Back in the Cold War days, Soviet Communists supposedly referred to the American Liberal Party as “a useful idiot.” The origins of this saying are disputed, credited to both Lenin and Stalin, but it captured a lot of the post-World War II communist sentiment. You saw it everywhere—from academia to Hollywood—where a bunch of left-leaning folks embraced Marxism, often without a solid grasp of the underlying philosophy.
Today, we’re witnessing a wave of young, overzealous individuals who are hungry for radical change, ranging from overthrowing the US government to taking control of factories and homes.
Democratic New York mayoral hopeful Zohran Mamdani exemplifies this new wave of young activists, who don’t seem to remember the past failures of socialism and communism.
Mamdani fits the mold of a privileged leftist revolutionary. He’s the son of a Hollywood producer, an extreme academic, and he attended an elite university, which has, perhaps, over $70,000 in tuition fees per year. He embodies what some might call “radical chic”—a perspective that has become quite common in today’s college scenes.
He promotes a watered-down version of Marxism, advocating for things like rent control and proposals that involve making certain foods affordable, such as Halal options priced at $8.
In one of his speeches at a gathering of young democratic socialists in America, he mentioned that one of their aims includes “grabbing the means of production” in the United States.
“If you’re advocating for student debt cancellation and universal healthcare, those ideas do actually find popular support nationwide,” he pointed out. “However, other aspirations like boycotting and divesting from Israel or seizing production means aren’t as widely embraced yet.”
Yet, he doesn’t clarify what it would mean to take over all industries or how a system like that could possibly function, especially given its dismal track record in countries where it has been tried.
In fact, he’s even suggested giving homeless individuals access to vacant luxury apartments in New York. With ideas for state-run grocery stores and other initiatives, there’s a buzz around the notion of bringing Marxism to America.
Polling suggests that younger demographics are increasingly leaning toward socialism and communism, something reflected in the support that Mamdani received during the New York primary.
Like him, many of these young voters don’t seem to grasp what life was really like in socialist or communist regimes. They weren’t around when Britain and France shifted toward socialism, leading to economic upheaval. They’ve also missed seeing how China adopted capitalism to avoid the collapse seen in the Soviet Union.
However, Mamdani did note that the radical left needs to wait until they get “the same level of support” before making significant moves. Unfortunately, programs associated with socialism can lead to severe economic hardships, resulting in increased state control.
Many of Mamdani’s ideas could potentially breach constitutional laws or drive the city into bankruptcy. For instance, trying to take over a multi-million dollar condominium would likely be illegal unless he’s willing to pay for it at market value.
Such legal issues don’t often come up in radical discussions. Earlier this month, Melanie Yazzie, a liberal arts professor at the University of Minnesota, sparked excitement at a rally by suggesting the U.S. should be overthrown by people from nations impacted by U.S. governance.
She urged that it’s essential for people in the U.S. to “decolonize” the country, calling the U.S. the most influential predatory empire in history.
Yazzie’s sentiments reflect a trend in academia where increasingly left-wing views dominate. Those holding conservative viewpoints often face rejection, perceived as lacking intellectual rigor.
Take Eman Abdelhadi from the University of Chicago, who recently condemned her university as “evil” and “colonialist,” yet still intends to work there to help build a socialist movement.
It’s interesting to note that not only did faculty support Abdelhadi in her role at the university, but they also appointed her to lead graduate studies.
For some, professors advocating for the “dismantling” of the United States serve as a virtue signal, while calling for the seizure of private industry seems like an easy way to showcase one’s progressive stance.
Lenin once described many in the West as “fools” who are blind to their own realities. It’s an interesting lens through which we can view the current landscape.
