What Does Democratic Socialism Look Like?
By: Max Micallef
Tags: Politics, Policy, Democratic Socialism, Education, Government

“What does democratic socialism look like to you?”

Zafar (Zaf)— Tiburon, California.

Self-identifiers:

Male

41 years old

Ph.D. in statistics

ASD-afflicted (Autism Spectrum Disorder)

Dutch, of Moroccan-Jewish extract

Father to an almost 3-year-old

Husband of an oncologist

“Socialism is the recognition that we are all in this together. Whether ‘this’ means this planet, this economy, this school, this synagogue, this road, this rugby scrum, and that the actions done by or to one of us affects us all. Hence, if you get sick, you can get me sick. The recognition that it is desirable and proper for a society to minimize this is democratic socialism to me.”

Michael — State of Illinois

Self-identifiers:

N/A

“Democratic socialism, to me, is the act of allowing workers to take control of their own lives, and free themselves of wage slavery. It puts power into the hands of the working class, thus building a society based on genuine progress, rather than one based on profit. Democratic socialism has almost a redundant name to me. Socialism already has the implication of democracy built into its core fundamentals.”

N/A — Oslo, Norway

Self-identifiers:

A man

50’s (age)

Used to work in corporate operations

Active volunteer and advocate towards sustainability efforts, now working in that sector getting businesses to integrate sustainability practices

“I want to keep this short and to the point. Norway is doing just fine as a democratic socialist system. It is countries like the U.S. that are failing miserablely to take care of their people, and it’s ramifications send shockwaves internationally. It doesn’t matter what administration the U.S. has. America has failed for many years to flourish and have basic decency. As Norway moves forward, helping people of other countires as well, we look to the U.S. as an example of what not to do, and how we should continue to do what is right.”

Sofia — Staunton, Virginia

Self-identifiers:

Cisgender woman

Hetero.

White

Upper-middle class

22 years old

Currently in a paid internship in fashion marketing

Nonreligious, but raised Christian and Jewish

Mostly “recovered” from a diagnosed P.T.S.D./anxiety disorder

“My family and I are considered socioeconomically upper-middle class. When I was born and for my first year or two of my life, my mother and father say we were working class, barely lower-middle class. Democratic socialism, to me, is the acknowledgment that other peoples’ needs and pain exist other than my own. I could care less about other people if I wanted to simply because I’m upper-middle class now, but I choose to advocate for a society that works for all and not just the billionaires. Socially and economically. Also, the planet is dying. Whether or not to protect the environment is not up for discussion.”

Chaney — “Citizen of Non-U.S. country”

Self-identifiers:

Lesbian

Gender Nonbinary

“Democratic socialism [to me] is ‘our finances do not define us’, ‘we do not need to be productive to be worthy’, ‘student loans and medical debt [are] cancelled’, and ‘people care about each other.’”

Andrew — New York State

White

Cisgender man

Split time between Plattsburgh and Long Island

Early 30’s (age)

Political Science/Analytics career focus

“It’s finally coming to mainstream focus that the Democratic party is just as bad, and just as vapid as the Republican party. Self-interest, the drive for wealth, fame, and power, corporate rule, will no longer be tolerated. I believe democratic socialism is what people really want liberal policy to be. Actually progressive. Populism is either in its actually beneficial form as democratic socialism, or in the alt-right facist form of Trumpism. Nearly 15% of Trump supporters said that they would of voted for Bernie Sanders instead of Trump this elecion if Bernie was the Democratic nominee. That’s misguided frustration and a reflecion of our failed government and politics. I believe people are becoming more aware though, civically-speaking. No Biden, the people DO want a revolution. They’re just falling for the false beliefs about socialism people like you, and Schumer, and Trump, and McConnell spew.”

Cooper — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Self-identifiers:

Cisgender man

Bisexual

Freshman in college

Raised vegan and remains vegan

Divorced parents. Mother is working-class, father is well-off

“My mother works nonstop and my father is wealthy. What makes my situation interesting is that though my mother personally understands this, and my father is a hypocrite for knowing it but not implementing it in his own life, I was raised to understand the whole picture of politics. The structural issues democratic socialism gets at the root at. The environment, healthcare, LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, immigration, animal rights, the media can’t just focus on one individual or one event when talking about these things. They do that because CNN and Fox are not there to share the news, they are there to make a profit. Just like big pharma, the energy sector, higher education businesses, and more. Seeing these issues as a whole is all I have ever known, and how everyone needs to see these issues. That’s democratic socialism to me.”

N/A— Flanders, Belgium

Self-identifiers:

N/A

“[Democratic socialism, to me, looks like] high median wealth, globalism, structurally solving non-profit [related] problems, low inequality of income, high labour share of GDP; unless labour isn’t required anymore, then UBI. A federal job for all who needs experience. [Being] born with the same opportunities [yet] dying at different destinations, while the next generation’s opportunities are well protected. I vote for social democracy in Flanders, Belgium, and support green regulations.”

Lindsey — State of Wisconsin

Self-identifiers:

Solidly middle class

Cisgender woman

Late 20’s (age)

Romantic partner is a nurse who she barely sees due to their work schedule and for safety reasons during the COVID-19 pandemic

Raised on a farm, and currently resides there with her parents and brother until the pandemic dies down

“I get really irritated by the political messaging that socialism is this rich, urban, city-born creation meant to only uplift those in power. That’s couldn’t be more incorrect. What we have currently, a twisted capitslim, does those bad things. Democratic socialism is meant for families like mine. We are farmers. We are local farmers. We are rural and we live a rural life. Centrist, moderate Democrats like Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg don’t know what being “the heart of America” actually means. They sputter those words in the most empty way possible. Dribble. They exist to appease their wealthy donors. That’s not even addressing the Bloombergs of the world, let alone the Trumps. And people are shocked that anger turns people into Trump supporters? Give me a break.”

Albert —State of Idaho

Self-identifiers:

A man

73 years old

White

Was an avid photographer as a hobby, but transitioned more to poetry

Lower-middle class, raised working class

Never married

Small town upbringing