Caucuses
YouTube Video: A Guide to DSA Politics
DSA Factions
We’re using the more generic term “factions” because some of these are caucuses, some are other organizations dual-carding, and some are publications. Most DSA members are not part of them but they do have a big influence over the organization (especially at the national level). These are the major factions as of 2024.
The term “caucus” is also often used instead of faction. Since caucus is not defined in the org’s bylaws there’s no agreed-upon definition but it mostly means a political faction within DSA. In general, they want to influence or steer the ideological and practical direction and strategies of the DSA. The one notable exception is Afrosocialists and Socialists of Color (Afrosoc), which is more like a national committee or working group.
Below are the faction guides created by other folks so you can have a variety of viewpoints:
Who’s Who in DSA: A Guide to DSA Caucuses - Reform and Revolution
A 2023 Guide to Caucuses in DSA - Bread and Roses
Anti-Zionist Slate
Organizers from or in the vicinity of the BDS Working Group. They proposed resolutions such as “Make DSA an Anti-Zionist Organization in Principle and Praxis” and “Overturn the NPC Decision to Suspend the Steering Committee of the BDS WG.”
Website, Twitter
Bread and Roses (B&R)
Bread and Roses is a Marxist DSA caucus that started in 2019 descended from the pre-2016 DSA Left Caucus. They are focused on labor organizing, specifically the Rank and File strategy, support the dirty break strategy for electoral work, and ensuring that DSA is run by organized members, not influential staff. There are rumors of a split or a significant portion of members leaving recently including one of their NPC members (Gilman) although the specific reason is not publicly known (at least to me). Website, Twitter, associated publication
Notable statements:
Defend Democracy, Not Democrats
Invest in Organizing, Not Costly Consultants
This Year, DSA Has a Chance to Rebuild — We Should Take It
Put Politics First
Communist Caucus (CC)
A multi-tendency communist caucus focused on base-building through labor and tenant organizing. Heavily involved in the national HJC. CC has members in chapters nationally, with larger cadres in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area. CC membership contributes to, and practically leads, the editorial direction of Partisan, a publication shared between Communist Caucus and Emerge.
Website, Twitter
Notable statements:
Our Moment: Proletarian Disorganization as the Problem of Our Time
Our Statement
Emerge
A communist caucus based in NYC started in 2018. They are especially interested in base-building and international solidarity work in the IC as well as the intersection between the IC and DSA’s electoral project. Emerge membership also contributes to Partisan.
Website, Twitter
Noteable Statements:
On The Party Question: The Ballot Line, Third-Partyism, And A Fighting DSA
Convention voting recommendations
GND/Groundwork/Uniting to Win
These are different formations in the orbit of the national Green New Deal campaign, which makes categorizing difficult. They are mostly focused on electoral/legislative organizing. The Green New Deal slate (GND) was a slate of candidates for NPC in 2021. The Groundwork Slate is a slate of candidates for the NPC in 2023. Uniting to Win is a caucus that was announced in 2023. Uniting to Win endorsed the Groundwork slate for NPC. GND slate was part of the governing majority on the NPC, along with SMC, for most of the 2021-2023 term until Sabrina C resigned.
Groundwork Slate
Website, Twitter
Uniting to Win
Website, Twitter
Notable statements:
Pledge and Response
Lighthouse Caucus
A local caucus in Maine DSA. Website
Libertarian Socialist Caucus (LSC) - Horizon
The caucus for tendencies in the general vicinity of anarchism and libertarian socialism (communalism, municipalism, cooperativism, etc). It started in 2017 where it fielded an NPC slate. In 2019 they were associated with proposals to decentralize DSA like the Pass the Hat proposal, and in 2023, they spearheaded campaigns to reform the way grievances are handled and proposals to maximize democracy. All members of LSC are members of DSA, though not all members of Horizon are.
Website, Twitter
Notable Statements
Dual Power: A Strategy To Build Socialism In Our Time
Marxist Unity Group (MUG)
A caucus started in 2022, they support a strategy of intransigent opposition to the capitalist class and their politics (Ds, Rs, NGOs, etc) and stronger discipline for elected officials to build mass support for a democratic and socialist revolution instead of working within the current constitutional order. They are very focused on centering the demand for a new constitution that is actually democratic in DSA’s agitation. They also support programmatic unity where DSA members and electeds abide by the DSA platform via democratic centralism. Although they are not officially associated, the online publication Cosmonaut**1** has a lot of overlap in membership with MUG.
Website, Twitter, associated publication
Notable Statements
How the Rail Carriers, Wall St, and the US Government Crushed Class I Freight Rail Workers
2022 Founding Congress Perspectives
Statement on Trans Liberation
Beyond Bowman, Towards Democratic Discipline
Fight the Constitution! Demand a New Republic!
Mass Action
Notable statements:
More than a Name: Why DSA Should Embrace Democratic Socialism Over the Big Tent
North Star
A caucus largely continuing the politics and personalities of pre-2016 DSA. They prioritize electoral politics, and support an electoral strategy of realignment. To that end, they believe DSA should mobilize support for non-socialist progressive liberals, and they directly advocated canvassing for Biden in 2020. They have also notably engaged in repeated Twitter trolling aimed at other caucuses and the International Committee using their official caucus Twitter account. Although they have a small membership roster, they have institutional sway, with members in many national-level bodies and long-time staff since they predate the 2016 membership wave.
Website, Twitter
Notable statements:
North Star Statement of Principles
The Case For Realignment
To Defeat Trump, Discredit His Movement, and Elect Progressives
North Star statement on Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
Red Labor
A multi-tendency Marxist caucus started in 2020 and founded in Boise, with membership contingents in the East Bay and Minnesota, and at large membership in at least nine different states. They support DSA making a clean break from the Democratic Party, programmatic unity (democratic centralism) where DSA members and electeds abide by the DSA platform (though they have qualms with the platform that currently exists), and a rank-and-file labor strategy
Website, Twitter
Noteable Statements:
Party, unions and programme
Red Star
A revolutionary Marxist caucus based out of San-Francisco with strong support for the International Committee and a party surrogate electoral strategy. They released a leadership pledge for NPC candidates to sign on to focused around the points below. Red Star started in San Francisco but they’ve branched out to other locations recently. They believe in the following:
- Improving the agitational nature of our publications
- Repairing and advancing relationships with DSA Electeds
- Increasing visibility of internal NPC democracy
- Supporting the Growth and Development Committee
- Responsible comms from leadership
- Checking in on staff & director-level priorities
- Increasing coordination & relationships between NPC & Locals
- Correct Grievance & Harassment policy discrepancies
- A commitment to developmental and fundraising work to correct the looming budget shortfall
Noteable Statements:
Points of Unity
Reform and Revolution (R&R)
Originally founded by former members of Socialist Alternative who chose to make DSA their main organizing home, it now includes members from around the country. In their own words, they’re a “revolutionary Marxist caucus that aims to combine revolutionary principles with the necessary tactical flexibility to connect with mass movements of working-class and oppressed people.” They strongly favor discipline for elected officials, political independence from the Democratic Party, and an organizing strategy “rooted in the multiracial working class.” They want to build DSA as a democratic organization with “stronger structures” enabling better communication, decision-making, and NPC accountability by the membership. They claim to draw from the works of “Karl Marx, Fredrick Engels, Rosa Luxemburg, Vladimir Lenin, and Leon Trotsky” to develop their politics.
Website, Twitter
Notable statements:
What We Stand For, written 07/30/2019
The Ultimate DSA Convention Voting Guide
Time for a Change: For an Accountable NPC, Working for an Independent and Eco-Socialist Workers’ Movement
Socialist Alternative (SAlt)
Socialist Alternative is a Trotskyist cadre organization with a strong base in Seattle but with membership in many places around the US, including the Twin Cities and Philadelphia. Some (not all) joined DSA to make a case for their approach to socialist organizing based on revolutionary Marxism and antagonism towards the democratic party. They strongly favor discipline for elected officials, independence from the democratic party, and replacing business-friendly union leadership with militant leftist leadership. Judging from their lack of engagement leading up to the convention, they seem to be busy with Workers Strike Back and aren’t looking to engage with DSA.
Website, Twitter
Notable statements:
Why Socialist Alternative Members are Joining DSA
What’s the Difference Between Socialist Alternative and DSA?
Socialist Majority Caucus (SMC)
A DSA caucus focused on electoral organizing and the multi-racial organizing committee. Their official position towards the Democratic party is unclear but seems to land somewhere between a party surrogate or a realignment strategy. Part of the governing majority on the NPC along with the GND slate for most of this NPC term. They usually oppose discipline for elected officials and are more likely to work in coalition with non-socialist organizations and politicians.
Website, Twitter, associated publication
NPC members in 2021 term:
Kristian Hernandez, Jose Alejandro La Luz, Kevin Richardson, Sabrina Chan (resigned)
Notable statements:
Against the Right and the Center
The Struggle or the Sidelines: DSA and the 2020 Election
Moving Beyond the Dirty Stay
Tempest Collective
An organization/publication mostly made up of former members of the International Socialist Organization (ISO), including the original theorist and organizers of the rank-and-file strategy. Within DSA, they advocated for discipline for elected officials, independence from the Democratic Party, and anti-campist socialist internationalism. They have a strong presence in Madison DSA. Much like Horizon/LSC, some members of Tempest organize outside of DSA (largely in the labor movement) and some organize within DSA.
Notable statements:
Class Independence and the Broad Parties
DSA after the 2023 Convention
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“Similar to the origins of Jacobin and the Bread and Roses caucus, many of the initial founders of Cosmonaut sought to organize for their vision of socialism within DSA. There are personal and ideological connections between MUG and Cosmonaut, but they are wholly independent projects. Cosmonaut seeks to platform discussion within the Left along many differing tendencies across the world, Marxist Unity is a caucus of DSA dedicated to the goals of programmatic unity for the socialist movement and the creation of a democratic constitution for a new workers republic.” ↩