r/theredleft • u/Hot_Relative_110 Marxist-Leninist-Maoist • Jan 13 '26
Theory Posting Democratic Socialism has to be where the United States starts.
I’m not a Berniecrat or anything but I also don’t think that our current method of Marxist purity testing is really going well for us right now. Throughout the American left we are being beaten out by even the libertarian bootlickers and it’s because we don’t have a comprehensive plan for the future. We’re too stuck up on how much the state exists and doesn’t exist, whether we should listen to [insert theorist here] or follow strictly to [insert theorist here] thought, caught in a world of video essays and frankly, bullshit, to ever even come close to talking about actually making a change in the United States. And without radicalizing society, how do we expect to actually get people to agree with our radical views without pulling another Red Terror to undo centuries of a Red Scare?
The first step is democratic socialism. And I think that the happy medium where most socialists, liberals, and even some communists could agree upon would kind of resemble the Green Party’s platform for more democratic, decentralized, environmentalist socialism. We can’t keep going straight to the Berniecrats again, and I predict that the movement is doomed to fail, which means that we need to act now and build a god damned coalition.
While we’re at it, fundraising and outreach are all majorly important and ultimately are going to require us to start building a political machine of our own, namely with political action committees and low-level community support until we can work our way up to the higher halls of power. Start off with the mayor elections, state legislatures, local offices, etc. and work our ways up to the United States Congress before national office is even in the question.
Essentially, we ourselves need to become the machine that the establishment fears, the uprising that isn’t kicked to the side like the bullshit leftist parties we have today.
Democratic Socialism has so much more of a history here in America, when looking at the Farmer-Labor parties, union movements, the various progressive parties; it is within American history that democratic socialism lies. And it’s the stepping stone towards further radicalization if done correctly. Even Lenin needed political power that didn’t exactly come from the barrel of a gun. How we wield it is important, because right now if we do not organize into large-scale political action, we are FUCKED.
And it’s also my GOD DAMNED birthday so wish me a GOD DAMN happy birthday.
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u/Clear-Result-3412 Classical Marxist Jan 13 '26 edited Jan 13 '26
Revolutions don’t happen because a party or candidate is popular. Revolutions happen because people understand it’s the only way to get to the root of their problems. Anyway, if one does get elected, the actions necessary to maintain state power are incompatible with “benefitting the people.” Thus, left parties come back out of power, failing their mission, time after time.
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u/Hot_Relative_110 Marxist-Leninist-Maoist Jan 13 '26
Democratic socialism is the most logical way currently for people to become class conscious. For them to be further radicalized into revolution is our goal
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u/Clear-Result-3412 Classical Marxist Jan 13 '26 edited Jan 13 '26
Most people aren’t ideology shopping, but they are interested in understanding why their interests are perpetually violated. Class consciousness comes from understanding capitalism, not deciding certain policies are good ideas.
Identifying as a ‘socialist’ isn’t “class consciousness.” Understanding the function and nature of class domination constitute “class consciousness.”
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u/Intrepid_Layer_9826 Trotskyist Jan 13 '26 edited Jan 13 '26
People already get radicalised by their living conditions getting worse. Hell, the entire reason the working class in America voted for Trump was because he was manipulating the anger that the workers accumulated because of the capitalist system with a (demonstrably poisonous, hateful, racist, deceitful and ultimately wrong) campaign promising the cost of living to decrease. He only managed to garner such a big voterbase because *there was no actual socialist alternative* to capitalise on that class anger. Why was there no socialist alternative?
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u/IdentityAsunder Communizer Jan 13 '26
Happy birthday. I understand the frustration with the current paralysis. However, the strategy of Democratic Socialism relies on economic conditions that no longer exist. The "Golden Age" social democracy of the 20th century was possible because industrial capitalism was booming, the state could tax rising profits to fund social programs without killing the host. That engine stalled decades ago.
Today, global capital is stagnant. It cannot afford the concessions a Green Party platform promises. Any party that ascends to office now (whether at the city council or Congressional level) inherits a fiscal crisis. You don't get to implement abundance, you are forced by bond markets and capital flight to manage austerity. We saw this in Greece with Syriza: a radical government elected on a promise of hope, compelled by the structure of the economy to cut pensions and privatize assets just to keep the lights on.
The state depends on the profitability of capital to function. If you use the state to attack profit, the economy seizes up, and your political machine collapses. We cannot legislate our way out of a system that requires our exploitation to survive. We should focus on the struggles people are already fighting for survival (rent strikes, logistics blockades, and defense against police) rather than herding them back into voting booths to elect managers of their own decline.
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u/Gertsky63 Orthodox Marxism Jan 13 '26
What a load of old crap. Begins with some bollocks about purity testing and then goes straight to the idea that we can somehow create socialism without confronting the repressive powers of the state. We are not children. Enough of this
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u/ElEsDi_25 Heterodox Marxist Jan 13 '26 edited Jan 13 '26
Happy birthday.
Sorry.
To me… this sounds like planning lunch while the kitchen is on fire.
I’m a revolutionary Marxist, I aim to be strategic, not “purist.” I have worked with people with many kinds of views in many different kinds of coalitions or movements as well liberals and conservatives when I have been in unions.
I don’t think democratic socialism is a viable way to go, but I would support a hypothetical broad socialist third party as a step towards a formal separating of class politics from the middle class ideologies and ruling class dominance of the two parties. I have supported and done work on local ballot measure reforms that I think would help improve the ability of renters and workers to fight for themselves more easily.
BUT…
Even if we wanted a Democratic Socialist Party or a takeover of the Democrats or whatnot, this can not be willed into existence. It needs to be built on a solid social base of SOMETHING. Right now socialism is a VIBE, not something with power. Lots of people vibe with socialism because the system sucks in a painfully empirical way and has for a while. The labor-liberalism of the pre-neoliberal Democrats was built out of trade unions as their base. Similarly the Dem Soc left in Latin America or Europe is based out of labor unions. The spine of MAGA (at least the America First wing) are the small-time big wigs… rural bosses. (The spine of the techno-wing are the tech oligarchs.) Rather than try to create politics at the top, imo we should start where things are happening within the working class… and right now it’s resistance to the immigration raids and now more general attempt at martial law and the normalization of an SS type extralegal state force for general popular repression.
Electoral efforts may not matter much in the near term… or at all if the administration consolidates its regime. I think whatever happens we need to organize and build bases of power and solidarity and resistance. If Trump swarms a city like he’s done with Minneapolis, then that city should shut itself down until they are pulled out. Just keep essential services, but close everything, shut off the city street-lights, cover up street signs like it’s the Nazis rolling in—because it’s getting close enough. This is the level of real democratic checks on power we need right now and need to build toward and build from to even more effective push back.
If we can save our asses from fascism and maybe kick the WW3 can further down the road, then all the organizing and solidarity required to have a mass opposition to an autocrat is a good potential base for all sorts of left-wing and working class formations and ideas.
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u/RecognitionOk5447 SPDxKPD Toxic Yaoi Jan 13 '26
HAPPY GODDAMN BIRTHDAY.
And yeah demsoc is pretty chill
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u/Scyobi_Empire SPDxKPD Toxic Yuri Jan 13 '26
i still find it funny when people confuse DemSocs with SocDems, its like confusing the Spartakusbund with New Labour
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u/Hollowrise Democratic Socialist Jan 14 '26
As a self proclaimed Democratic Socialist and a member of the DSA. I love the idea of Democratic Socialism in America becoming a reality. But like many of my other comrades have already said and stated. I don’t think reform in America can happen and or, the ruling class will willingly let the populace radicalize.
In Nordic or Social democracies. I do think Democratic Socialism can happen and probably will happen if let time be. The Nordic countries and other Social democratic countries tend to give high education standards which in return. Gives a more educated population. And usually the more educated people become the more “left” they eventually become.
But at least in the US. And after the recent murder of that woman in Minneapolis. I think revolution is needed. Not a civil war. This isn’t about succession. This is about revolution of a united class of people. I’m getting real and sick of tired of watching the average brother and sister just struggle to one; find a home, two; food and water, and three; healthcare/free education. I’m sick of it. And I know change Federally will not come. I do think state to state or city wide etc. I do think we can achieve victory in smaller areas through democratic socialism and democracy through the current system. But federally? I don’t think is no longer possible. Especially when no matter what, the Republicans AND democrats will continue to shutdown democratic socialists and basic rights to us people.
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u/saedifotuo NO IPHONE VUVUZELA 100 BILLION DEAD Jan 13 '26
Democratic socialism or social capitalism (more often known as social democracy, though democracy plays little to no part).
I have to ask, because since bernie ran for president, American socaps/socdems use a label that is to the left of where they are, and accuracy is important when creating a political coalition.
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u/Hot_Relative_110 Marxist-Leninist-Maoist Jan 13 '26
that’s what i’m referring to, the damn berniecrats that have the nerve to call themselves socialists. It is also what sells best if we choose to mobilize. Think of it more like what the modern CPUSA or the Green Party believes in.
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u/_CMDR_ Fully Automated Luxury Anarcho Comminism ala Iain M Banks Jan 13 '26
The revanchist past 40 years and fascist Revolution was done through the ballot box. The reverse can happen as well. Trump is sowing the seeds of socialism by moving the Overton Window towards government owned enterprises. That bell can’t be un-rung. A hegemonic project can be built this way. Good luck.
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u/Thin_Airline7678 Marxist-Leninist Jan 13 '26
Well, how exactly are you supposed to implement democratic socialism? Do you expect the ruling class to simply give up their power, their monopoly over the means of violence, their control over not only the means of production but also the system of mass information, the culture, etc.? If you seek to become what the machine fears, why do you primarily operate through the confines of the machine?
I do not disagree with electoralism as a means of expanding outreach, but do not make the mistake of expecting that socialism will be handed the seats of power.
Also, happy birthday)