Democratic Socialists of America

Democratic Socialists of America
Democratic Socialists of America
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 (2024)	78,000
Ideology	Democratic socialism; Multi-tendency (see below);
Regional affiliation	São Paulo Forum; (associate)
International affiliation	Progressive International (since 2023); Socialist International; (1982–2017);
Colors	Red
Website
	dsausa.org
	Politics of the United States; Political parties; Elections;

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is a political organization in the United States that advocates for democratic socialism. It is the country's largest socialist organization. Established in 1982, the DSA emerged from a merger of the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (DSOC) and the New American movement (NAM). Its membership and influence has seen significant growth since the late 2010s.

The DSOC, founded in 1973, was an offshoot of the Socialist Party of America (SPA) aligned with the ideas of Michael Harrington, a prominent socialist activist and intellectual; the NAM, founded in 1971, was a New Left group and descendant of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). After their merger in 1982, the DSA supported grassroots movements and progressive elements in the Democratic Party. It was a minor political force until the 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns of Senator Bernie Sanders, a self-identified democratic socialist, after which its membership swelled from about 6,000 members in 2015 to more than 90,000 in 2021. Its growth has also been fueled by social movements such as Black Lives Matter, climate justice, and Gaza war protests. While not a political party, the DSA has increasingly engaged in electoral politics by endorsing candidates who align with its values, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib, DSA members elected to Congress in 2018. It has a decentralized structure, with local chapters and a national leadership that is elected every two years at a convention of chapter delegates.

The DSA's political program is rooted in democratic socialism, a political philosophy that rejects both the capitalist system and authoritarian forms of socialism, instead advocating for a democratic society in which the means of production are controlled by workers and communities, with the transition to such a society occurring through democratic processes. The DSA's platform includes policies such as Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, affordable housing, free college education, an end to mass incarceration, labor rights, increased taxation of the wealthy, and nationalization of key industries. It also emphasizes intersectionality, supporting racial justice, gender equality, LGBTQ rights, immigrant rights, and anti-imperialist solidarity.

The DSA's advocacy of progressive policies and socialism has been credited with shaping public discourse and the Democratic Party's policy priorities. Internally, the organization has debated issues including its degree of cooperation with the Democrats, with some on the American left criticizing it as too committed to electoral politics and reformism, which they argue compromises its goals of radical change.^{[citation needed]}

^ "How the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Drove a Wedge Into the Democratic Party". The New York Times. February 7, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2025. According to Chris Kutalik, a communications director for D.S.A., it has added at least 2,400 new dues-paying members since October for a total of about 78,000 members.
^ Maxman, Olivia B. (October 24, 2018). "What Is Democratic Socialism? How It Differs From Communism". Time. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
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[1] "How the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Drove a Wedge Into the Democratic Party". The New York Times. February 7, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2025. According to Chris Kutalik, a communications director for D.S.A., it has added at least 2,400 new dues-paying members since October for a total of about 78,000 members.

[2] Maxman, Olivia B. (October 24, 2018). "What Is Democratic Socialism? How It Differs From Communism". Time. Retrieved July 3, 2021.

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