Social-Democratic Party of America

The Social Democratic Party was established in 1898 as a result of a split in the Social Democracy of America (SDA). Organized by Eugene V. Debs on 15 June 1897, the SDA consisted of members from the American Railway Union and the Brotherhood of the Cooperative Commonwealth. Shortly after its inception, SDA split between the 'colonizationalists' who supported DEbs' scheme to form a socialist sate in one of the states of the union; and the 'political wing' which emphasized a concrete program of political action for the Social Democracy. During the 1898 convention the political group withdrew from the organization after the colonizationists' program was adopted by the delegates. After bolting the convention, the political group, led by Victor Berger, established the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The SDP was a class conscious, revolutionary, social organization that demanded the initiative and referendum, a public works program to help reduce unemployment, a system of collective production and distribution, a national insurance plan, and the abolition of war as it pertained to the United States. The first National convention in 1900 had more than 4500 members with 226 branches in 25 states. At the convention, the moderate wing of the Socialist Labor Party (headquartered in Rochester, New York) proposed a merger of the two organizations. Both groups supported Debs for president and Harriman for vice president.

In 1901 this faction of the Socialist Labor Party merged with the Social Democrats forming the Socialist Party of America.

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