We are socialists.

As socialists, we advocate for the overwhelming political power of the masses–the proletariat, i.e., the working class–in order to bring about the destruction of capitalism and the construction of communism in its place. We believe in true equity for every person and that every person should be politically aware of their power as well as able to advocate for change in solidarity with their communities. We believe that every person has the right to social welfare to survive, including at least housing, food, water, temperature regulation, and healthcare.

Capitalism is the root of people's problems.

Capitalism demands an exploited class. The basic premise of capitalism is money-commodity-money. Expanded, this means a successful capitalist will buy their way into production with money, also called capital, to create a commodity, and then sell that commodity at a profit. This inherently creates a dichotomy between starting capital and profit, which results in wage theft, wage cuts, price inflation of the commodity, and more. It also provides the motivation to prevent others from gaining capital or entering into competition. 

We see this in the gate kept manner of capital itself, education, and high skills jobs, as well as the division between mental and manual labor. We see it in the production line rush and disregard of safety protocols. We see it in the consolidation and conglomeration of companies resulting in worse commodities for a higher price. This demand for profit is why healthcare, time-off, and other basic needs are cut from workers. This culminates in the marginalization of working communities and widens existing social stratification, dividing the masses along narratives of race, sexuality, gender, and class.

We must build a united front for the working class.

The formation of a united front permits the DSA to build collective power and better connect with working class communities. This means building partnerships with other socialist and communist organizations that align to our socialist values or organizations willing to unify around key demands should be considered as potential partners. The pursuit of a united front translates to a more outward-facing DSA that can establish a presence across a multitude of organizations and build relationships with other experienced organizers/activists already embedded across different communities. The long-term goal will be to establish a sustainable base of collective power that can act as a counter-hegemonic force to existing political and socioeconomic institutions around the Charlotte metro area.

We must center political education in our organizing.

Capital owners have created a culture emphasizing individualism and dissuading collective solidarity.  As socialists, we must use political education to make the working class aware of their oppression and their collective power. As members of DSA, we must formalize our knowledge of socialism’s history, theory, and practice, as told through the voices of seasoned socialists of diverse backgrounds. As long as the masses find identity with capitalism or believe they may break the barrier to entry, solidarity throughout the working class will remain limited. We must break down this false narrative and elucidate to the working class the reality that when organized, we have the power.