members have different views on his campaign. Some worry it could hurt other candidates. Others see it as a chance to spread socialist ideas.
Congressional Elections
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Current endorsed members
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, NY-14
- Rashida Tlaib, MI-12
- Cori Bush, MO-1
In 2018, DSA member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez won a big primary election in New York. This almost guaranteed her a seat in Congress. Her win brought over 1,000 new members to the DSA the next day. Soon after, DSA member Rashida Tlaib also won her primary in Michigan. Both Ocasio-Cortez and Tlaib won their general elections.
In the 2020 elections, at least 36 DSA members won office. Four DSA members were elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. These included Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib, Jamaal Bowman, and Cori Bush.
In November 2022, Greg Casar became the fifth DSA member elected to the House. However, he was not officially endorsed by the DSA due to his views on Palestine. Later, Bowman stopped paying his DSA dues. Shri Thanedar was removed from the organization for disagreeing with its principles.
State and Local Elections
In the 2017 elections, the DSA supported 15 candidates. They won 15 offices in 13 states. This encouraged many more DSA members to run in 2018.
In the 2018 elections, the DSA aimed for 100 elected officials. Many DSA members won state and local races. For example, four women won Democratic primary elections for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. About a dozen DSA members won seats in state legislatures.
In the 2019 Chicago aldermanic elections, six DSA members were elected to the Chicago City Council. They formed the Chicago City Council Socialist Caucus. In other 2019 elections, DSA members won several city council seats. Dean Preston became the first democratic socialist on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 40 years.
In 2020, the DSA made big gains in state legislatures. Over 30 DSA members were elected in 16 states. Notable wins included Rick Krajewski in West Philadelphia. A group of five candidates was elected to the state house and senate in New York City.
Since 2020, many DSA members have won local offices. Nithya Raman won a seat on the Los Angeles City Council. Janeese Lewis George won a seat on the Washington, D.C. city council. DSA members were also elected to city councils in many other cities.
In March 2021, DSA members took over the leadership of the Nevada Democratic Party. However, this leadership ended in 2023. The Las Vegas DSA chapter later said that working within the Democratic Party was not the best strategy. They believe socialists should focus on organizing outside the party.
In June 2021, India Walton, a DSA-backed candidate, won the Democratic primary for mayor in Buffalo, New York. She lost the general election to the incumbent.
At their 2023 meeting, the DSA decided to focus on school board elections. DSA candidates have had success in these elections in many states. They often run on platforms supporting transgender rights, fighting systemic racism, and supporting teachers' unions.
Images for kids
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Protesters in San Francisco with a DSA banner calling for the abolition of ICE.
See also
In Spanish: Socialistas Democráticos de América para niños
- American Left
- Democratic socialism
- List of Democratic Socialists of America public officeholders
- Socialist Party of America
- Socialist Party USA
- Green Party (United States)
- Communist Party USA
- The Squad (United States Congress)
