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The Maltese Herald

The rise of the far-left within the Democratic Party in the US

—

by

Mark Camilleri
in ,

The far-left rebellion within the Democratic Party has gained traction with the election of Zohran Mamdani as New York Mayor and it seems that it still has more leg to as Abdul El-Sayed won the Democrat Primary in Michigan for the state’s Senate seat. The new wave of far-left wing politics in the Democrat party is however different from the strand of left-wing politics that was 7ushered into the party with wave that rode Bernie Sanders.

Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez represented a left-wing brand of politics that was mostly concerned with common, everyday issues such as healthcare and wage inequality. This wave of left-wing politics preceded a renewed wave of trade-union militancy in precarious sectors, such as Amazon warehouses and the fast-food industry, alongside a series of wage increases as various states and cities raised their minimum wages above the federal level. McDonald’s also increased starting wages at its company-owned restaurants to at least $11 an hour in 2021, with higher rates in some markets.

Somewhat in a similar vein, Zohran Mamdani has focused heavily on the housing crisis, an issue that has become increasingly acute across many Western countries as property and rental costs become less affordable for wage earners.Under Mamdani, New York City’s independent Rent Guidelines Board voted to freeze rents on both one- and two-year leases for rent-stabilised apartments. The freeze on two-year leases was the first of its kind in the city’s history. Mamdani has also backed a new pied-à-terre tax on luxury second homes worth $5 million or more in New York City. The measure, enacted as part of New York State’s 2027 budget, imposes a surcharge on high-value properties used as second homes rather than primary residences.

However, it seems that Mamdani is not only being supported by a base that wants politicians to address social issues. Having engaged in a series of ridiculous theatrics on foreign policy—matters that have no connection or relevance to his role as Mayor of New York—first by condemning the US government’s capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and then by making the farcical announcement that he does not have the federal powers to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu, Mamdani has revealed his far-left posture, which is being welcomed by his base.

In fact, his anti-Western posture when it comes to international affairs is literally inscribed in the manifesto of the same party of which he is a member. Mamdani is part of the Democratic Socialists of America, the far-left caucus of the Democrats. The DSA blames the West and NATO for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and urges a halt to weapons deliveries to Ukraine. This is the same left-wing posture adopted by the far left in the UK today, represented by Zarah Zultana.

However, Palestine has been a major issue for this far-left movement, and it has become so central as to be used as an ideological presupposition. The condemnation of Israel for its actions against the Palestinians is just the moral disguise and justification for a political worldview based mostly on hatred of the Western democratic order and its right to defend itself against totalitarian regimes. Israel’s genocidal actions in Palestine have stirred widespread anger among the youth, and this anger is being channelled against the Western order of democratic states. This ideological narrative has been promoted for decades by Russia and the Soviet Union under the fallacy that says that “the death of Palestine is the inevitable result of the Western order and not just the actions of Israel.”

Zineb Riboua calls this “Third-Worldism”: the inherent political belief that “the South” is morally superior to “the North” and the North owes a debt to the South for its historical crimes against it (power which has presumptive guilt). I prefer to describe to it as the same strand of anti-Western stance taking during the Cold War by many communists which was also promoted by the Soviet Union. The scholars that inspired this position in the West include Frantz Fanon, with its economics coming from scholars like André Gunder Frank, Immanuel Wallerstein and Samir Amin.

As Russia loses support within the ranks of Republicans, it is now finding a new foothold in US politics within the far-left movement of the Democrats. The communists within this Democratic caucus are very open and honest about their love affair with totalitarian states that rival the West in every way available. The latest popular online streamer championing the far-left revolt within the Democrats, Hasan Piker, has been singing China’s praises and is known for declaring that Crimea is Russian—despite, being of Turkish origin himself. Crimea was (and is still is home) to the Tatars, who have more in common with Turks in language and culture than with Russians.

Just as high and uncontrolled immigration has galvanised people towards the far-right, Israel’s genocide against the Palestinians has also galvanised people towards the far-left. Both are extreme phenomena that are prompting people to move towards political extremes. High immigration is likewise used as an ideological presupposition by the far right to conceal its malign racist views, in much the same way that the far left uses Palestine as an ideological presupposition to conceal its hatred of the democratic order.

In Europe, we often believe that political developments in the US are antecedents to political events in the UK and across Europe. However, in Europe too, we have seen the rise of the far left in response to Palestine. One can expect the far left in Europe to make some headway as the far-left wave in the UThird S rolls on, further muddling the political scene with even more populist extremes.

 

 

 

Comments

2 responses to “The rise of the far-left within the Democratic Party in the US”

  1. Joe Gerada avatar
    Joe Gerada

    While I agree on the issues that gave rise to the popularity of people like Mamdani and El- Sayed, I cannot understand on what bases you describe them as far left. For me it is standard socialist policies that us in Europe were and still used to. These American politicians said nothing which is not reflected in our european charter of social rights. Re your analysis that the condemnation of Israel’s genocidal politics is a moral disguise for the hatred of Israel and the democratic western order is in my opinion mistaken and the typical narrative of right wing ideology.

    Reply
  2. Vincent ciliberti avatar
    Vincent ciliberti

    Do you really consider Mr. Mamdani to be far-left?

    Reply

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