Socialist Rhetoric, Capitalist Reality: Why Mamdani’s Victory Won’t Transform the System

By Nathan Richardson*

The June 2025 Democratic primary in New York shocked many on the U.S. left. Zohran Mamdani, a self-proclaimed socialist and member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), defeated former governor Andrew Cuomo to secure the party’s nomination for mayor. Supporters quickly declared the result a major breakthrough for the socialist movement. However, this development is less a victory than it is a reflection of a broader contradiction facing the U.S. left: the attempt to reconcile socialist rhetoric with participation in a party fundamentally loyal to capital.

Trump Uses Religion to Defeat Those Who Oppose Him

By Nathan Richardson*

In recent years, the political landscape in the U.S. has seen a marked shift toward religious extremism, particularly among right-wing factions. This shift is exemplified by Trump's rhetoric and policies that cater to evangelical Christians and other conservative religious groups. The embrace of religious nationalism is not merely a cultural phenomenon; it represents a calculated strategy by the Republican Party to consolidate power by appealing to a base that feels increasingly marginalized in a rapidly changing society. 

Is The Working Class Right?

By Nathan Richardson*

The 2024 U.S. election has shocked many around the world with Donald Trump’s landslide victory. But his return should not be considered as an American phenomenon. In recent years the right-wing populist parties around the world have successfully garnered support from the political left working class by advocating for robust welfare states, albeit through a lens that is often chauvinist, nativist, and ethnonationalist.