When New York City elected Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani as its next mayor, the left-leaning headlines framed it as a “historic milestone.”

But the only milestone I saw was this: more than 1 million voters choosing a path that has collapsed societies across continents—the empty promise of socialism disguised as progress—and, even more puzzling, a path embraced by an electorate that was 84% women under 30. 

As socialism becomes more popular among young Americans, we risk sacrificing the freedoms that shape our country—such as the freedom to work, speak, and take responsibility for our own lives—in exchange for a promise of government-controlled equality. History shows that when good intentions give rise to government control, people often lose both freedom and opportunity. 

Post-COVID-19 New York City provides a chilling example of how democracies can slide into dependency.

Once the beating heart of American capitalism, the city suffered from inconsistent governance and a global pandemic that shuttered businesses, drove residents away, and made basic living increasingly unaffordable. With taxes and fees imposed at every turn, daily life still feels relentlessly regulated.

Recently, several Manhattan restaurants offered $9 discounts to offset the city’s new congestion-pricing toll. These small gestures serve as acts of resistance against policies that continue to burden the working class.

In a climate of fatigue and frustration, politicians like Mamdani, whose platform promised to “tax the 1%,” freeze........

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