The recent New York City mayoral victory of self-identified socialist Zohran Mamdani highlights the false, yet enticing, hope of socialism. Winning a dominant 50.4% of the vote in a three-way race, Mamdani’s electoral victory provides further evidence of a renewed embrace of socialism in the United States. According to a recent Cato Institute/YouGov survey, a majority of Americans between the ages of 18–29 hold a favorable view of socialism.
Mamdani identifies as a democratic socialist, and the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) endorsed him. The DSA defines socialism as the ability to “collectively own the key economic drivers that dominate our lives.” What this means in practice is that government dominates the lives of citizens through control of key industries, transportation networks, and health services (among other things).
Christians should reject the rotten hope offered by Mamdani because socialism distracts the state from its God-ordained role, causes harm to the most vulnerable, and fosters envy.
Two key passages help us understand the God-given purpose of government—Romans 13:1–7 and 1 Peter 2:13–17. The Bible limits the role of the state to maintaining order. It is “God’s servant for your good . . . an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong” (Rom. 13:4, CSB). It is “to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good” (1 Pet. 2:14, CSB). One cannot use these verses to justify “collective” (i.e. government) ownership of key industries.
Socialism’s expansive goals distract the state from its rightful role. Resources that could be used to achieve its God-ordained purpose are redirected to other ends. The increased crime in cities characterized by socialist-adjacent policies (expanded welfare, subsidized housing, etc.) proves that a distracted government leads to more crime.
In 2020, Mamdani repeatedly tweeted anti-police vitriol including the assertion that “the NYPD is racist, anti-queer & a major threat to public safety.” In the same tweet, he called for defunding the police. He claims to have reconsidered his previous comments. Yet, one wonders whether, with such a past, he will provide the necessary resources to the NYPD.
His planned-for Department of Community Safety will likely siphon off limited funding that could rather be allocated to the NYPD. His promises for “free” bus transportation, “no cost” childcare, and freezing rent prices for rent stabilized apartments, can also diminish police resources by competing for limited funding.
Socialism’s expansive goals distract the state from its rightful role. Resources that could be used to achieve its God-ordained purpose are redirected to other ends.
Modern socialism’s harm is not restricted to increased crime. Contrary to its promises, socialism leads to economic deprivation that hurts the most vulnerable community members.
Two Mamdani policies will surely harm New York City’s poor—increased taxes on corporations and the wealthy, and his proposed $30 minimum wage. New York is hardly known for low taxes, and Mamdani wants to pay for his socialist policies through increasing taxes even further. Wealthy New Yorkers are already leaving the city for lower tax jurisdictions. As the pool of wealthy taxpayers drains, who will pay for excessive socialist spending that supposedly helps the vulnerable? Raising taxes sounds simple but socialist plans fail when taxpayers choose to live elsewhere.
Raising the minimum wage to $30 per hour is another idea that sounds nice but leads to economic harm. Other cities, such as Seattle, have recently raised the minimum wage to high levels. The result was higher prices for consumers, lower sales for businesses, and lower employment levels due to higher costs of labor. Higher labor costs hurt the poor and vulnerable because they more often hold minimum wage jobs. Businesses cut these jobs when they become no longer economically viable.
Christians should show concern for the poor and needy (e.g. Prov. 14:31, Jm. 1:27), but we fail to love our neighbors if we accept socialist economic policies. Rather, free markets lift people out of poverty. Wayne Grudem writes, “History demonstrates time and again that the free market brings better results than a government-controlled economy.”
The sin of envy permeates socialist philosophy, writings, and platforms. Winston Churchill called socialism “the gospel of envy.” Socialists spread this false gospel through constant calls for redistribution and their denigration of “the rich.”
Democratic Socialists see wealth disparity and demand redistribution. DSA’s constitution explicitly calls for “economic planning, [and] equitable distribution.” Socialism positions the government to take wealth from some and give it to others, and forced redistribution marks one of socialism’s most harmful features.
Mamdani asserts that “Trump [is] padding the pockets of the rich at the expense of working people.” He promotes the common socialist assertion that the free market leads to the rich getting richer, and the poor necessarily getting poorer. Yet, as the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats. A truly free market enriches the rich, and the poor! Socialism destroys wealth through government inefficiency and confiscation, making everyone poorer (except political leaders).
Christians should recognize socialism for what it is: a system that capitalizes on envy to promote policies that harm people.
Christians should recognize socialism for what it is: a system that capitalizes on envy to promote policies that harm people. Proverbs provides wisdom for considering socialist claims: “jealousy is rottenness to the bones.” (Prov. 14:30, CSB) Socialism is rottenness—social rottenness, economic rottenness, and spiritual rottenness. It is a rotten hope, which those of us with a Living Hope ought to publicly reject.
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