Nationalism or patriotism is an intelligent, reasonable, and responsible love for one's nation. It leads one to pursue the true interests and the moral excellence of one's people, and to constructively participate in the political life of the nation. It includes respect for the rights of other nations and peoples. The PDSP bases its understanding of democratic socialism on the principle that the economy, along with other aspects of social life such as politics and culture, should be run democratically to meet the needs of the whole community and not to make profits for a few. This means preserving and strengthening political democracy, working to form a citizenry that is well-educated and morally upright, and establishing appropriate degrees of control by society over economic production, distribution, and investment so that these redound to the common good.
Democratic socialism is democratic and communitarian.
It made an important contribution to the mass campaigns which eventually led to the People Power revolution in 1986. The PDSP then helped much to consolidate the newly restored democracy, especially through education and mobilization among the small farmers and fisherfolk, workers, urban poor, women, youth, Bangsa Moro, and the indigenous peoples of Luzon and of Mindanao. The PDSP is a consultative member of the Socialist International. The latter is a worldwide association represented in one hundred and five countries by some one hundred and twenty six parties that share aims and aspirations like that of the PDSP, for their respective countries and for humankind. These signs of a badly functioning society are caused by the neoliberal economy, politics, and culture presently dominant in the Philippines.