Why We’re Socialists, Not “Progressives”
It’s not enough to just be “progressive.” To tackle the many problems we face today, we need to name the system that’s behind all of them, capitalism — and fight for the only viable alternative, socialism.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks during a rally for the Green New Deal at Howard University May 13, 2019, in Washington, DC. (Alex Wong / Getty Images)
A question we often hear as socialist organizers is whether it’s really necessary to use the “s” word — socialism! — when talking about issues like Medicare for All, affordable housing, or a Green New Deal. Can’t we ignore all of those pesky “isms” and just “do the work”?
It’s a fair question, given that for decades, most activists on the progressive left have avoided identifying as socialists (or even openly critiquing capitalism). But it’s also fair to ask: where has all this ideology-free, Red Scare–proof “work” gotten us?
Donald Trump sits in the White House. Three billionaires own more wealth than the bottom 90 percent of the US population. And climate change poses an imminent, existential threat to human civilization.
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