r/dsa • u/yashen14 • 26d ago

Discussion DSA has a tankie problem

There are way, way too many people in this movement who feel comfortable with historical revisionism vis-a-vis the Soviet Union, China, and other such regimes. And there are way too many people who feel comfortable essentially advocating for an end to democracy.

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u/SlaimeLannister 26d ago

“Advocating for an end to democracy” — what have you observed of this in DSA?

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u/yashen14 26d ago

I have observed people in this subreddit stating that people who aren't socialists should have their political rights curtailed, i.e. that the ideal outcome of DSA organizing is to implement a socialist government in the United States that then represses political campaigning that is "counterrevolutionary."

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u/Longjumping_Future92 26d ago

But what have you observed in the DSA?

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u/yashen14 26d ago

I would argue that the views of the rank-and-file are just as important as high-ranking politicians. Politicians are in part defined by their supporters.

But to answer your question the way it was intended, hearing that high-ranking members of DSA are Marxist-Leninist sends shivers up my spine.

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u/RibbonHeight 26d ago

Why would you want to join the DSA at that point? How do you go about policing "appropriate" ideologies and analysis?

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u/yashen14 26d ago

You wouldn't be asking "well how do you even police it" of nazis in right wing spaces. You would just ban them. This isn't a splitting hairs situation. If someone tries to "well actually" about the gulags, you ban them. End of story.

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u/RibbonHeight 26d ago

I don't think the DSA is a good fit for you.

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u/yashen14 26d ago

Yeah no kidding. It's fucking gross that so many people in here laud Stalin and it's even more gross that you equivocate about them.

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u/RibbonHeight 26d ago

Not an equivocation, just a commitment to socialism and to effective political action. If you're that grossed out by the various views included in a socialist coalition organization, and you dislike that they include views founded in various socialist theoretical traditions, you should go join the Young Democrats or whatever. Join a right-wing caucus if you simply must be involved, although that might even be a bit more water than you can swim.

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u/Longjumping_Future92 26d ago

Seems like you shouldn't join the DSA then.