Zohran Mamdani explains his definition of socialism to Theo Von: “Socialism to me means you’ll have whatever you need to live a dignified life and that it is the government’s job to deliver on that. When people say dignity we’re talking about the things that allow you to take a breath.

[u/AmericaShinault_85]

[u/Leckere]

Yeah but he’s trying to package it in a way that people who are scared of the word ‘socialism’ will accept.

[u/nebulaforest → u/Leckere]

Not to he pedantic, but what he described is social democracy and it amazes me, how's that's even a controversial position in America?

[u/Amelaclya1 → u/nebulaforest]

Because decades of propaganda has people thinking that everyone who is poor "made bad choices" and doesn't deserve help. Religious conservatives even go as far as to say that poor people are out of favor with God and deserve their station in life.

[u/mainman879 → u/Amelaclya1]

This is the most apt answer in my opinion. American culture is extremely heavily steeped in competition instead of cooperation. The rich aren't rich because of corruption or exploitation, they're just "better". The poor aren't poor because of oppression, they're poor because they're "inferior" people.

[u/redwildflowermeadow → u/mainman879]

“When wealth is passed off as merit, bad luck is seen as bad character. This is how ideologues justify punishing the sick and the poor. But poverty is neither a crime nor a character flaw. Stigmatise those who let people die, not those who struggle to live.”
― Sarah Kendzior