With Democratic Socialists winning primaries around the country, Republicans (particularly Trump) are screaming “Communists!” trying to smear the entire Democratic Party as “far-left lunatics.” Republicans need a lesson in political vocabulary. Democratic Socialists believe in strengthening both political and economic democracy; it’s as simple as that. Examples are prosperous European democratic countries like Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Portugal, Spain, and The Netherlands — countries with very strong economies and citizen satisfaction.
Communists, on the other hand, are authoritarian tyrants who control all political and economic activity, generally with oppressed populations. Examples are China, Cuba, and North Korea. There are NO Democrats, including Democratic Socialists, voicing admiration for these systems or proposing any policies that move America in such a direction.
The dominant neo-fascist state in the world is Russia with a corrupt oligarchical economy, absolute political power invested in Vladimir Putin, and ambitions to reestablish the Soviet-bloc empire, currently evidenced in their criminal invasion of Ukraine. Donald Trump makes no secret of his admiration for Putin, while disdaining and alienating our traditional democratic allies. There is no MAGA Republican who has rebuked Trump on this, or anything, including his blatant corruption and dishonesty, instead following the “Great Leader” total unity mindset of authoritarian societies of the left and right.
As far back as FDR’s New Deal, right-wing Republicans have historically called every Democratic program aimed at strengthening the middle class, lifting people out of poverty, and reasonably regulating the capitalist market “communist.” Yet, somehow through the numerous Democratic administrations and Congresses, democracy and capitalism have flourished.
The anti-democratic, right-wing Republican Trump Administration has vigorously pursued ending many of the safety net policies of past Democrat AND Republican administrations, particularly targeting Barak Obama’s very modest attempt to make healthcare insurance more accessible and affordable. The effect is an increase in severe poverty, millions once again cannot afford health insurance, and our healthcare system is increasingly broken.
Sidenote: When “Obamacare” was introduced, Republicans slandered it as “communism,” swearing that Democrats wanted to turn America into Venezuela. Well, Trump invaded Venezuela, imprisoned its president, but kept the same corrupt authoritarian government in place — but now we own their oil. It turns out Republicans have no problem with corrupt authoritarianism if it’s our corrupt authoritarianism.
In their anti-“socialism,” Trump Republicans are determined to dismantle the “deep state” of independent regulatory agencies. The result is the loss of vital consumer protections, growing corruption, and worsening poverty. Trump economic policies have created a historically high wealth gap with the poor and middle classes squeezed while the top 10 percent own roughly 68% of the nation’s wealth and the top 1%’s share equals the bottom 90%!
America is out of balance. Republican culture wars, their slanderous, hateful rhetoric, assaults on and rigging of our democratic process, persecution of non-white immigrants, the Department of War, and the perversion of the Justice Department to persecute Trump’s political and legal enemies have Americans focused everywhere except where we need to be. We have very real challenges ahead of us. Along with this corrupt wannabe dictator and our unbalanced economy, climate change is very real and worsening (Trump calls it a hoax). Our manufacturing base is stuck in 20th century fossil fuels while China races to the forefront of 21st century renewable energy dominance. The culturally corrupting misuse of unregulated internet and AI is real. Nearly all our institutions are increasingly dehumanizing. Constitutional democracy and separation of power are in serious peril.
American Democratic Socialism is modeled after successful Western European traditions, believing in a society and economy built from the middle out, not top down. It’s a political philosophy prioritizing fairness and compassion, rule of law, and including as many as possible in sharing the fruits of society’s representation and wealth. The emphasis is on building strong democratic institutions, a prosperous middle-class, and inclusive social fairness, while encouraging responsible capitalism and entrepreneurship in pursuit of reasonable personal wealth.
Yes, some within the Democratic Socialist movement hold extremist views — after all, this perspective has been forced to the sidelines of American political thought for decades. Still, I suggest that voters fed up with Trumpism listen to what responsible Social Democrats and the full spectrum of Democratic candidates propose for bringing our country back into balance and true greatness. It is not communism. It is economic and political democracy.
Bill Walz is a retired clinical psychologist/social scientist and UNCA adjunct faculty. He teaches non-dual philosophy and conscious-living in Asheville while writing columns on conscious-living and social commentary.