BBC Claim ‘Democratic Socialism’ Has “No Clear Definition” in Profile of NYC New Socialist Mayor
In a glowing profile of New York’s new mayor Zohran Mamdani, the state broadcaster BBC described him as “a democratic socialist – which has no clear definition,” offering its own explanation that it “essentially means giving a voice to workers, not corporations.”
But the phrase has a long and controversial history, stretching back to East Germany’s claim to be a democratic socialist state.
The New York City Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) boasted that Mamdani’s victory was “powered by an unprecedented volunteer effort.”
The BBC wrote that he “hasn’t shied away from a political fight and has proudly espoused left-wing causes – such as free childcare, expanded public transportation and government intervention in free market systems.”
The DSA defines capitalism as “a system designed by the owning class to exploit the rest of us for their own profit” and says it must be replaced by democratic socialism, “a system where ordinary people have a real voice in our workplaces, neighborhoods, and society.”
Historically, East Germany (the GDR) also identified itself as a democratic socialist republic, an ideological label used by communist regimes to signal a supposedly softer or more representative form of Marxism-Leninism, though in practice it entailed state control of industry and one-party rule under the Socialist Unity Party.
The Marxist publication Marxism.com hailed Mamdani’s win as “one of the clearest signs yet of the enormous shift in mass consciousness that has taken place over the last decade,” while admitting that “genuine socialism has not yet won.”
Mamdani, 33, born to wealthy, influential parents of Indian descent in Kampala, Uganda, lives in a rent-controlled apartment, describes himself as a “democratic socialist,” and is pushing policies including: free bus travel, universal childcare, a freeze on rent hikes for 1 million apartment and a pilot scheme for city-run grocery stores.
Daniel Goulden, a member of NYC DSA’s Steering Committee, speaking at the group’s recent Socialism 2025 conference, said that Mamdani’s administration would fund free “gender-affirming care” including transgender surgeries and hormones, across New York City.
“We collaborated with the Zohran Mamdani campaign on his trans rights platform,” Goulden said. “We explicitly wanted to use the power of New York City to provide free gender-affirming care, not just to people in the city, but across the country.”
Mamdani reportedly pledged to allocate $65 million in taxpayer funds for transgender treatments, including for children.
Lots of red flags all around!