In Remembrance

Michael Harrington, founder of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) died of cancer on this day in 1989 at age 61.

A longtime fighter for the poor, the under-represented, workers – and social justice, Harrington became best known for his book, The Other America: Poverty in the United States. As stated in The New Yorker: “both the book and its author did become a phenomenon”.

The U.S. contains two Nations within its borders: One is made up of “millions & tens of millions” who enjoy “the highest standard of life the world has ever known”.

The other, “an underdeveloped nation, a culture of poverty”. The citizens of this nation “do not suffer the extreme privation of the peasants of Asia or the tribesmen of Africa, yet the mechanism of the misery is similar”.

But, the others “are beyond history, beyond progress, sunk in paralyzing, maiming routine”.

Michael Harrington The Other America: Poverty in the United States. 1962.

Harrington was raised Catholic and schooled by Jesuits. He was an early leader in the anti-Communist Left in the 1960s and 70s.