There seems to be a misundertand among some who equate the policies of...

[brush]

Democratic Socialist of American party with the social Democracies of Europe, our once allies before TSF started his tariff wars.

Democratic Socialist of America Party are soclists, not capitalists. The European countries...Sweden, Norway, Denmark etc., call themselves social Democracies and are not socialist countries. They are in fact capitalist countries which offer its citizens robust capitalism with a strong social network of free healthcare, education, etc. which backs citizens when needed. They do a way better job than the US has ever done.

Again, they are not socialist countries as adhere to by the Democratic Socialist of America. They are robust capitalist countries producing many products the we import.

[leftstreet]

1. DSA does indeed embrace capitalism

Not sure where you're getting your info

DSA want to tweak and twitch capitalism, not abolish it

edit to add: there's an actual Socialist Party in the US

[brush]

6. So you're saying they're not socialists? The following is from their preamble...

Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)

DSA Political Platform

Deepening and Strengthening DemocracyAbolition of the Carceral StateAbolition of White SupremacyA Powerful Labor MovementEconomic JusticeGender and Sexuality JusticeGreen New DealHealth JusticeHousing for AllInternational Solidarity, Anti-Imperialism, and Anti-Militarism
Preamble

The Democratic Socialists of America are fighting to win a world organized and governed by and for the vast majority, the working class. We are socialist because we share a vision of a humane social order based on popular control of resources and production, economic planning, equitable distribution, feminism, racial equality and non-oppressive relationships. We are democratic because we know that this transformation cannot be won from the top down, by a small group of elites who claim to have all the answers, or by even well-meaning politicians. This transformation can only come from the bottom up, when millions of working-class people stand together. DSA organizes to realize our working-class collective power, which stems from the reliance of the capitalist economy on our labor. Democracy is necessary to win a socialist society. Socialism is the complete realization of democracy.

parades, but we recognize them for what they are: enemies of the global working class, and of the international queer liberation movement.
We seek nothing less than liberation. Our demands:

It goes on and on but it sure sounds like socialism to me...I mean the state/people owning the means of production and all.

Straight our of Marxism and all. I don't think it works in America, a capitalist country.

[brush]

10. What's the point of being a socialist party in America, the seat of capitalism in the world?

Socialism doesn't work. Give me an example of a successful and extant socialist society in the world.

None exists because they've all failed. Russia, China, Venezuela and al the rest.

Socialism just doesn't work and to try to convert American to socialism

is like Don Quijote tilting at windmills.

See post 6 for further clarity.

[leftstreet]

14. If you say so

Look, I'm just trying to find a recipe for a decent meatloaf today. I don't eat that stuff, but I wanna make one for a person who does. Some things say add breadcrumbs, no add oats, no do Panko. Anything?

[brush]

15. Just as I thought.

[LuvLoogie]

2. It's not free. Doctors and teachers don't work for free

It's public healthcare, public education paid for through taxation and usage fees. We make a mistake in saying it's free. It's not even a good selling point.

It's investment, the cost of having a modern and moral society.

[AZProgressive]

3. The Democratic Socialists

are similar to Social Democrats.

They both support a safety net and a mixed economy. They have the opposite of austerity politics basically.

I'm registered as a Democrat and don't belong to any other party but I think the Democratic Socialists have the best policies to address problems in cities especially for lower income populations. I support taxing the rich and expanding the safety net and against austerity which I think cost center-left politicians both in Europe and in the US votes.

[brush]

4. The Democratic Socialist Party of America are socialists, not the same as the social democracies...

Last edited Fri Jun 27, 2025, 04:23 PM - Edit history (2)

in Norway, Sweden and Denmark which a capitalist countries. Quite a defference.

[AZProgressive]

5. They're similar to Social Democrats

If this was Europe Bernie & AOC would be moderate Social Democrats.

Look at their policies.

[brush]

8. Here's the confusion again. The Democratic Socialist Party of America are socialists.

The are not the same as the social Democracies of Europe such as Sweden, Norway, Demark and other...they are capitalist countries which produce and export excellent product to us here even, they are not socialists societies. They are not about the government owning the means of production and all that which is straight out of Marxism and the socialist playbook.

See post 6 for further clarity.

[Mosby]

9. What's a libertarian socialist?

Never could figure that one out.

[brush]

11. You tell me. I never used that phrase.

[Mosby]

12. I didn't mean to imply you did.

There used to be posters here who used that term. Seems like a weird mash up to me.

[AZProgressive]

13. The confusion likely comes from the candidates themselves

I think they could avoid a lot of trouble if they drop the socialist label and call themselves social democrats without changing a single policy.

When you look at what Zohran Mamdani is proposing I wouldn't even call the policies socialist but like what a social democrat would propose.

I think a lot of confusion also comes from Republicans who call every good thing the government spends money on socialism.

Harry Truman:

Socialism is a scare word they have hurled at every advance the people have made in the last 20 years.

Socialism is what they called public power. Socialism is what they called social security.

Socialism is what they called farm price supports.

Socialism is what they called bank deposit insurance.

Socialism is what they called the growth of free and independent labor organizations.

Socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people.

When the Republican candidate inscribes the slogan "Down With Socialism" on the banner of his "great crusade," that is really not what he means at all.

What he really means is "Down with Progress--down with Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal," and "down with Harry Truman's fair Deal." That's all he means.

https://historyhub.history.gov/presidential-records/f/discussions/23262/what-was-harry-s-truman-s-quote-about-socialism

[WarGamer]

7. an important reminder tyvm