The recent New York City mayoral victory of self-identified socialist Zohran Mamdani highlights the false, yet enticing, hope of socialism. Winning a dominant 50.4% of the vote in a three-way race, Mamdani’s electoral victory provides further evidence of a renewed embrace of socialism in the United States. According to a recent Cato Institute/YouGov survey, a majority of Americans between the ages of 18–29 hold a favorable view of socialism.
Mamdani identifies as a democratic socialist, and the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) endorsed him. The DSA defines socialism as the ability to “collectively own the key economic drivers that dominate our lives.” What this means in practice is that government dominates the lives of citizens through control of key industries, transportation networks, and health services (among other things).
Christians should reject the rotten hope offered by Mamdani because socialism distracts the state from its God-ordained role, causes harm to the most vulnerable, and fosters envy.
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