1Dime Radio The Meaning of Mamdani (Ft. Benjamin Studebaker)
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Jan 2, 2026 
Benjamin Studebaker, a political theorist and author with a PhD from Cambridge, joins to explore the implications of Zohran Mamdani's election as New York City's mayor. They discuss Mamdani's platform and how it aligns with labor policies, dissect the impact of globalization and AI on the workforce, and challenge traditional views on socialism. The conversation also critiques the left's response to these changes and assesses the risks of overhyping Mamdani's potential. It's a thought-provoking dive into contemporary political dynamics!
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Neo‑Leftism Masks Neoliberal Continuity
- Neo-leftists adopt neoliberal policies believing they'll produce left outcomes, creating policies indistinguishable from neoliberalism.
- Benjamin Studebaker warns this repackaging legitimates neoliberalism rather than advancing socialism.
Offshoring Deferred The Post‑Work Transition
- Post‑war globalization and offshoring prevented the labor‑saving transition many on the left expected.
- Studebaker argues capital relocated production to cheap labor abroad instead of deploying technology to free domestic workers.
Pandemic Relief Revealed Worker Leverage
- COVID relief temporarily gave low‑wage workers real leverage, causing labor shortages and wage pressure.
- Studebaker says policy responses since then aim to coerce people back into low‑wage work by removing that leverage.
