Reviewed September 20, 2026.

Democratic socialism describes a range of socialist traditions that connect political democracy with democratic control of economic life. Definitions differ over ownership, markets, and the process of change. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy describes extending democratic participation into economic decisions as a central concern of democratic socialists; it also documents disagreements within socialism about institutional arrangements. Source: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Socialism.”

What does democratic socialism mean?

In its own explanation, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) calls for replacing capitalism with democratic socialism and collective ownership of major economic sectors. It describes participation in workplaces and communities as part of democracy and distinguishes its position from both historic social democracy and authoritarian socialism. This is DSA’s account of its aims, rather than a definition binding every person who uses the term. Source: DSA, “What Is Democratic Socialism?”

Economic democracy concerns who makes decisions about production, investment, and workplaces. Different socialist proposals assign roles to workers, public institutions, cooperatives, markets, and planning. Government ownership alone does not resolve the question of democratic control: the Stanford entry distinguishes social control from state administration that people cannot democratically direct. Source: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Socialism,” sections 1 and 4.

A historical term with several traditions

The phrase predates contemporary American organizations. In 1951, the Socialist International adopted its Aims and Tasks of Democratic Socialism at its Frankfurt congress. The declaration connected socialism with free elections, opposition parties, civil liberties, and economic democracy. It allowed different forms of public ownership and a continuing role for private ownership in some sectors. These provisions document one influential historical formulation, not a universal blueprint. Source: Socialist International, 1951 Frankfurt declaration.

In the United States, DSA formed in 1982 through the merger of the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee and the New American Movement. Its organizational history describes different roots in labor, socialist, feminist, and New Left organizing. The organization’s founding is a milestone in American democratic socialism, rather than the origin of the broader tradition. Source: DSA, organizational history.

Democratic socialism and social democracy

A useful distinction in contemporary discussion concerns the economic goal. Democratic socialism can describe replacing capitalist ownership with democratic social control. Social democracy often describes regulating a capitalist economy, expanding social provision, and strengthening labor institutions. Stanford’s account distinguishes socialist transformation from social-democratic strategies that restrain capitalism’s effects while retaining its central structures. Source: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, “Socialism,” section 5.

The vocabulary has also overlapped historically. The 1951 Frankfurt declaration included social democracy within its account of democratic socialism, alongside political and economic democracy. A dated organizational statement therefore provides more information about a speaker’s meaning than the label alone. Source: Socialist International, 1951 Frankfurt declaration.

For the organization, see What Is the Democratic Socialists of America?. For a biographical reference, see Who Is Zohran Mamdani?. The progressive and liberal terminology guide examines other labels used in American politics.

The Socialism topic collects related material. Marxism Fundamentals provides a structured reading pathway.