Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee - Ideology and Strategy

Ideology and Strategy

DSOC presented itself as an explicitly socialist organization. In electoral politics, it worked within the Democratic Party, in which it dedicated itself to building a base of support for democratic-socialist ("democratic-left") ideas. In Michael Harrington's view, the task facing the American movement was "to build a new American majority for social change." The union movement, while important, could not win political power in its own right, Harrington wrote. Harrington instead argued that it needed to unite with the "college-educated and issue-oriented" adherents of the so-called "New Politics" in the Democratic Party:

"In 1968, the Center-Right of Nixon and Wallace received almost 58% of the votes; in 1972, in a two-way race, Nixon got over 61%. In 1968, the American unions were a major, and sometimes sole, force behind Hubert Humphrey, proving that the organized workers are the most cohesive element that can be mobilized for social change. But the '68 election also proved that labor by itself cannot come close to winning.... In 1968 many McCarthyites did not understand that Humphrey was infinitely preferable to Nixon; in 1972, the Meanyites did not understand that McGovern was infinitely preferable to Nixon.

"If this split continues, the Republicans will hold the Presidency for the foreseeable future. Therefore, the only way to build a new majority for social change is for labor and the new politics to come together."

DSOC proposed winning power through the tactic of "realignment" — uniting of forces within the Democratic Party around a democratic-socialist program.

Its members ran for political office almost always within the Democratic Party. In addition, DSOC publicized and promoted the individual efforts of its dues payers and supporters, many of whom wer active in labor unions or other political organizations. There were members of DSOC who were elected to the Congress (Berkley, California Rep. Ron Dellums) and the New York City Council (Ruth Messinger). DSOC had public support from union leaders as Victor Reuther of the United Auto Workers, William W. Winpisinger of the International Association of Machinists, and various officials of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America.