Political parties, under federal law, are nothing more than a collection of ballot lines and bank accounts organized for funding and nominating candidates. But we are a political party and a membership-based activist and educational organization. As such, we are organized as two separate legal entities under one umbrella.

The Socialist Party USA is a membership-based organization, which people join, pay dues, work on commissions and organize local chapters. The Socialist National Committee is our general election fund, which raises private donations from individuals and contributes that money to Socialist candidates. Both organizations are governed by the same biennial national convention of delegates and by the same National Committee in between conventions.

The Socialist National Committee is the embodiment of the Socialist Party's legal status as a political party. The SNC conducts its electoral activity through this website.

There are many strategies for transition to socialism. Some socialists believe that socialism can be voted in. Other socialists believe that electoral actions serve an important function in educating people about socialism and distinguishing it from capitalist alternatives. Socialists are committed to struggling for what Andr・Gorz calls 途evolutionary reforms,・i.e., reforms that change the balance of power in the present system toward more strength for the less powerful. In all these strategies, socialists recognize the connections between the means and the ends; that the means we employ will have a determinative effect on the end result. If we want a truly democratic society, we will need to foster democratic traditions as a means as well as an end in our efforts to create both political and cultural change in society.

Socialists participate in the electoral process to present socialist alternatives. The Socialist Party does not divorce electoral politics from other strategies for basic change. While a minority, we fight for progressive changes compatible with a socialist future. When a majority we will rapidly introduce those changes, which constitute socialism, with priority to the elimination of the power of big business through public ownership and workers' control.

By participating in local, state, and federal government, socialists can support movements of working people and make improvements that illustrate the potential of public ownership. We support electoral action independent of the capitalist-controlled two-party system.

The Federal Elections Commission recognized the Socialist Party's National Committee status in 1980. You can view our FEC records here.