An ex-member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) recently stated that the organization has been “controlled by communists” and has shifted dramatically from its original moderate platform to extremist ideologies.
Jake Altman, who was an active DSA member over ten years ago, said that the group began advocating for Scandinavian social democracy but has since become increasingly radical. He noted that the DSA’s executive board is now filled with “extremist caucuses,” including Maoists who openly express a desire for revolution.
Altman explained that he raised concerns about the organization’s direction as early as ten years ago, when he was representing the national DSA in debates. At that time, he stated: “I see the direction the organization is headed, I’m not sure I’m the right person to represent it.”
The shift has been particularly concerning because the DSA is now aligned with prominent figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), who many consider a standard-bearer for progressive politics. However, Altman noted that AOC does not fit the more radical vision of the DSA’s current leadership.
This trend aligns with warnings from Alina Fernández, daughter of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, who stated: “Socialism, as stated by Lenin himself, is the first step to communism.” She emphasized that the subversion has been a long time in the making and has roots dating back to the 1960s.
The DSA’s radicalization also echoes concerns raised by former Soviet KGB defector Yuri Bezmenov. In the mid-1980s, Bezmenov warned that the “demoralization” process — a stage of communist subversion involving brainwashing and undermining traditional values — was already “more than complete.”
Altman further explained: “They have this thrill to violence.” He described how DSA members, including those associated with Jacobin magazine, now promote ideologies that reject market economies in favor of state planning.
The issue has become especially acute for young DSA supporters. A recent anecdote reveals that many have never been taught about the historical consequences of communism, such as the deaths of 60 to 100 million people in the 20th century.
This lack of historical awareness, according to Altman, is part of a broader pattern of ideological indoctrination that has persisted for decades. As Fernández warned: “They received these instructions or this indoctrination already in the schools.”