How Mamdani Taps Into an American Socialist Tradition

The movement’s founders echoed the words of Thomas Paine and Abraham Lincoln much more than Karl Marx.

A historic photo of a man giving an energetic speech on stage with American flags in the background and a group of people behind him in early 1900s attire. November 17, 2025, 12:01 AM Comment icon View Comments ( )

During his victory speech on Nov. 4, New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani quoted a five-time presidential candidate: “The sun may have set over our city this evening,” he declared to an exuberant crowd of supporters in Brooklyn, “but as Eugene Debs once said, ‘I can see the dawn of a better day for humanity.’”

Though many people in attendance might have been unsure who Debs was, the reference made perfect s

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