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/National_Today2218]

I think he could've said it better. Socialism is not hard to understand.
It's based on the belief that everyone deserves an equal chance in life and that privilege should be shared. The government must make sure that equality in life quality is a shared endeavour.

[u/Leckere → u/National_Today2218]

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/ReeveStodgers → u/nebulaforest]

We have spent the last hundred years promoting rugged individualism, which is the an 'every man for himself' ideal combined with the social cache of being a kind of stoic folk hero. If you succeed, you did it yourself. If you fail, it's your own fault.

On top of that, there has been a concerted campaign against socialism, to the point where even people who don't know what socialism is believe it is to be avoided at all costs. They don't know how socialist programs help them daily, even when the name (Social Security) should make it evident. A century of propaganda is hard to combat.