Kathmandu— Michael Harrington, the founder of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), would likely be dismayed by the organization's current direction. The DSA, which he established in 1982 with a focus on democratic socialism akin to Scandinavian models, has diverged significantly from its origins under modern leadership.

Harrington's Original Vision

Michael Harrington was a staunch anti-Communist who sought to establish a form of socialism within the American political system that would preserve democratic principles and capitalist enterprises while advocating for state-provided services. His vision, as outlined in his book 'The Other America,' aimed to influence the Democratic Party's War on Poverty initiative in the 1960s.

Harrington’s DSA was committed to being 'on the left wing of the possible' and worked within the Democratic Party framework. The organization had around 6,000 members during its peak in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Modern DSA's Departure from Founding Principles

In recent years, the DSA has grown significantly to over 120,000 members, largely due to the influence of Bernie Sanders. However, this growth has come with a shift in ideology that diverges sharply from Harrington’s original vision.

The modern DSA is more radical and less aligned with traditional democratic socialist principles. It refused to support Kamala Harris in the 2020 election, issued tepid criticism of Hamas for its 2023 massacres, and has become increasingly anti-Western under Sanders' influence.

(With inputs from CounterPunch)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.