>> DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM WAS A PHRASE BATTED AROUND IN THE 2016
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
FOR AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, I SPOKE TO THREE PEOPLE FROM
THIS REGION WHO CALL THEMSELVES DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS.
MEGHAN LEMAN, EDWARD COLLINS JR AND DAVE LAR-TEEG.
>> GOT ALARMED TOWARDS THE END OF THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL
CAMPAIGN.
NOT JUST AT THE OUTCOME BUT WHAT WAS LEADING UP TO IT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE FELT THAT THERE WAS NOT AN ADEQUATE ALTERNATIVE
TO CAPITALISM GOING ON.
THE BERNIE SANDERS CAMPAIGN REALLIEE ELECTRIFIED A LOT OF
PEOPLE AND INTRODUCED THEM TO THE IDEA THERE WAS ALTERNATIVE
TO THE SYSTEM WE HAD BEEN PROCEEDING UNDER THE IDEA IT WAS
CARVED IN STONE.
>> HOW DID YOU BECOME AWARE OF THIS?
WAS IT BERNIE SANDERS THAT CALLED ATTENTION TO IT OR
RESEARCH ON YOUR OWN?
>> AT FIRST I BECAME FAMILIAR WITH THE STRUGGLES AGAINST
RACISM AND THE FIGHT AGAINST RACISM IN THE PIONEER VALLEY.
THAT'S WHAT FIRST ATTRACTED ME TO ACTIVISM AND SOCIALISM.
ONCE I LEARNED MORE ABOUT THAT AND LEARNED THAT THE CONNECTION
TO CAPITALISM AND HOW IT ACTUALLY CREATES THIS INEQUALITY
AND BENEFITS FROM THAT INEQUALITY, THAT'S WHAT
MOTIVATED ME TO BECOME A SOCIALIST AND ACTIVE IN A
POLITICAL ORGANIZATION.
>> SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS WORD, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CERTAINLY
LOOK AT THIS IN A VERY NEGATIVE THING FOR THEM.
AND CERTAIN STEREOTYPES ATTACHED TO IT.
AND THERE'S VIDEO ON THE DSA WEB SITE.
I'LL HAVE US TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT IT.
>> DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM.
I KNOW YOU KNOW YOU THINK IT IS FROR STRONG MEN WITH MUSTACHES.
>> IN THAT VIDEO, STRONG MEN WITH ELABORATE MUSTACHES AND
FRENCH COLLEGE STUDENTS.
HOW DO YOU DEFINE THIS MOVEMENT?
>> DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM AND VERY OFTEN IT GETS MENTIONED
WITHOUT THE WORD DEMOCRATIC WHICH IS A MISTAKE.
REALLY ABOUT A FAIR ECONOMY THAT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY.
ISN'T MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT.
>> BERNIE SANDERS OFTEN SAYS HE DEFINES HIMSELF AS A SOCIALIST.
>> WHEN HE'S CHALLENGED, HE SAYS DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM.
WE BELIEVE IN DSA IN EVERY ORGANIZATION DOESN'T SUBSCRIBE
TO A PART OF THIS BUT WE BELIEVE ANY SOCIALISM IS ARRIVED AT
ANYTHING EXCEPT A DEMOCRATIC MEANS TO UNIVERSAL SUFFORAGE AND
GETTING SUPPORT IS NOT GOING TO BE LASTING.
>> FOR PEOPLE WHO SEE THIS AS A NEGATIVE THING CONCERNED IT WILL
NOT HELP THIS COUNTRY, THEY SEE IT AS IT'S A COMPLEX IDEOLOGY
BUT SOMETHING THAT WOULD INHIBIT INNOVATION AND LIMIT PERSONAL
FREEDOM.
>> WE CANNOT HAVE SOCIALISM WITHOUT DEMOCRACY.
IT WOULD ACTUALLY CREATE MORE FREEDOM, MORE DEMOCRACY.
THAT HAS TO BE FUNDAMENTAL TO WHAT SOCIALISM IS.
AND WE SEE THAT IT NEEDS TO COME FROM BELOW.
>> WE'RE DEALING WITH DECADES OF PROPAGANDA AGAINST THE IDEA OF
SOCIALISM.
THIS IDEA THAT SOCIALISM IS A SYSTEM IN WHICH EVERYTHING IS
TAKEN AND BROUGHT UP TO A PARTY BOSS AND REDISTRIBUTED TO A FEW
PEOPLE.
THAT'S CAPITALISM.
THAT'S HOW CAPITALISM WORKS.
THE PROBLEM WITH SOCIALISM IS YOU RUN OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE'S
MONEY.
THAT'S CAPITALISM PROBLEM.
YOU CAN ONLY VACUUM UP WEALTH TO THE 1% FOR SO LONG BEFORE
THERE'S NO MORE TO BE HAD.
A LOT OF THE CRITICISMS OF SOCIALISM THAT THE MEDIA AND THE
PUNDANT CLASS HAVE PUT FORTH IS ACTUALLY A VERY STRONG CRITICISM
OF CAPITALISM ITSELF AND DOESN'T APPLY TO SOCIALISM.
>> SO I KNOW THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA, THIS IS
NOT THE FIRST TIME THERE'S BEEN A PIONEER VALLEY CHAPTER.
HOW IS THIS CHAPTER NOW DIFFERENT AND WILL IT BE
LASTING?
>> THE REASON IT'S PIONEER VALLEY IS WE WANTED TO EXTEND
THIS NOT JUST IN THE NORTH PART OF THE VALLEY WHERE THERE IS A
LOT OF PROGRESSIVE ACTIVISM AND SO FORTH BUT ALSO IN PLACES
WHERE IT CAN DO THE MOST GOOD.
AND FOCUSING ON THE SPREAD BEYOND NORTH HAMPTON AND
SOMETHING HAS BEEN GOOD FOR US.
>> I THINK THAT'S RIGHT.
ALSO, WE CANNOT IGNORE WHAT'S REFERRED TO AS THE BERNIE BUMP.
DSA INCREASED MEMBERSHIP BY 600% IN 18 MONTHS.
AND IT IS WHAT THEY'VE ALREADY MENTIONED THAT THIS TIME AROUND
IS REACHED OUT BEYOND THE COLLEGE COMMUNITIES AND ALWAYS
HAD ROOTS BUT HAD A VERY TRANSIENT MEMBERSHIP.
AND THEY MOVE AWAY.
ONCE YOU BRANCH OUT INTO THE LOWER VALLEY INTO THE MORE
INDUSTRIAL COMMUNITIES.
IT'S A GOOD THING.
IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO LAST LONGER.
MOST OF THAT GROWTH NOT ALL OF IT IS HAS BEEN AMONG
MILLENNIALS.
AND THEY ARE ENTERING THEIR WORKING YEARS UNDER A VERY
DIFFERENT SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT -- WHERE THERE WAS PLENTY
OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND IF YOU DIDN'T LIKE THE JOB THAT YOU
HAD IN A FACTORY IN 1950s OR 60s, YOU WALKED DOWN THE STREET
AND GOT ANOTHER ONE.
WE HAVE A GENERATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE A DANGEROUS
COMBINATION.
HIGHLY EDUCATED AND HIGHLY SKILLED.
THEY ARE BROKE BECAUSE THEY ARE BURDENED WITH STUDENT DEBT AND
AREN'T THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES THAT WERE THERE
FOR EARLIER GENERATIONS.
THEY HAVE A CLEAR PERCEPTION OF WHY THAT IS.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THEY ARE MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF A
DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST SOLUTION.
>> ONE LAST QUESTION.
I'VE SEEN AMONG DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS THIS CONCEPT AGAIN
AND AGAIN AND WE WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD.
WHAT WOULD THAT WORLD LOOK LIKE?
>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A WORLD WHERE PEOPLE CAN WAKE UP
EVERYDAY AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HOW THEY ARE GOING TO PAY
THEIR RENT OR BUY GROCERIES OR BUY THEIR KIDS NEW SHOES.
FULL EMPLOYMENT FOR EVERYONE WHO WANTS A JOB.
THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE STRESSED ABOUT LOSING THEIR JOB.
PURSUE THINGS, ART OR MUSIC THEY WANT TO PURSUE.
FREEDOM FROM DEPORTATION, RACISM AND EXISM THAT PEOPLE EXPERIENCE
HERE.
>> THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.
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