The German Social Democratic Party recently celebrated 150 years since being founded. But as well as the anniversary –always an opportune moment for introspection– is the current economic and financial crisis, which calls for an urgent and profound reflection about social democratic ideas and practices. In this article, the author calls for the 166 Nueva Sociedad 247 Summaries recuperation of the radicalism of social democracy, retaking in a militant manner its five main objectives: equality, overcoming of the society of classes, universal social State which ensures inclusion, humane social security, and predominance in political democratic decisions in face of the power of great capital and the markets.