Since Bernie Sanders won indisputable front-runner status after his victory in New Hampshire, his campaign has faced a renewed round of attacks. Some of these have been laughably maladroit, like the nonsense about Bernie’s supporters being the only people to ever be rude on the internet. Others, however, have been more substantive, actually intersecting with how real people think about politics. One of these is the question of socialism.

Ever since Bernie’s run in 2016, it has been clear that socialism is no longer the bugaboo it once was in American politics. When tens of millions of people vote for a self-described democratic socialist, it is no longer plausible to claim that socialism is an automatic disqualifier to being taken seriously in mainstream politics.

At the same time, however, it would be a mistake to conclude that socialist politics no longer present any barrier to electoral success. While polls show support for socialism has risen dramatically over the past decade, they also show that substantial opposition to socialism remains in much of the electorate. To win a national election, a compelling way of presenting socialism is still a must.