What Is Democratic Socialism?

Maria Svart, National Director of DSA, explains to Wayles Browne how under democratic socialism everybody would participate democratically in decisions about how we allocate our economic resources. This can be in the workplace through unions or cooperative ownership or at the national level. At present the 1% siphons off most of the wealth that the 99% create. DSA doesn't have a blueprint -- democratic decisions will determine the details. For sure, there will be space for entrepreneurship and creativity. Social democracy, the kind of program Sanders was talking about, is but a step in that direction. Recorded October 16, 2016.

Voters' Dilemma

DSA Vice Chair Joseph Schwartz and Theresa Alt discuss the decisions faced by voters disappointed in the results of the presidential primaries: vote for the lesser evil? a third-party candidate? not vote at all? Given the peculiarities of the US election system, the same action may have different impacts in different states. Recorded August 10, 2016.

What is Democratic Socialism?

And Why It Is the Alternative to Capitalism An interactive workshop led by Maria Svart National Director of Democratic Socialists of America Sunday, October 16th, 2016 - 2:15 PM to 4:15 PM in the Durland Alternatives Library (was the Café) in Anabel Taylor Hall, 548 College Ave., Cornell Campus, Ithaca Free.

She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry Thursday, August 25, 2016 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm The History Center in Tompkins County 401 East State Street, Ithaca (at the foot of East Hill) Documentary film about the early women’s liberation movement Watch the acclaimed documentary film She's Beautiful When She's Angry by Mary Dore about the beginnings of the women's liberation movement in the 1960s and 1970s. It depicts the role of Black and Latino women and the controversies of that time around race as well as sexual orientation. Some of the issues raised then are still being debated today. Discussion follows. Cosponsored by the The History Center in Tompkins County and the Ithaca chapter of Democratic Socialists of America.

Israel & Palestine: Family Visits

Ariel Gold of the Committee for Justice in Palestine took her two children to visit a Palestinian family and experience their life under occupation: hospitality but also demonstrations, tear gas, checkpoints. They also visited lsraeli relatives who never cross the apartheid lines and seem unaware of the daily discrimination and violence against Palestinians. Recorded February 1, 2015.

DSA National Convention

Bronwyn Bishop interviewed Theresa Alt after Democratic Socialists of America met in November 2015. For nearly two years they had been discussing their strategy, and when they met they had already come to consensus and unanimously ratified the document. The longterm goal is to put control of the means of production into democratic hands. But they don’t have to wait for state power. They can start to build the alternative now. Not that government is unimportant -- so in the short run they’re working for Bernie Sanders as well as against racism and doing a lot of education about the cooperatives and similar alternatives. Recorded December 15, 2015.

Detroit's Solidarity Economy

The deindustrialization of Detroit has forced people there to seek alternative means of survival. Elan Shapiro tells Deirdre Silverman how they have turned to urban farms, neighborhood organizations and meeting places, neighborhood-based manufacturing. Much of this grassroots enterprise stems from Grace Lee Boggs' philosophy of personal and community revolution based on solidarity. It is a consciously multiracial movement.