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Communist Party (CPUSA) vs Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)

Platform similarity: 99% across the 14 issues · closest on Taxes & Fiscal, Healthcare, Immigration & Border · furthest apart on Judicial & Nominations, Government & Democracy, Foreign Policy & Trade

The two poles of the American socialist left are easy to confuse and importantly different. Both want an economy owned and governed by working people rather than shareholders, and both organize inside the labor movement. But they descend from different traditions — CPUSA from the Marxist-Leninist line of 1919, DSA from the democratic-socialist current that split from it — and that history still shapes how each relates to elections, the state, and the Democratic Party.

Where they agree

  • Public or social ownership of major industry and finance as the end goal
  • Medicare for All, free public education, and a guaranteed standard of living
  • Labor militancy: both treat unions as the engine of political change
  • Deep cuts to military spending and opposition to U.S. interventions abroad
  • Expansive positions on civil rights, immigration, and criminal-justice reform

Where they split

  • Theory of the state: CPUSA retains a Leninist framework of a worker-led state commanding the economy; DSA emphasizes decentralized, democratic ownership — co-ops, sectoral bargaining, municipal ownership
  • Electoral strategy: DSA runs its own candidates inside Democratic primaries and has elected members of Congress; CPUSA rarely contests elections and mostly backs the broad anti-right coalition
  • Democratic pedigree: DSA makes internal democracy and multi-party pluralism central; CPUSA's tradition defends historical one-party socialist states far more often
  • Size and salience: DSA is the largest socialist organization in the U.S. with real electoral footprint; CPUSA is far smaller and functions mainly as an organizing network

Issue by issue

IssueCommunist PartyDemocratic Socialists of Americagap
Taxes & FiscalFar leftFar left0%
HealthcareFar leftFar left0%
Immigration & BorderFar leftFar left0%
GunsLeftLeft0%
Abortion & Reproductive RightsFar leftFar left0%
Environment & EnergyFar leftFar left0%
Crime & PolicingFar leftFar left5%
Defense & VeteransFar leftFar left0%
Economy & LaborFar leftFar left0%
Foreign Policy & TradeFar leftFar left5%
Civil Rights & SocialFar leftFar left0%
EducationFar leftFar left0%
Government & DemocracyFar leftFar left5%
Judicial & NominationsFar leftFar left5%

Stances from each party's most recent national platform on the site's −1…+1 scale; "gap" is the share of the full left–right axis separating them on that issue.

On the political map

Communist Party USA and Democratic Socialists (DSA) placed on the economic × social map among every current member of Congress. Click a dot for details.

Socially conservativeSocially progressiveEconomic leftEconomic rightNicholas J. Begich III — view memberDan Sullivan — view memberLisa Murkowski — view memberBarry Moore — view memberShomari Figures — view memberMike Rogers — view memberRobert B. Aderholt — view memberDale W. Strong — view memberGary J. Palmer — view memberTerri A. Sewell — view memberKatie Boyd Britt — view memberTommy Tuberville — view memberEric A. "Rick" Crawford — view memberJ. French Hill — view memberSteve Womack — view memberBruce Westerman — view memberJohn Boozman — view memberTom Cotton — view memberDavid Schweikert — view memberElijah Crane — view memberYassamin Ansari — view memberGreg Stanton — view memberAndy Biggs — view memberJuan Ciscomani — view memberAdelita S. Grijalva — view memberAbraham J. Hamadeh — view memberPaul A. Gosar — view memberMark Kelly — view memberRuben Gallego — view memberJames Gallagher — view memberJared Huffman — view memberKevin Kiley — view memberMike Thompson — view memberTom McClintock — view memberAmi Bera — view memberDoris O. Matsui — view memberJohn Garamendi — view memberJosh Harder — view memberMark DeSaulnier — view memberNancy Pelosi — view memberLateefah Simon — view memberAdam Gray — view memberKevin Mullin — view memberSam T. Liccardo — view memberRo Khanna — view memberZoe Lofgren — view memberJimmy Panetta — view memberVince Fong — view memberJim Costa — view memberDavid G. Valadao — view memberJay Obernolte — view memberSalud O. Carbajal — view memberRaul Ruiz — view memberJulia Brownley — view memberGeorge Whitesides — view memberJudy Chu — view memberLuz M. Rivas — view memberLaura Friedman — view memberGilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr. — view memberBrad Sherman — view memberPete Aguilar — view memberJimmy Gomez — view memberNorma J. Torres — view memberTed Lieu — view memberSydney Kamlager-Dove — view memberLinda T. Sánchez — view memberMark Takano — view memberYoung Kim — view memberKen Calvert — view memberRobert Garcia — view memberMaxine Waters — view memberNanette Diaz Barragán — view memberDerek Tran — view memberJ. Luis Correa — view memberDave Min — view memberDarrell Issa — view memberMike Levin — view memberScott H. Peters — view memberSara Jacobs — view memberJuan Vargas — view memberAdam B. Schiff — view memberAlex Padilla — view memberDiana DeGette — view memberJoe Neguse — view memberJeff Hurd — view memberLauren Boebert — view memberJeff Crank — view memberJason Crow — view memberBrittany Pettersen — view memberGabe Evans — view memberJohn W. Hickenlooper — view memberMichael F. Bennet — view memberJohn B. Larson — view memberJoe Courtney — view memberRosa L. DeLauro — view memberJames A. Himes — view memberJahana Hayes — view memberRichard Blumenthal — view memberChristopher Murphy — view memberSarah McBride — view memberChristopher A. Coons — view memberLisa Blunt Rochester — view memberJimmy Patronis — view memberNeal P. Dunn — view memberKat Cammack — view memberAaron Bean — view memberJohn H. Rutherford — view memberRandy Fine — view memberCory Mills — view memberMike Haridopolos — view memberDarren Soto — view memberMaxwell Frost — view memberDaniel Webster — view memberGus M. Bilirakis — view memberAnna Paulina Luna — view memberKathy Castor — view memberLaurel M. Lee — view memberVern Buchanan — view memberW. Gregory Steube — view memberScott Franklin — view memberByron Donalds — view memberBrian J. Mast — view memberLois Frankel — view memberJared Moskowitz — view memberFrederica S. Wilson — view memberDebbie Wasserman Schultz — view memberMario Diaz-Balart — view memberMaria Elvira Salazar — view memberCarlos A. Gimenez — view memberAshley Moody — view memberRick Scott — view memberEarl L. "Buddy" Carter — view memberSanford D. Bishop, Jr. — view memberBrian Jack — view memberHenry C. "Hank" Johnson, Jr. — view memberNikema Williams — view memberLucy McBath — view memberRichard McCormick — view memberAustin Scott — view memberAndrew S. Clyde — view memberMike Collins — view memberBarry Loudermilk — view memberRick W. Allen — view memberClay Fuller — view memberJon Ossoff — view memberRaphael G. Warnock — view memberEd Case — view memberJill N. Tokuda — view memberMazie K. Hirono — view memberBrian Schatz — view memberMariannette Miller-Meeks — view memberAshley Hinson — view memberZachary Nunn — view memberRandy Feenstra — view memberJoni Ernst — view memberChuck Grassley — view memberRuss Fulcher — view memberMichael K. Simpson — view memberMike Crapo — view memberJames E. Risch — view memberJonathan L. Jackson — view memberRobin L. Kelly — view memberDelia C. Ramirez — view memberJesús G. "Chuy" García — view memberMike Quigley — view memberSean Casten — view memberDanny K. Davis — view memberRaja Krishnamoorthi — view memberJanice D. Schakowsky — view memberBradley Scott Schneider — view memberBill Foster — view memberMike Bost — view memberNikki Budzinski — view memberLauren Underwood — view memberMary E. Miller — view memberDarin LaHood — view memberEric Sorensen — view memberTammy Duckworth — view memberRichard J. Durbin — view memberFrank J. Mrvan — view memberRudy Yakym III — view memberMarlin A. Stutzman — view memberJames R. Baird — view memberVictoria Spartz — view memberJefferson Shreve — view memberAndré Carson — view memberMark B. Messmer — view memberErin Houchin — view memberJim Banks — view memberTodd Young — view memberTracey Mann — view memberDerek Schmidt — view memberSharice Davids — view memberRon Estes — view memberRoger Marshall — view memberJerry Moran — view memberJames Comer — view memberBrett Guthrie — view memberMorgan McGarvey — view memberThomas Massie — view memberHarold Rogers — view memberAndy Barr — view memberMitch McConnell — view memberRand Paul — view memberSteve Scalise — view memberTroy A. Carter — view memberClay Higgins — view memberMike Johnson — view memberJulia Letlow — view memberCleo Fields — view memberJohn Kennedy — view memberBill Cassidy — view memberRichard E. Neal — view memberJames P. McGovern — view memberLori Trahan — view memberJake Auchincloss — view memberKatherine M. Clark — view memberSeth Moulton — view memberAyanna Pressley — view memberStephen F. Lynch — view memberWilliam R. Keating — view memberEdward J. Markey — view memberElizabeth Warren — view memberAndy Harris — view memberJohnny Olszewski, Jr. — view memberSarah Elfreth — view memberGlenn Ivey — view memberSteny H. Hoyer — view memberApril McClain Delaney — view memberKweisi Mfume — view memberJamie Raskin — view memberChris Van Hollen — view memberAngela D. Alsobrooks — view memberChellie Pingree — view memberJared F. Golden — view memberAngus S. King, Jr. — view memberSusan M. Collins — view memberJack Bergman — view memberJohn R. Moolenaar — view memberHillary J. Scholten — view memberBill Huizenga — view memberTim Walberg — view memberDebbie Dingell — view memberTom Barrett — view memberKristen McDonald Rivet — view memberLisa C. McClain — view memberJohn James — view memberHaley M. Stevens — view memberRashida Tlaib — view memberShri Thanedar — view memberElissa Slotkin — view memberGary C. Peters — view memberBrad Finstad — view memberAngie Craig — view memberKelly Morrison — view memberBetty McCollum — view memberIlhan Omar — view memberTom Emmer — view memberMichelle Fischbach — view memberPete Stauber — view memberTina Smith — view memberAmy Klobuchar — view memberWesley Bell — view memberAnn Wagner — view memberRobert F. Onder, Jr. — view memberMark Alford — view memberEmanuel Cleaver — view memberSam Graves — view memberEric Burlison — view memberJason Smith — view memberEric Schmitt — view memberJosh Hawley — view memberTrent Kelly — view memberBennie G. Thompson — view memberMichael Guest — view memberMike Ezell — view memberCindy Hyde-Smith — view memberRoger F. Wicker — view memberRyan K. Zinke — view memberTroy Downing — view memberSteve Daines — view memberTim Sheehy — view memberDonald G. Davis — view memberDeborah K. Ross — view memberGregory F. Murphy — view memberValerie P. Foushee — view memberVirginia Foxx — view memberAddison P. McDowell — view memberDavid Rouzer — view memberMark Harris — view memberRichard Hudson — view memberPat Harrigan — view memberChuck Edwards — view memberAlma S. Adams — view memberBrad Knott — view memberTim Moore — view memberThom Tillis — view memberTed Budd — view memberJulie Fedorchak — view memberKevin Cramer — view memberJohn Hoeven — view memberMike Flood — view memberDon Bacon — view memberAdrian Smith — view memberPete Ricketts — view memberDeb Fischer — view memberChris Pappas — view memberMaggie Goodlander — view memberMargaret Wood Hassan — view memberJeanne Shaheen — view memberDonald Norcross — view memberJefferson Van Drew — view memberHerbert C. Conaway, Jr. — view memberChristopher H. Smith — view memberJosh Gottheimer — view memberFrank Pallone, Jr. — view memberThomas H. Kean, Jr. — view memberRobert Menendez — view memberNellie Pou — view memberLaMonica McIver — view memberAnalilia Mejia — view memberBonnie Watson Coleman — view memberAndy Kim — view memberCory A. Booker — view memberMelanie A. Stansbury — view memberGabe Vasquez — view memberTeresa Leger Fernandez — view memberBen Ray Luján — view memberMartin Heinrich — view memberDina Titus — view memberMark E. Amodei — view memberSusie Lee — view memberSteven Horsford — view memberJacky Rosen — view memberCatherine Cortez Masto — view memberNick LaLota — view memberAndrew R. Garbarino — view memberThomas R. Suozzi — view memberLaura Gillen — view memberGregory W. Meeks — view memberGrace Meng — view memberNydia M. Velázquez — view memberHakeem S. Jeffries — view memberYvette D. Clarke — view memberDaniel S. Goldman — view memberNicole Malliotakis — view memberJerrold Nadler — view memberAdriano Espaillat — view memberAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez — view memberRitchie Torres — view memberGeorge Latimer — view memberMichael Lawler — view memberPatrick Ryan — view memberJosh Riley — view memberPaul Tonko — view memberElise M. Stefanik — view memberJohn W. Mannion — view memberNicholas A. Langworthy — view memberClaudia Tenney — view memberJoseph D. Morelle — view memberTimothy M. Kennedy — view memberCharles E. Schumer — view memberKirsten E. Gillibrand — view memberGreg Landsman — view memberDavid J. Taylor — view memberJoyce Beatty — view memberJim Jordan — view memberRobert E. Latta — view memberMichael A. Rulli — view memberMax L. Miller — view memberWarren Davidson — view memberMarcy Kaptur — view memberMichael R. Turner — view memberShontel M. Brown — view memberTroy Balderson — view memberEmilia Strong Sykes — view memberDavid P. Joyce — view memberMike Carey — view memberJon Husted — view memberBernie Moreno — view memberKevin Hern — view memberJosh Brecheen — view memberFrank D. Lucas — view memberTom Cole — view memberStephanie I. Bice — view memberAlan Armstrong — view memberJames Lankford — view memberSuzanne Bonamici — view memberCliff Bentz — view memberMaxine Dexter — view memberVal T. Hoyle — view memberJanelle S. Bynum — view memberAndrea Salinas — view memberJeff Merkley — view memberRon Wyden — view memberBrian K. Fitzpatrick — view memberBrendan F. Boyle — view memberDwight Evans — view memberMadeleine Dean — view memberMary Gay Scanlon — view memberChrissy Houlahan — view memberRyan Mackenzie — view memberRobert P. Bresnahan, Jr. — view memberDaniel Meuser — view memberScott Perry — view memberLloyd Smucker — view memberSummer L. Lee — view memberJohn Joyce — view memberGuy Reschenthaler — view memberGlenn Thompson — view memberMike Kelly — view memberChristopher R. Deluzio — view memberJohn Fetterman — view memberDavid McCormick — view memberGabe Amo — view memberSeth Magaziner — view memberJack Reed — view memberSheldon Whitehouse — view memberNancy Mace — view memberJoe Wilson — view memberSheri Biggs — view memberWilliam R. Timmons IV — view memberRalph Norman — view memberJames E. Clyburn — view memberRussell Fry — view memberTim Scott — view memberLindsey Graham — view memberDusty Johnson — view memberMike Rounds — view memberJohn Thune — view memberDiana Harshbarger — view memberTim Burchett — view memberCharles J. "Chuck" Fleischmann — view memberScott DesJarlais — view memberAndrew Ogles — view memberJohn W. Rose — view memberMatt Van Epps — view memberDavid Kustoff — view memberSteve Cohen — view memberBill Hagerty — view memberMarsha Blackburn — view memberNathaniel Moran — view memberDan Crenshaw — view memberKeith Self — view memberPat Fallon — view memberLance Gooden — view memberJake Ellzey — view memberLizzie Fletcher — view memberMorgan Luttrell — view memberAl Green — view memberMichael T. McCaul — view memberAugust Pfluger — view memberCraig A. Goldman — view memberRonny Jackson — view memberRandy K. Weber, Sr. — view memberMonica De La Cruz — view memberVeronica Escobar — view memberPete Sessions — view memberChristian D. Menefee — view memberJodey C. Arrington — view memberJoaquin Castro — view memberChip Roy — view memberTroy E. Nehls — view memberBeth Van Duyne — view memberRoger Williams — view memberBrandon Gill — view memberMichael Cloud — view memberHenry Cuellar — view memberSylvia R. Garcia — view memberJasmine Crockett — view memberJohn R. Carter — view memberJulie Johnson — view memberMarc A. Veasey — view memberVicente Gonzalez — view memberGreg Casar — view memberBrian Babin — view memberLloyd Doggett — view memberWesley Hunt — view memberTed Cruz — view memberJohn Cornyn — view memberBlake D. Moore — view memberCeleste Maloy — view memberMike Kennedy — view memberBurgess Owens — view memberMike Lee — view memberJohn R. Curtis — view memberRobert J. Wittman — view memberJennifer A. Kiggans — view memberRobert C. "Bobby" Scott — view memberJennifer L. McClellan — view memberJohn J. McGuire III — view memberBen Cline — view memberEugene Simon Vindman — view memberDonald S. Beyer, Jr. — view memberH. Morgan Griffith — view memberSuhas Subramanyam — view memberJames R. Walkinshaw — view memberMark R. Warner — view memberTim Kaine — view memberBecca Balint — view memberPeter Welch — view memberBernard Sanders — view memberSuzan K. DelBene — view memberRick Larsen — view memberMarie Gluesenkamp Perez — view memberDan Newhouse — view memberMichael Baumgartner — view memberEmily Randall — view memberPramila Jayapal — view memberKim Schrier — view memberAdam Smith — view memberMarilyn Strickland — view memberPatty Murray — view memberMaria Cantwell — view memberBryan Steil — view memberMark Pocan — view memberDerrick Van Orden — view memberGwen Moore — view memberScott Fitzgerald — view memberGlenn Grothman — view memberThomas P. Tiffany — view memberTony Wied — view memberRon Johnson — view memberTammy Baldwin — view memberCarol D. Miller — view memberRiley M. Moore — view memberShelley Moore Capito — view memberJames C. Justice — view memberHarriet M. Hageman — view memberCynthia M. Lummis — view memberJohn Barrasso — view memberCommunist Party USA — open pageDemocratic Socialists (DSA) — open page
Party platforms:Communist Party USADemocratic Socialists (DSA)

Each small dot is a current member (Dem · Rep); the larger dots are party platforms — click one for its closest members. Economic axis: taxes, healthcare, labor, energy. Social axis: abortion, guns, immigration, civil rights, crime.

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Full platforms: Communist Party USA · Democratic Socialists (DSA)