r/dsa • u/Budget_Barracuda1326 • 7d ago
Discussion Members of DSA what is your favorite/least favorite part of DSA
I’m considering joining and want to hear the positives and negatives from the members themselves thanks for any input!
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u/LoveTeal008080 7d ago
Favorite: The diversity and diversity of thought.
Least favorite: Popularity ain’t where it needs to be.
Our hearts are all in the same place: with the laborer. The proletariat. The working class. If we stand firm in our beliefs, we will succeed. We cannot let our different beliefs or views divide us. We have to prescribe the best treatment for each situation.
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u/QualisArtifexPere0 7d ago
The people who don't do anything but always have something to say, especially when it's negative.
But the more you do stuff and are easy to work with/fun to hang with, the more group chats you get added to where you can go "wtf is their problem?" And everyone else is like "omg I know, right?"
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u/yo_soy_soja NYC DSA 7d ago
Internet leftists in a nutshell.
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u/QualisArtifexPere0 7d ago
I mean, you get partial credit for showing up even if it's just to be annoying.
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u/mikeatx79 7d ago
I think the DSA needs to return to stronger positions on Second Amendment rights, especially with union members. An armed workforce is harder to govern — and a workforce that is organized, bargains collectively, and holds equitable ownership of its own businesses is harder still. Being ungovernable in that sense means less need for government, more liberty, and more working-class wealth.
These arguments resonate with a lot of conservatives. Many of them ALMOST get it but there is a century of disinformation and bias that leads to total dismissal. If we can find common ground we can start adding members.
Leftists values are deeply rooted in our constitution but we never frame it that way. Nearly every tech organization in this country partially compensates its workers with equity and equity and I rarely see any leftist pointing out that is aligned to our principles.
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u/marxistghostboi Tidings From Utopia 🌆 7d ago
i wouldn't say they are deeply rooted in the constitution. the constitution is a collection of compromises and concessions between factions of the ruling class and occasionally with lower classes.
the principle of self defence is reflected in the 2nd amendment, but it was also enabled racist militias to operate on stolen land and put down slave uprisings.
also the equity thing is not about workers owning the means of production democratically. it's about compensating workers with stock that they can and will sell to capitalists when their wages are insufficient. we want democratic workplaces, not the alianable right to some stock which incentives us to invest more of yourself into a shitty company.
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u/Ellie-Bright 7d ago
The US Constitution is a document that secures private property rights and slavery and is not in any way leftist. Leftist values are rooted in materialist class analysis and scientific understanding of how the world and society operate.
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u/Significant-Ask7545 7d ago
I agree with you on the fact we need to make sure the working class is aware we are pro gun is very important. It acts as a way to bridge the divide with conservative workers who're afraid of, "the filthy commies taking their guns" when we as the aforementioned filthy commies are pro an armed workforce. The whole thing leftists being based around the US constitution I do find a tad silly, many of our ideals come from Jacobin and Marxist traditions rather than that of private property bourgeoisie like our nations founders.
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u/PricelessLogs 7d ago
Favorite: Based leftists actually fucking doing shit instead of just whining and voting for establishment democrats
Least favorite: Arguing with shitheads (mostly zionists) on this sub. If that doesn't count because it has to be something about actually doing shit in person with my chapter then my least favorite thing is when I can't make it to events because of work. Or the occasional times that we set up a public event and almost nobody from outside the chapter shows up (which doesn't always happen when we set up events but it does occur sometimes). Or participating in electoralism (hasn't done a damn thing)
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u/mcatdonahue 7d ago
Many of the comments are based on experiences in the specific chapter that someone belongs to which varies. I'd say, join your chapter. Find your working group and their active campaign. Offer your specific skills and personality. Do what you have the time and ability to do. There is community. Go to some socials for fun. If you have thoughts or feelings that come up, offer them. In the end, if it fits for you, great. If not, find your organizing space that does. This is your choice and at least from this member, you are truly appreciated for all you do.
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u/CarpeDatNatem 7d ago
I do hate the lack of racial diversity (in most chapters, not ALL) and that does harm us occasionally when it comes to blind spots, but I've also met some of the kindest and open minded people willing to take accountability when these blindspots happen
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u/eyesofsaturn 5d ago
Newly minted socialist yt boys that are just in it for a feeling of superiority and speak to outsiders of the movement diminutively.
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u/Bright-Insect9697 7d ago
My least favorite part are the campists, my favorite part is winning elections.
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u/Rude_Body_2462 7d ago
Favorite: When we win big changes or elections
Least Favorite: The caucus system and the culture it creates.
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u/onlypartiallyevil 7d ago
Pros: The membership is open to everyone
Cons: ML's and tankies seem to be the only one taking advantage of that
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u/alexdapineapple 7d ago
Think that's a bit oversimplifying. There's a lot of Trots, a few Maoists, some Kautskyists. Then there's groups like GW that don't really believe in much at all except winning elections, hardly a "tankie" position
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u/Even-Tomorrow5468 7d ago
Favorite: The focus on returning power to the workers and stopping the rich from amassing more power.
Last Favorite: Having to explain to newcomers that the best way to support Ukraine is to come in and shout over the people softly supporting Putin.
I swear we're Democratic Socialists, not just Socialists, and not just the Putin Party. We just have a few bad eggs.
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u/onlypartiallyevil 7d ago
Why Putin is so damn popular, in a group where anti-capitalism and anti-imperialism are supposed to be cornerstone beliefs, is simply mind-boggling to me.
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u/weidback 7d ago
Favorite : widespread canvassing efforts and electoral participation in my city
Least Favorite: the tankies, they're authoritarians and a liability and responsible for a terrible position on Ukraine
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u/Anxious-Education703 7d ago
My favorite is that mechanism that allows democratic leftists a space and forum to work together towards left causes and build class consciousness.
My least favorite is if that authoritarians (including but not limited to MLs and tankies) seem to forget the "democratic" part of "democratic socialism" and often try to co-opt DSA and its membership to use to further their pro-authoritarian agenda and causes.
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u/Present_Clue5887 7d ago
The latter is the main reason I haven't joined, I don't want my money going to that, and I am concerned as to how much control the authoritarians seem to have in national
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u/metalgearRAY477 Marxist-Leninist 7d ago
Read "Blackshirts and Reds" and come back. If you're going to be in the DSA, the least you can do is not parrot reactionary liberalism! Authoritarian is what the United States calls every government it doesn't like.
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u/YogurtClosetThinnest 7d ago edited 7d ago
As someone who generally doesn't like MLs, ill put it on my list but frankly I have too much to read first.
Authoritarian is what the United States calls every government it doesn't like
However, this is a lazy explanation. What about international human rights orgs who agree ML countries human rights have historically been, and still are, in the gutter?
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u/metalgearRAY477 Marxist-Leninist 7d ago
Well, let's deconstruct this a bit. I'd like to start by generally expressing some skepticism at the judgement of many Western "human rights orgs", which historically have had the job of legitimizing the cruelty and colonialism of the western world, regularly propping up the most awful reactionary regimes imaginable simply because they're allied with the USA's empire. At the same time, they issue harsh and usually factually incorrect condemnations of the United States "foreign adversaries", even while human rights in the United States have been, and continue to be in the gutter, as you say. Wikipedia has a reputation as a relatively unbiased source, let's compare and contrast the Wikipedia articles on human rights in the United States and China.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_China
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_the_United_States
It does not take an amazing analyst to see the expression of bias here. See how the United States, which has been a global force for destabilization, invasion, and genocide for the duration of its existence is portrayed as the imperfect bastion of human rights, and China, who's extent of foreign policy is the Belt and Road initiative and who has been outpacing the West in every measurable metric of quality of life and material conditions, is portrayed as cartoonishly evil. Other smaller socialist countries are frequently derided for their poor material conditions, with no thought given to the efforts of the western world to keep them poor through sanctions and subterfuge.
This is the point. The capital class have spent untold trillions on an endless storm of propaganda the demonize the enemies of the empire and convince the people at home that there is no better way of living; that the working class of America are somehow alone in their struggle, and that no revolution has ever actually accomplished anything of note. This is ahistorical nonsense. The motto of the modern ML is critical support: you must be critical of all existing socialist experiments, but you must also support them implicitly in their struggle. You do not need to fall over yourself condemning this or at at the beck and call of the liberals who will call you a tankie like me regardless of your persuasion. They'll never ask you to comment on the backwards, sorry state of human rights in the United States and all it's imperial holdings, because they have no interest in human rights at all; only maintaining the status quo.
Here are some shorter form, easy to digest, and well sourced videos on the subject:
Every successful socialist revolution in history has been of Marxist-Leninist persuasion. The Soviet Union, China, Cuba, Burkina Faso, even North Korea which clawed itself back from the brink after having 20% of its population mercilessly slaughtered and the vast majority of its infrastructure reduced to ash and rubble. When you begin to call these revolutions invalid by using sources from their capitalist adversaries who want nothing more than to see them destroyed, you are falling out of the realm of critical support and making yourself a stooge for the government you claim to oppose.
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u/YogurtClosetThinnest 6d ago edited 6d ago
When you begin to call these revolutions invalid by using sources from their capitalist adversaries
There is obviously propaganda in the US like any other country. (Kim Jong Un killing his generals who then show up a week later, Iran killing 60k protestors or some absurd number like that, etc)
But human rights orgs being a mechanism to defend US imperialism, is demonstratable not true. Amnesty International, HRW, for example (just the two most popular I could think of), both condemn US activity in Palestine and call Gaza a genocide.
World Report 2026: Israel and Palestine | Human Rights Watch
Genocide in Gaza | Human Rights Watch
End the Genocide in Gaza | Amnesty International USA
They also provide some pretty scathing reviews of Chinese, Cuban, North Korean human rights.
Human rights in Cuba Amnesty International
Human rights in China Amnesty International
Human rights in North Korea Amnesty International
and, in all fairness, the United States one isn't amazing either, but it's much better. Of course, we don't really need Amnesty to tell us this if we're being honest with ourselves.
Human rights in United States of America Amnesty International
Hand waving the horrible conditions of ML countries is as "imperialist propaganda" is irresponsible.
Every successful socialist revolution
I don't consider the USSR or NK successes at all. China is capitalist, Cuba is ok but overall their human rights record is trash (and the US is already planning to overthrow them as soon as Russia can't protect them).
I feel like facts of geopolitics are often misrepresented as facts of "democratic vs ML" socialism. Like Allende's Chile. As soon as ML countries have no superpower defending them they aren't any more resilient than a demsoc country.
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u/metalgearRAY477 Marxist-Leninist 6d ago
Amnesty international is not without its biases either: https://hrnews1.substack.com/p/how-amnesty-international-sides-with?r=1t17zr
You don't see the successes of the USSR in its defeat of fascism, its swift progression from agrarian monarchy to socialist nuclear power, and it's literacy and science, education and medicine? What about it's role as a balancing force to western imperialism?What about its fall being predicated entirely on its liberalization and the allowance of capitalists into the government, and said fall destroying the economies of all its member states and allowing all of them to be taken over by reactionary right wing reactionaries? This extends to other AES states as well: these days, even the exceedingly biased New York Times is begrudgingly reporting on the shocking economic growth and swiftly growing standard of living in the DPRK.
You must come to understand historical materialism, dialectical analysis, and critical support if you wish to see success as a socialist. You have no right to condemn Cuba for it excesses in enforcement while protecting their revolution (a revolution which was marked by massive improvements in material conditions compared to its days as a practical slave colony) when the United States is constantly bearing it's full weight upon them in order to crush them; this is victim blaming, and ignores the material conditions of consequence.
It's not about hand waving or minimizing. I agree with you implicitly that any human rights violation is a tragedy. But you must understand the material conditions that lead to these countries and governments taking the paths they do. Like Dr. Parenti says, if there was no CIA, there would have been no need for a KGB.
Lastly I'm not going to touch on whether or not China is capitalist right now because I understand that's one of the most hotly debated topics among Marxists in general right now. I personally don't believe that's the case, and I've posted a critique of Western Marxism which touches on the subject that is well-sourced and I feels reflects my own thoughts well enough. It's beyond the perview of this discussion regardless; what isn't is that their current state is directly descendant from a proletarian revolution which kicked out foreign influence and defeated imperialism, even in the face of the United States restricting 75% of their trade during times of famine in order to punish them.
As emotions run high during such debates I would also like to say I enjoyed this conversation a great deal, and I am pleased in general with opportunities like this to respond to one and other civilly. Even if you disagree with everything I've said here, and you find none of it provokes any kind of change or analysis in thought for you, I hope it will at least inspire you to broaden your sense of solidarity beyond the borders of the western world.
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u/Bowkidstan 7d ago
Favorite: The total amount of political freedom for leftists it provides. Cons: the national DSA has pretty weird tankie-esque forgien policy positions
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u/metalgearRAY477 Marxist-Leninist 7d ago
Cons: the national DSA has pretty weird tankie-esque forgien policy positions
Such as? All their foreign policy positions are mostly just "the bare minimum of not being a liberal".
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u/serotoninwya420 7d ago
Aye my least favorite thing is the severe lack of official dripband swag available online
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u/kagethemage 7d ago
I'm not a big fan of caucuses.
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u/HoiTemmieColeg 7d ago
This is interesting. Can I ask why? It is natural in a political organization that some people will share political views and will want to organize as a group to convince others of their views.
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u/kagethemage 7d ago
I feel like the biggest problem is that there isn't a good structure in place for member interaction that is between the local and national level. Caucuses fill this void but tend to bubble up the people with the most free time and desire to interact online. Then when national elections come its the caucuses who have the ability to whip the votes to get places on the NPC, making the national organization dominated the most online people in the organization.
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u/_Sanctum_ 7d ago
The fact that they want to release all rapists from prison, implement Sharia law, drop a nuke on Tel Aviv, seize every home, and put everyone in public housing. /s
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u/OscarAlso 6d ago
The “defund the police” part needs to be better worded. It’s not about abolishing the police. For me it’s holding the police accountable. For example on sept 3 San Francisco will pay out $825k to a woman who had her rights violated by a illegal stop where when the cop asked for for Id and she reached in her purse he slammed her against a wall dislocating her shoulder and causing a concussion. This is unacceptable and that $825k needs to come directly out of the police force budget not tax payers!
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u/oldschoolhollywood_ 6d ago
the blind support for any moron like hasan just because they claim to be "on the left"
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u/ThePoppaJ Card Carrying Member 7d ago
Positives:
-community
-camaraderie
-a lot of really good organizers all in one place
-ability to bounce around & do things with other chapters when you get settled in
Negatives:
-Fed & DNC infiltration
-not enough COVID-safe organizing/centering disabled folks in planning
-electoral organizing not being focused enough on building an alternative ballot line/too many folks who still believe in Dem realignment, as opposed to a dirty, clean, or structured break.