Photo: AP Photo/Olga FedorovaAmerica's Democratic Socialists and conservative Republicans are waging an epic battle for the soul of the nation and the realization of the "American Dream." Are Americans ready for the left-wing rebellion that started from New York as the exact opposite of Trump's right-wing radicalism?
When it is Zohran Mamdani, until recently a little-known activist and member of the Federal State Assembly New York, assumed the post of mayor of the largest American metropolis, the establishment of the Democratic Party experienced, to put it mildly, a political heart attack.
And only the Republicans? MAGA fans found themselves in a bizarre gap between satisfaction and panic – as they gloated over the fall of the hated traditional democratic establishment, they began to realize that their narratives about the "socialist threat" were no longer just cheap campaign spin, but a tangible reality that was taking over.
And while the wing of the democratic socialists is winning the party primaries for Congress - as confirmed by the recent triumph of Darializ Ávila Chevallier in one of the key New York constituencies - the political landscape of America is undergoing the most radical transformation in the last few decades.
"It is tempting to attribute the victory of the Democratic Socialists of America in the internal party elections as a mere product of a peculiar and peculiar New York," writes the Wall Street Journal. "She is both that, but she is also more than that. The victories of Mayor Zohran Mamdani's left-wing list will change the Democratic Party - and perhaps the politics of the entire country."
What Donald Trump recently dramatically described as "the greatest threat to our country, including the First and Second World Wars, Pearl Harbor, and even September 11" emphasizing the terrible "specter of communism", for millions of young Americans has become the only logical answer to the wild prices of rent, food, medicine and the growing alienation of the political and economic elite.
American democratic socialism has thus outgrown the framework of media and academic debates: having entered the political mainstream, it now openly aspires to shape the destiny of the state.
To the average observer, the term "socialism" in the US can indeed sound confusing. In order to fully understand this political upheaval in New York, it is necessary to understand that American democratic socialism is not just some "imported", European product. Its roots are indigenous, deeply woven into the fabric of American history and reach back to the 19th century – from early utopian communities and progressive Christianity, through pragmatic labor activism, to the very core of the struggle for black civil rights.
It is, therefore, a specific hybrid of European social democracy of the Scandinavian type and radical modern progressivism, today gathered around the organization DSA (Democratic Socialists of America). Their premise is simple: true political democracy cannot exist where a handful of corporations and oligarchs control the economic existence of the majority.
In its essence, this movement is guided by the idea that the state, through direct interventions, and not the free market, must take a key role in solving the everyday problems of citizens, such as the high cost of living, housing and medical treatment.
Unlike some more radical historical currents, American democratic socialists generally seek reforms within the existing capitalist system, although they face harsh criticism that their ambitious plans would place too much of a burden on taxpayers.
One of the main architects of this modern wave, Senator Bernie Sanders, explains that the movement derives its strength precisely from the deep sense of economic insecurity faced by ordinary people in America.
In celebration of 250 years of American independence, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the public directly from City Hall, standing next to George Washington's historic desk.
Surrounded by a group of citizens who have just taken the oath and become US citizens, Mamdani - born in Uganda, from where he moved to New York at the age of seven, to acquire American citizenship only in 2018 - gave a speech in which he criticized the conservative vision of patriotism.
Instead of the traditional tying of patriotism to the force and power of the state, he offered a new definition of patriotism, deeply rooted in civil disobedience and resistance. According to him, the true strength of America lies in solidarity and protection of neighbors from deportations and unjust laws: "Patriotism is not blind obedience to the state. Patriotism is any act of justified dissent and resistance to injustice."
The speech climaxed when Mamdani, deconstructing the myth of "American exceptionalism," turned to a group of naturalized citizens. Recalling the Ugandan migrant's own journey to New York City, he sent a message that directly defies the right-wing policy of closing the borders:
"Nearly a decade ago, I felt what you feel today: the joy of being no longer just a New Yorker, but an American. Each of you has a special power to define what America means."
When it comes to foreign policy, they advocate a tectonic shift in relation to the current practice, entering into direct conflict with the traditional Washington consensus of the two leading parties.
One of the most recognizable points of the movement has become a strong opposition to military aid to Israel, along with a strong advocacy for the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people and an end to the occupation. The mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, recently publicly demanded the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him a "war criminal."
A new generation of left-wing American politicians demands drastic cuts to the military budget, expresses deep skepticism towards further expansion of NATO, and strongly opposes sending unconditional military aid to Ukraine, while at the same time demanding the lifting of sanctions against Cuba and Venezuela.
On the domestic front, the focus is on drastically expanding the social network through the introduction of completely free schooling, including higher education, as well as through universal rent control and guaranteed paid family leave for all employees.
The key pillar of their platform is healthcare reform, where they advocate the abolition of private insurance and the transition to a single national program under the administration of the government that would guarantee free treatment for everyone (medicare for all).
The democratic socialists plan to finance all social programs with a sharp increase in taxes for the richest Americans and a drastic reduction in the military budget.
When it comes to internal security and human rights, the movement insists on dismantling the repressive apparatus against immigrants. This primarily refers to the complete abolition of the federal agency ICE (Immigration and Customs Service), which the leftists accuse of systemic human rights violations and inhumane treatment, and they advocate a radical reform of the entire American penal system.
In the field of workers' rights and politics, democratic socialists demand a raise in the minimum wage, the introduction of a shorter, reduced 32-hour work week without reducing wages, as well as a complete reform of the electoral system through public financing of elections, which would stop the enormous influence that billionaires and large corporations have on American democracy today.
"This is exactly the kind of historical moment where socialism is starting to make sense to more people, and socialists have now stepped forward to offer it to Democratic voters," writes the New York Times. "When you feel your life is horribly constrained by forces beyond your control, when every possible option seems exhausted, socialism appears with a vision of a different path: 'Here,' he says. 'Here lies the way out.'"
Democratic socialists of America see the environmental struggle primarily as a class issue, so through the radical "Green New Deal" they demand the abandonment of dirty technologies and complete decarbonization by 2030, with the introduction of public ownership and a just transition that guarantees workers millions of new union jobs financed by taxation of large capital
Bernie Sanders, the 85-year-old senator and most influential Democratic socialist, is today watching the seeds he planted during the 2016 and 2020 campaigns finally bear fruit. Along the way, he received a strong reinforcement - congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, another prominent name of this movement, who joined him on the "Fight against the Oligarchy" tour last year and gave a series of fiery speeches against Donald Trump's policies.
In her presentations, she harshly criticized the government, calling Trump's customs policy a "catastrophic manipulation of the market", while she assessed the harsh measures against immigrants and the detention of activists as authoritarian moves. In addition, she paid special attention to the problem of economic inequality, ending with a call for a determined struggle for the rights of the working class.
The collision of American democratic socialists and conservative Republicans represents in a way an epic war for the soul of Americans and a complete redefinition of the "American dream". At one end of the arena stand the new socialists, who see true freedom in collective solidarity and a strong welfare state, demanding that the wealthiest sections of society bear a greater burden for the sake of the common good.
On the other side, conservatives, armed with the idea of individualism and the free market, are fiercely fighting back, convinced that any state interference only stifles personal success and tramples on traditional American freedoms.
While leftists see corporate greed and oligarchy as the main enemy of the common man, rightists see the "radical left" as an existential threat to capitalism, turning American politics into a constant struggle between the vision of a society that cares for each member and the vision of the free individual who achieves everything on his own.
For such a conservative America, the left's triumph in New York is a wake-up call and the perfect ideological enemy to scare moderate voters ahead of a November election where Republicans could lose their majority in one or even both houses of Congress.
For millions of young Americans, however, Bernie Sanders, Mamdani and their vision are not a threat – they are probably the only hope left to make the American dream once again available to everyone, not just those at the top.
Although it may seem utopian, if the leading global economic and military power were to adopt the structural reforms proposed by the progressive left, it would not only be an internal turnaround, but a clear signal to the rest of the world that a different socio-economic model is possible. That political upheaval has just begun, and its contours will define America and the international scene for years to come.
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