Democratic Socialists of America

Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is the largest socialist organization in the United States and the principal U.S. affiliate of the Socialist International, a federation of social democratic parties and organizations.

Related Topics:
Socialist - United States - Socialist International

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DSA was formed in 1983 by a merger of Michael Harrington's Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (the largest remnant of the defunct Socialist Party of America) and the New American Movement, a coalition of writers and intellectuals with roots in both the New Left movements of the 1960s and the more traditional leftwing parties of the "Old Left."

Related Topics:
1983 - Michael Harrington - New American Movement - New Left - Old Left

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DSA is organized at the local level, and works with labor unions, community organizations, and campus activists on issues of common interest. Nationwide campaigns are coordinated by the organization's national office in New York City.

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Notable DSA members have included United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta, organizer and SDS veteran Steve Max, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney, literary critic Irving Howe, feminist activist and journalist, Gloria Steinem, actor Ed Asner, author Barbara Ehrenreich, scholar and activist Cornel West and political columnist Harold Meyerson.

Related Topics:
United Farm Workers - Dolores Huerta - SDS - Steve Max - AFL-CIO - John Sweeney - Irving Howe - Feminist - Gloria Steinem - Ed Asner - Barbara Ehrenreich - Cornel West - Harold Meyerson.

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While many DSA members are also members of the Democratic Party, electoral politics have been a secondary concern throughout the history of the organization. The main aim of DSA is to promote socialist ideas within the broader progressive social movements in American politics. On electoral questions, the organization supports what it calls the "left wing of the possible." DSA remained neutral in the 2000 Presidential race and decided to back John Kerry in 2004. DSA members have occasionally been elected to public office at the local, state, and federal level, both as Democratic Party and non-partisan candidates.

Related Topics:
Democratic Party - John Kerry

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In August of 2005, DSA announced that its membership had increased by some 13% since July of 2003 as the result of a recent direct mail campaign. http://www.dsausa.org/LatestNews/2005/DSA%20membership%20grows.html

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Young Democratic Socialists (YDS) is the official youth section of Democratic Socialists of America.

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