The Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism (CCDS) is a

democratic socialist Democratic socialism is a left-wing political philosophy that supports political democracy and some form of a socially owned economy, with a particular emphasis on economic democracy, workplace democracy, and workers' self-management within ...

group in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

that originated in 1991 as the Committees of Correspondence, a moderate grouping in the Communist Party USA (CPUSA). Named after the

Committees of Correspondence The committees of correspondence were, prior to the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, a collection of American political organizations that sought to coordinate opposition to British Parliament and, later, support for American independe ...

formed during the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...

, the group criticized the leadership of CPUSA president

Gus Hall Gus Hall (born Arvo Kustaa Halberg; October 8, 1910 – October 13, 2000) was the General Secretary of the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) and a perennial candidate for president of the United States. He was the Communist Party nominee in the ...

and argued that, in light of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the party should reject Leninism and adopt a multi-tendency democratic socialist orientation. The party continues to consider itself Marxist. The former CPUSA official Gil Green, as well as notable activists such as

Pete Seeger Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American folk singer and social activist. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, Seeger also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of the Weavers, notably ...

and

Angela Davis Angela Yvonne Davis (born January 26, 1944) is an American political activist, philosopher, academic, scholar, and author. She is a professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. A feminist and a Marxist, Davis was a longtime member of ...

, led the reformist movement in December 1991 at the national convention. Failing to win over the majority of CPUSA members, the group left the party. It held conferences to establish a new organization, which attracted independent leftists and socialists from outside the CPUSA tradition, or some who had left the party previously over its policies. In 2000 the group changed its name to the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism. CCDS permits dual membership in the

Democratic Socialists of America The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is a Left-wing politics, left-wing Democratic Socialists of America#Tendencies within the DSA, multi-tendency Socialism, socialist and Labour movement, labor-oriented political organization. Its roots ...

, the

Socialist Party USA The Socialist Party USA, officially the Socialist Party of the United States of America,"The article of this organization shall be the Socialist Party of the United States of America, hereinafter called 'the Party'". Art. I of th"Constitution o ...

, and the Communist Party USA. Its publications include ''Dialogue and Initiative'' and ''Crosscurrents.''Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism Website
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References

External links

CCDS website
Democratic socialist organizations in the United States Political organizations established in 1991 Marxist organizations 1991 establishments in the United States Communist Party USA Progressive organizations in the United States {{US-party-stub