The Brian Lehrer Show How Democratic Socialism Won in New York City
Nov 10, 2025
Micah Uetricht, editor at Jacobin magazine and co-author of Bigger Than Bernie, teams up with Susan Kang, an associate professor at John Jay College, to explore the impact of democratic socialism in NYC politics. They discuss Zohran Mamdani's mayoral win and the significance of declaring democratic socialism openly. The conversation dives into how this ideology aims to democratize the economy and the feasibility of universal childcare. They also address DSA's grassroots organizing and potential challenges for Mamdani's administration.
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Mayor-Elect Embraces Socialist Tradition
- Zoran Mamdani openly embraced democratic socialism during his victory speech, linking himself to Eugene V. Debs and the socialist tradition in the U.S..
- Micah Uetricht and Susan Kang say this signals he will not run from his politics and that socialism no longer carries the Cold War stigma for many voters.
Grassroots Ground Game Beat Big Money
- The Mamdani campaign mobilized a large grassroots volunteer army, with NYC DSA playing a major organizing role.
- Micah and Brian argue this democratic ground game contrasts with Cuomo's big-money approach and demonstrates small-d democratic politics in action.
Democratic Socialism Is About Economic Democracy
- Susan Kang distinguishes democratic socialism from authoritarian regimes, framing it as democracy extended into the economy.
- She emphasizes worker voice, unions, and public provision of housing, health care, and education as democratic-socialist aims.
