Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast What’s a Capitalist, Socialist or Marxist Anyway?
Nov 14, 2025
Carlo Invernizzi-Accetti, a professor of political science and author, discusses the intricacies of political labels. He explains how terms like socialism and Marxism have evolved, particularly among younger Americans. Carlo highlights Zoran Mamdani's human-focused democratic socialism and critiques of neoliberalism. He emphasizes the connection between racial justice and economic equity, advocating for broad coalitions over rigid ideological divides. The conversation navigates the landscape of capitalism, revealing its many forms and nuances.
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Labels As Red-Scare Tactic
- Political labels like communist or Marxist are often used as scare tactics that conflate different ideas.
- Carlo Invernizzi Accetti warns the right reduces varied left ideas to a caricature of the Soviet model.
Marxism Evolved Over Time
- A Marxist follows Karl Marx but definitions shift over time and context.
- Accetti emphasizes historical change in meanings from the 19th century to today.
Dignity And Post-Neoliberalism
- Mamdani frames his socialism around dignity and rejecting neoliberal market supremacy.
- Accetti describes this as prioritizing public solutions when markets fail, like rent freezes.
