Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates picked up wins in the 2026 midterm primaries, drawing fresh attention to a platform that calls for the government to take over major corporations, shorten the standard workweek, and shift the cost of healthcare, housing and education onto taxpayers.
The renewed focus comes as progressive socialism became a central target for Republicans at the GOP’s first-ever midterm convention, held in Dallas, Texas.
Public ownership of major industries
DSA’s platform calls for public ownership of major corporations and essential industries, arguing this would give Americans greater democratic control over the economy.
Adam Lehodey, a policy expert at the Manhattan Institute, said nationalizing major corporations would cost billions of dollars and would shift accountability away from customers and onto government officials. He pointed to a history of nationalized industries suffering from waste, corruption and lower productivity, and argued that cutting regulations would do more to encourage competition than government ownership.
A shorter workweek, same pay
The platform also proposes a 32-hour workweek without any reduction in pay or benefits, giving full-time workers an extra day off while preserving their current compensation. It is paired with calls for a living minimum wage, paid family leave, and stronger legal protections for workers seeking to unionize or strike.
DSA’s agenda does not spell out how a shorter workweek would be applied across different industries or how businesses would absorb the added labor costs. Lehodey warned that without a corresponding rise in productivity, the change could push labor costs higher and shrink overall economic output.
Free healthcare, housing and education
Some of DSA’s most sweeping proposals involve universal healthcare, publicly owned social housing, tuition-free public education through college, and cancellation of all existing student debt. Taken together, the proposals would move a much larger share of healthcare, housing and education spending from individual households onto the federal government.
A Cato Institute analysis, not specific to DSA’s plan, estimated that a Medicare-for-All-style healthcare system alone could add between $40 trillion and $75 trillion in federal spending over a decade.
Who would pay for it
DSA argues that wealthy individuals and large corporations should cover the cost of its agenda, calling for
