Active left-wing, socialist, and communist groups in the United States

Active left-wing, socialist, and communist groups in the United States span a range of ideological traditions, strategies, and sizes. While "Jacobin" historically refers to radical revolutionaries of the French Revolution, the term in modern American political discourse refers primarily to democratic socialist publications and factions (most notably Jacobin magazine) rather than an active paramilitary or formal political party under that name.
Democratic Socialist & Social Democratic Organizations

• Democratic Socialists of America (DSA): The largest socialist organization in the U.S. It operates primarily through electoral politics, community organizing, and labor solidarity, endorsing progressive and socialist candidates (often running on the Democratic ballot).
• Socialist Party USA (SPUSA): A democratic socialist political party advocating for non-violent multi-tendency democratic socialism.
• Working Families Party (WFP): A progressive political organization and minor party focusing on labor, social welfare, and electing left-leaning candidates.

Marxist-Leninist & Communist Parties

• Communist Party USA (CPUSA): Formed in 1919, CPUSA is the oldest active communist party in the United States.
• Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL): A Marxist-Leninist political party active in anti-war, civil rights, and working-class movement organizing.
• Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO): A Marxist-Leninist organization that grew out of the New Left and Maoist movements.
• Party of Communists USA (PCUSA): A Marxist-Leninist splitting off from CPUSA that focuses on orthodox anti-imperialist organizing.
• Revolutionary Communist Party, USA (RCP): A Maoist-influenced communist organization led by Bob Avakian, active in street protests and anti-fascist organizing.
• Workers World Party (WWP): A Marxist-Leninist and anti-imperialist party formed in 1959.
• Progressive Labor Party (PLP): A anti-revisionist communist party that originated in the 1960s.

Trotskyist Organizations

• Socialist Alternative (SA): A Marxist/Trotskyist organization active in local electoral politics (formerly electing Kshama Sawant in Seattle) and labor campaigns.
• Revolutionary Communists / Socialist Revolution (U.S. section of the RCI): Formerly the International Marxist Tendency (IMT) U.S., focusing on campus organizing and socialist theory.
• Socialist Workers Party (SWP): Founded in 1938, historically one of the primary Trotskyist parties in North America, currently independent.
• Socialist Equality Party (SEP): A Trotskyist party affiliated with the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), publishers of the World Socialist Web Site.
• Freedom Socialist Party (FSP): A Trotskyist and socialist-feminist organization.

Media & Publications (The "Jacobin" Left)

• Jacobin: A major socialist media publication and cultural platform in the U.S. that advocates for democratic socialist perspectives and workplace organizing. While not a political party, it serves as an intellectual anchor for the broader American democratic socialist movement.

Anarchist, Syndicalist & Libertarian Socialist Groups

• Industrial Workers of the World (IWW): An international, anti-capitalist labor union ("Wobblies") promoting industrial unionism and worker self-management.
• Black Rose Anarchist Federation (BRRN): An organization of libertarian socialists and anarcho-syndicalists active in community and workplace organizing.
• Socialist Rifle Association (SRA): An armed self-defense and education organization operating on left-wing and socialist principles.