Zohran Mamdani Says He Has ‘Many Critiques Of Capitalism’

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Zohran Mamdani, who stunned Democrats when he snagged the party’s presumptive nomination for New York City mayor this week, lived up to his anti-capitalist reputation on Thursday.

Mamdani, a self-described Democratic socialist, came out swinging against capitalism during a television spot with CNN anchor Erin Burnett.

“Do you like capitalism?” Burnett asked the New York state assemblyman, who represents Queens.

 

“No, I have many critiques of capitalism,” Mamdani responded. “And I think ultimately the definition for me of why I call myself a democratic socialist is the words of Dr. King decades ago.”

“He said, call it democracy or call it democratic socialism, there must be a better distribution of wealth for all of God’s children in this country,” Mamdani said. “And that’s what I’m focused on is dignity, and taking on income inequality.”

During a 1961 speech to the Negro American Labor Council, King reportedly said, “Call it democracy, or call it democratic socialism, but there must be a better distribution of wealth within this country for all God’s children.”

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In a major upset on Tuesday, Mamdani beat out former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary for mayor of the Big Apple.

Cuomo is considering running as an independent in the wake of the shock results.

Current Mayor Eric Adams also launched his reelection campaign as an independent on Thursday at a rowdy rally on the steps of City Hall, where he took a shot at both Mamdani and “socialism.”

“This is a city not of socialism,” Adams said at his rally. “There’s no dignity in someone giving you everything for free. There’s dignity in giving you a job, so you can provide for your family and the opportunities that you deserve. This is not a city of handouts. This is a city of hands up. We’re going to lift up the City of New York.”

Mamdani has proposed expensive policies including rent freezes, government-run grocery stores, free buses, free city universities, free child care, increasing New York City’s minimum wage to $30 an hour, and investing $65 million in transgender drugs and surgeries.

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), another self-described democratic socialist, referenced the same quote from King in 2021, a few days after former President Joe Biden took office.

Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, the volunteer group dedicated to crime prevention on New York’s subways and streets since the late 1970s, won the Republican nomination for mayor.

The general election for mayor will be held on November 4.



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