Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 30
2021 DSA Survey Shows 4% Blue-Collar Membership and 80% College-Educated Base
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 30

2021 DSA Survey Shows 4% Blue-Collar Membership and 80% College-Educated Base

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 30

Summary

  • A 2021 Democratic Socialists of America survey found just 4% of members held blue-collar jobs, while 58% worked in professional roles.
  • More than 80% of members age 25 or older had college degrees, including 35% with graduate or professional degrees, underscoring a highly educated membership base.
  • The same survey showed the group was 85% non-Hispanic white, with 9% Hispanic, 5% Asian American and 4% Black.
  • Those figures are cited in a debate over whether DSA-backed candidates can credibly present themselves as champions of the working class while drawing support from a largely professional, educated constituency.

Insights

Can a movement of educated professionals successfully champion the working class?
Why does a pro-labor group face opposition from traditional union workers?
Is delivering immediate economic wins the future of populist movements?