What is democratic socialism?
DSA is the largest socialist organization in American history. But what do its members mean when they call themselves “democratic socialists”?
Let’s start with a simple quiz: only one of these people was a democratic socialist. Do you know which one?
Don’t recognize the guy on the right? That’s Michael Harrington and he was one of the founders of DSA – and was America’s best-known democratic socialist.
Harrington knew the difference between the “socialism” of dictators like Che Guevara, Mao, Hugo Chavez and V.I. Lenin – and democratic socialism.
The term “democratic socialism” came into use in the 1920s as a result of what Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin were doing to Russia – and its neighbors. It was used to distinguish genuine socialist parties like the British Labour Party and Germany’s SPD from Communist parties which were controlled by Moscow.
I think – and I hope you agree – that democratic socialism was and remains the hope of humanity.
But first, let’s agree on what it means.
My name is Eric Lee and I have written a new book explaining where “democratic socialism” actually comes from, how it differs from Marxism-Leninism, and why it matters.
The book is called The August Uprising, 1924: The Georgian Anti-Soviet Revolt and the Birth of Democratic Socialism.
I’d like to send you a free chapter from the book. Please read it – and let me know what you think.
Click here to get your free chapter!
Learn more about the book here.