NEW YORK – The New York City mayoral race has democratic socialism on every voter’s mind, given that it is the basis for frontrunner Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign.
Here’s a breakdown of the system’s history and beliefs.
Democratic Socialists of America
What we know:
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is the largest organization based around socialism in the United States.
What is democratic socialism?
Dig deeper:
Before diving into the core tenets of the DSA, it’s critical to have a basic understanding of socialism.
Socialism is a political and economic system based on the belief that public ownership of resources leads to a more fair society. However, private ownership is still allowed in socialism, which is a key difference between the system and communism.
Democratic socialism is a specific form of socialism focused on the idea that both society and the economy should be run democratically. The DSA’s official website defines it as “a system where ordinary people have a real voice in our workplaces, neighborhoods and society.”
What are the DSA’s stances?
The DSA states that its goal is to “put workers in charge of the government” and “end the role of money in politics.”
A few policies or stances that the organization believes in are:
- Establishing universal healthcare with no premiums, co-pays, or deductibles
- Abolishing mandatory minimums and cash bail
- Establishing expansive paid family leave for all workers
- Creating a 32-hour work week with no reduction in pay or benefits
- Raising taxes on the richest earners, for-profit corporations, large inheritances and private colleges and universities
- Establishing a wealth tax for the wealthiest in society
- Greatly reducing the U.S. military budget
- Replacing the Electoral College with a national popular vote for President
The entire program for the organization can be read below:
History of the DSA
The backstory:
The DSA was formed in 1982 by founder Michael Harrington – the organization became close to inactive in the 1990s and early 2000s due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, which led to the dissolution of many socialist groups.
However, the organization gained some traction in the early 2010s, which many deem as a response to the Great Recession.
In early 2015, the DSA began preparing a campaign to draft Senator Bernie Sanders to run for president called “Run, Bernie, Run.”
Sanders’ presidential campaigns are largely accredited as the “rebirth” of the Democratic Socialists of America.
Prominent Democratic Socialists
Who They Are:
Though Sanders is one of the more well known, there are other politicians holding office that identify as Democratic Socialists.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Rashida Tlaib are also members of the DSA.
WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 11: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks during a town hall hosted by the NAACP on September 11, 2019 in Washington, DC. Also pictured is Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI). The congresswomen talked about their backgrounds an
New York City Councilmember and City Council Immigration Chair Alexa Avilés is also a Democratic Socialist.
Of course, the name most associated with Democratic socialism at the moment is Zohran Mamdani, current frontrunner for the city’s mayoral race.
The Democratic nominee makes immediate mention of his ideology on his campaign website: “Zohran Kwame Mamdani is a New York State Assemblymember and democratic socialist running for Mayor.”
Mamdani has also been endorsed by Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez, Avilés and the New York City Democratic Socialists of America.
Politics Unusual: Zohran Mamdani on housing, education, endorsements; ballot proposition 6
In this week’s episode of Politics Unusual, FOX 5 NY’s political reporter Morgan McKay interviews Democratic nominee for New York City’s mayoral race Zohran Mamdani. The two discuss the candidate’s plans to address affordability and education in the city, as well as Mayor Eric Adams’ endorsement of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Also, a roundtable discussion about ballot proposition 6.
The Source: This article includes information provided by the Democratic Socialists of America website and Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani’s campaign website.
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