Bill of Rights socialism is an ideology based on the interpretation that theUnited States Bill of Rights advocated for a socialist society or that if need be, a new United States Bill of Rights that explicitly advocated for it should be made. The concept was first coined byGus Hall, General Secretary ofCommunist Party USA.[1] Communist Party USA has advocated for amending theUnited States Constitution to include the right to join aunion, the right to a fair-paying job and others.[2]
Bill of Rights socialism has also been advocated by theDemocratic Socialists of America since 2012.[3]
In 2012, the concept was revived by theDemocratic Socialists of America, who proposed the following public policies in order to according to them "achieve basic human social and economic rights" whose implementation would "help to achieve freedom and dignity for all Americans":[3]
The idea of Bill of Rights socialism has drawn criticism, including from thepolitical right. Writing for the Future of Freedom Foundation, Richard Embley describedFranklin D. Roosevelt'sSecond Bill of Rights and the idea of a socialistUnited States Bill of Rights as a command economy and "regulatory socialism".[4] Other critics argue thatsocialism in the form ofcentral planning is inherently incompatible with the constitutionally enforcedfederalism in the United States that includes aseparation of powers and a degree ofdecentralization.[5][6] Additionally, some American socialists believe that federalism protects established political interests and wish for aconstitutional amendment to change it.[7]
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