The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), have attracted much interest among workers and students who are searching for something better than the racism, violence, inflation, genocide and wars of both the Republicans and Democrats. Recently, 35 candidates endorsed by DSA won primary elections for federal or local government. There are now 250 DSA office holders nationwide, including New York City Mayor Mamdani. But “democratic socialists” promote the deadly illusion that capitalism can be reformed to serve the working class simply through voting, and they recruit thousands to participate in electoral politics, as opposed to revolutionary class struggle.
The history
DSA arose from a split in the old American Socialist Party (SP) that formed in 1901 as part of the Socialist International, or Second International. Their most important internal disagreement was over the question of revolution. Could capitalism be voted out and socialism be voted in? Or would the capitalists never permit this to happen?
To its credit, the SP refused to support U.S. participation in the imperialist First World War. Many of its members were jailed for this, some even deported or murdered. The U.S. government formed the Bureau of Investigation—later the FBI-toarrest, imprison, and deport active socialists. These repressions strengthened the position of those who believed violent revolution against capitalism was necessary.
The Bolshevik Revolution in Russia in 1917 attracted the support of many members of the American SP. The Bolsheviks established the Communist International and called on all workers to reject the Socialist International and form Communist parties. Over the next few years the anti-capitalist, revolutionary members of the SP quit to join the new Communist Party (CP), which changed its name several times. This meant that only the rightists, who rejected revolution and supported capitalism, remained in the SP.
The SP cozied up to the American Federation of Labor, the very conservative group of skilled workers. Together they de-certified union locals that voted in communist leaders. During the 1920s and ‘30s the SP continued to lose its most active members to the CP, becoming more and more pro-capitalist and viciously anti-communist. In the post-WW2 period they backed the anti-communist Cold War repression of CP members in unions and elsewhere. They received funds from the CIA for their publications like The New Leader.
The SP, now renamed the Socialist Party of America (SPA), made anti-communism its main goal. Its organizers worked with the CIA to break up militant trade unions worldwide. Two leaders, Michael Harrington and Irving Howe, promoted anti-communism in speeches and CIA-sponsored books. In the early 1970s the SPA split over the Vietnam War, with younger members refusing to support the murderous U.S. imperialist war while the anti-communist leadership supported it. They formed two groups that merged to form the DSA in 1982.
DSA today
Although DSA today attracts many young people who are disillusioned with capitalism, the organizational position remains staunchly anti-communist, and “recognize[s] opposition to authoritarian communism as a central moral obligation of democratic socialists.” And so DSA indulges in anti-communism even more harmful than that of the right, since they influence many who do dislike capitalism.
DSA thinks that workers can become such a powerful force in this government that they can legislate that workers “collectively own the key economic drivers that dominate our lives, such as energy production and transportation.” They imagine that if they get enough votes, corporate owners will allow workers to take over ownership of many enterprises and produce and distribute goods and services based on need. Before that vision becomes reality, they will fight to gain power in legislative bodies in order to vote for reforms, paid for by taxing the rich, such as single-payer Medicare for All, defunding the police/refunding communities, and the Green New Deal.
DSA fails to understand that capitalism depends on, and is defined by, making profits. Profits are only amassed by the owners of productive forces by paying workers less than the value of what they produce, what we call exploitation. And because of competition, investment only flows to those producers who make the most profit the fastest. Thus it is not a moral or philosophical question of whether capitalists can be made or won to lessening the degree of exploitation, lessening the damage they might cause the environment or the quality of life of the vast majority or humans. No, they must maximize their gain in order to survive. Whether they do so with glee or regret is irrelevant- they have no choice. And clearly, as they violently suppress strikes and protests, cut lifesaving benefits like health care and food stamps at home and militarily devour nations abroad, they have no regret over bringing hardship or an end to workers’ lives.
DSA’s political reality
Doubtless, most people who join or seek office through DSA are genuine in their desire to better the lives of workers. In an interview with the nominated Manhattan congressional candidate, Darializa Avila Chevalier, she talks about the desperate need for affordable housing, her desire to eliminate all borders, and the belief that crime stems from social stress and would not exist in an egalitarian society, thus eliminating the need for prisons and police. And how will this come about? When the legislature votes to tax the rich, with which the rich will, of course, comply.
Perhaps the best place to investigate this model in current reality is to examine the rule of New York City Mayor Mamdani, elected November, 2025. Most of his promises were based on his intent to tax the rich, which is not in his power, and New York State Governor Hochul has made clear that she will do no such thing. So the Mayor has to work within the confines of the city budget, over which he has limited control.
Most grievously, Mamdani has left the billionaire heiress Zionist Police Chief Jessica Tisch in power. The notorious Strategic Response Group that attacks demonstrators remains intact, and the disproportionate arrests of Black and Latin men for minor infractions continue apace. The NYPD is now negotiating a $750,000 agreement with Israeli technology company Cognyte to better track mobile phones.
When Trump ended Haitians’ temporary protective status, Mamdani immediately fired all Haitian city employees after losing their work authorization. Although he is opening one lower priced grocery store in each borough and is providing free child care for 2,000 two year olds, he cannot do many other things he has promised. This includes renovating 500 public schools, raising teacher wages, housing the homeless and repairing public housing.
DSA reduces understanding and struggle
So DSA’s actual role is to deceive its adherents and oppose the mass organizing that is necessary to threaten capitalism. DSA maintains that capitalism can be reformed by voting, reformed in such a way that owners will give up their capitalist entities and allow benefits to flow to workers. From this follows the misconception that the force that keeps capitalists in power, the state and its armed might, will not be used to protect capitalist enterprises against the workers’ wish to take over, whether they’ve only voted for it or are actually engaged in workplace actions.
DSA is dangerous because it has taken the energy of thousands of its adherents and directed it into electoral campaigns instead of organizing for actual demands. As the U.S. hurtles towards a larger war with Iran and then possibly with China, as climate change accelerates, as unemployment rises and social benefits decrease, workers, students and soldiers will need a mass, multiracial, militant and overtly anti-capitalist movement to fight back. Such a movement can only grow out of struggles at worksites, schools, and military bases that are organized by the rank and file who do not harbor illusions that liberals or bosses or elected officials will fight with them for systemic change. In the course of such struggles, it is essential that participants not only gain confidence in their own leadership, but come to understand the dynamics of capitalism and the need to build a mass party that aims to ultimately attack capitalism itself and establish a worker-run society, a communist society. That is what the Progressive Labor Party aims to do. Join us.
