Democratic socialists believe that we can create a more just, egalitarian, and democratic society. But first we have to unite the working class in a broad movement that uses elections, workplace organizing, and mass mobilizations to break the power of the capitalist class.
It has been forty five years since a coup d’etat crushed Chile’s socialist experiment. We remember the initial victory of Salvador Allende and his Popular Unity coalition as an important part of the democratic socialist tradition.
The working class and workplace organizing are at the center of our strategy because they are the key to winning struggles against both exploitation and oppression.
What will it take to build a truly democratic but powerful socialist organization? Assume good intentions. Use direct decision-making for key votes, but trust elected leadership to make decisions between general meetings. Don’t weaponize democracy. And build power first, utopia second.
