The history of leftist efforts to realign the Democratic Party demonstrates that strategies like the “dirty break” and the “party surrogate” are not ways forward for the left, but traps instead. Beyond sabotaging left Democrats like Zohran Mamdani and their proposed reforms, a greater danger is the party’s ability to absorb them. Instead, we need an independent socialist workers’ movement.
Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the Democratic mayoral primary in New York City has caused excitement on the left due to his democratic-socialist politics and his support for Palestine. Such excitement has historically led to disorientation and disillusionment when reformist Democrats — such as AOC and Brandon Johnson — inevitably betray the left. Revolutionaries must retain our opposition to all Democrats and executives of the capitalist state.
The second Trump administration’s horrific attacks on immigrants, the oppressed, workers, and the public sector have been met with an encouraging wave of protest by the broad left. However the anti-Trump movement has also been mired in liberal patriotism and misplaced hope in the courts. By contrast, a truly effective resistance will pose a real threat to the ruling class.
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