In a world where capitalism’s crises grow more acute with each passing day, the need for a truly revolutionary socialist movement has never felt more urgent. Yet within the broad left, a crucial question persists: How do we transform our principles into mass movements powerful enough to challenge, and eventually overthrow, the capitalist system? An answer may lie with the Mass Work Caucus, a newly formed bloc within the Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America (TCDSA). With a vision rooted in historical materialism and the daily struggles of working and oppressed people, the caucus embodies a grounded, class-centered approach to revolutionary organizing.
For those of us fighting for a better world, the Mass Work Caucus is not just another group—it is a call to shift from abstract theory to tangible change, to be there where it counts, side-by-side with those who bear the heaviest burdens of a broken system.
Breaking Away from the Limits of Institutional Politics
Electoralism and traditional union organizing have long shaped the U.S. left. But for the Mass Work Caucus, these tools must work hand-in-hand with the organization of the large segments of the working class that do not, or are unable to utilize these infrastructures for change. To truly dismantle capitalism and build a socialist future, the movement must engage with the working class where they live and struggle, not only where they work or vote. This means mass work—organizing the people in their neighborhoods, in their communities, in their everyday lives, and creating a bridge between socialist ideals and the struggles of today.
Imagine, for a moment, the single mother facing eviction, the young couple saddled with medical debt, or the factory worker inhaling toxic fumes with every breath. They aren’t just statistics or theoretical subjects; they are the lifeblood of the movement. They are the ones who live capitalism’s harshest realities and who have the most to gain from its end. The Mass Work Caucus aims to reach them, to organize with them, and to build power through the struggles they know personally. The same struggles we see play out in our own lives under the crushing fist of capitalism.
Building from the Ground Up: A Revolutionary, Grounded Approach
The Mass Work Caucus believes that the path to socialism runs through the streets, through community centers, and through mutual aid networks. In the Twin Cities, members have already laid the groundwork. From the Environmental Justice Working Group fighting for clean air in polluted neighborhoods to the Twin Cities Tenant Organizing Collective organizing against landlords who prey on tenants, these projects connect socialist ideals with immediate, practical needs. These struggles are not only about survival; they are about dignity, and a shared commitment to something bigger than any one person. Above all, they are about the belief that a better world is within reach.
The power of mass work lies in its inclusivity and its impact in bringing people into a movement with a larger picture of the future. It puts forth a vision that goes beyond primarily investing in workplace or political campaigns; it’s about organizing in a way that brings hope and solidarity to the people most deeply affected by capitalism’s abuses. For the Mass Work Caucus, this is how we grow a movement that is not only revolutionary in its goals, but also deeply connected to the people it aims to serve.
Breaking from Bourgeois Politics
A defining principle of the Mass Work Caucus is a decisive break from the limitations of bourgeois political parties, particularly the Democratic Party. While the Democratic Party has sometimes been a vehicle for progressive reform, it ultimately exists to maintain the capitalist system—a system that thrives on exploitation and inequality. For those committed to true change, this dependence is untenable. Our movement cannot serve two masters: it must serve the working class alone.
This doesn’t mean abandoning electoral struggle entirely; this means the electoral struggle changes shape. We envision building an independent, working-class party—a party with no allegiances to capital and no compromises on the path to socialism. This vision is radical and uncompromising, but it is rooted in a belief that we, the working class, can and must create a system that serves us all.
A Call for Intersectional Liberation
Perhaps the most profound commitment of the Mass Work Caucus is its focus on building a movement that doesn’t shy away from addressing capitalism’s deep-seated oppressions—racism, sexism, colonialism, and imperialism. Capitalism doesn’t merely exploit labor; it weaponizes race, gender, and nationality to divide and oppress. The Mass Work Caucus understands that socialism cannot be built in a vacuum; it must be forged through a struggle that recognizes and respects the intersecting oppressions people face daily.
To build this kind of movement, we must confront our own spaces, challenging male and white chauvinism wherever they arise. We must call people into the values we hold in our organizing space with love, and with a deep understanding of how we navigate conflict and disagreement. We must show that socialism is not just a fight for economic justice but for a world in which every oppressed group can achieve self-determination and dignity, and where we may work together through differing visions to create a new system: one that is equitable for all. This is not an add-on to socialism—it is a fundamental part of what socialism must become.
The Urgent Need for Ecological Transformation
The ecological crisis is a glaring symptom of capitalism’s unsustainable drive for profit. The Mass Work Caucus doesn’t believe in greenwashed solutions that leave capitalism intact. Instead, it calls for degrowth communism—a reimagining of production and consumption that prioritizes people and the planet over profit. This approach calls for not just a greener world but a fundamental change in how we live with the Earth, how we respect its limits, and how we sustain life for future generations.
A Call to Action: Join the Fight
The vision of the Mass Work Caucus isn’t just an idea—it’s an invitation. It’s a call to every person who has ever felt the weight of capitalism’s burdens, who has ever wanted to do more than watch from the sidelines, to take part in the day to day struggle. This is a movement for everyone who believes that the future can be different, that a society based on justice, solidarity, and mutual aid is possible.
This fight will not be easy, nor will it be quick. But for those of us who have seen the damage capitalism does, who have fought in small ways and in quiet moments, for ourselves and our communities, this is a fight worth taking on. Now is the time to get involved—to organize with your neighbors, to challenge the structures of oppression in every corner of society, and to show that socialism isn’t just a dream but a living movement, built person by person, victory by victory.
The Mass Work Caucus offers us a path forward, a way to build socialism not in distant hopes but in the here and now. It’s happening today, in the struggles of people who believe that revolution is not a distant dream. It’s in every conversation, every act of solidarity, every stand taken for a better world. Join us. Together, we can make this vision a reality.
By Hamza H