Why Mamdani's 'Democratic Socialist' Label Matters

New York City's mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani defines himself as a democratic socialist, yet his critics have seized on his leftist identity to paint him as an extremist. Carlo Invernizzi-Accetti, professor of political science and executive director of the Moynihan Center at The City College of New York, and author of 20 Years of Rage: How Resentment Took the Place of Politics (Mondadori, 2024) explains the core principles of the various strains of thought on the left to paint a clearer picture of what Mamdani believes in and how he'll govern as mayor.