Socialist Syllabus

In August 2022, Louisville DSA approved a new political education syllabus. We will be reading and discussing the texts in the syllabus in a series of meetings, beginning with the first week "What is Socialist Organizing?" on Tuesday, November 22nd. Read what you can (a little or a lot!) and join us as we tackle the important questions for our work in our times. 

Week I: What is Socialist Organizing

• “Liberalism, Leftism, or Mass Action” by Peter Camejo

• “Democracy is Power” by Mike Parker

• "A Hierarchy of Socialist Political Objectives" by Robert Levertis Bell and Greta Smith

Week II: What is Democratic Socialism?

• "But at Least Capitalism Is Free and Democratic, Right?" by Erik Olin Wright

• "What Is Democratic Socialism" by Neal Meyer

Week III: Centrality of Class

• "Why Class Struggle Is Central" by Ellen Meiksins Wood

• “Wage Labour and Capital” (Selections) by Karl Marx

Week IV: Electoral Organizing

• "Democratic Socialism and Electoral Politics" by LDSA Political Education Committee

• "It's Their Party" by Paul Heideman

Week V: Labor Organizing

• Class Struggle Unionism, “Chapter 1” by Joe Burns

• "What is the Rank-and-File Strategy, and Why Does It Matter?" by Barry Eidlin

Week VI: Gender, Race, and Class

• "Beware the Race Reductionist" by Briahna Gray

• "Picking up the Threads of Struggle" by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor

• "Not In Labor" by Jenny Brown