On Sunday, January 24, 2021, at the time of the Biden administration’s inaugural, DSA’s National Political Education hosted a counter-inaugural, presenting a vision of what a socialist head of state’s “First 100 Days” in office would look like. From the program notes:
“In the transition between Trump and Biden presidencies—the consequences of a global pandemic, deepening economic crisis, the weakness of American liberalism, open displays of violence from the far right, and the absence of a strong, organized Left from the main stage of political life will be on striking display. Many will be looking for analysis and political vision beyond the insufficient Democratic and Republican establishment ‘business as usual’ responses.
DSA provides an alternative vision. Please join us to discuss what the first 100 days of a socialist government might look like, and to hear from leaders from various national DSA committees on their visions for a socialist future. This event will feature speakers from the Democratic Socialist Labor Committee, Afrosocialists and Socialists of Color Caucus, Ecosocialists WG, Socialist Feminist WG, National Political Education Committee, YDSA, and International Committee.”
IC Report on International Aspects of the First 100 Days
In the first 100 days of socialism, American foreign policy will no longer serve the interests of big corporations and banks in their drive to exploit working people and to profit from ravaging the natural environment around the world. Instead, a socialist foreign policy will promote the well-being of working people in the U.S. and throughout the world, a sustainable relation to nature, and a peaceful world. The new American foreign policy will include the following:
- We will stop seeking to dominate the world. Toward that end, we will take the following steps:
- We will close all of our foreign military bases.
- We will work cooperatively with other governments and through the United Nations to solve global problems.
- We will turn away from a new Cold War with China and instead seek to promote peaceful resolution of disputes with China and work with China on climate change and the threat of pandemics.
- We will stop using economic and financial sanctions to punish other countries, such as Cuba, Venezuela and Iran, that dare to act independently of the United States.
- We will renounce the use of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, and we will pursue agreements with other governments to abolish such weapons.
- We will work toward a global green transition to achieve a sustainable economy and avert disastrous global climate change. Toward this end, technology will be shared not based on getting a profit but instead based on global need, taking special account of the needs of global south countries that are in the most danger. We are also committed to sharing the burden of preparing the world for inevitable climate change effects.
- We will work toward the creation of a new global monetary order that treats all nations equally, to replace the current order that privileges the US dollar. The current system enables the richest capitalist nations to serve as financial safe havens, which damages the global south.
- We will discontinue U.S. support of Israel’s oppression of the Palestinian people and stand in solidarity with Palestinian civil society’s nonviolent struggle against apartheid, colonialism, and military occupation, and for equality, human rights, and self-determination. A political solution to the ongoing crisis must be premised on the guarantee of basic human rights, including an end to the military occupation, an end to discrimination against Palestinians within Israel, and the right of return of refugees.
- We will discontinue support for Saudi Arabia’s military intervention in Yemen, which has caused a humanitarian disaster.
- We will end government repression of journalists and whistle-blowers who reveal information about harmful actions by U.S. agencies abroad.