I’ve written many many posts on this topic over the years. I don’t know when the first one was published, but it was probably at least as far back as Obama’s campaign in 2008 (see this, for example). But right now it seems especially appropriate.

By 2018 and 2019 – the years AOC first became prominent – I was writing about the topic more often, and expecially noting how popular socialism had become among the young. This excerpt may interest you, from this February 2019 post:

I’ve written several posts on the attractions of socialism; it appeals to certain basic aspects of human nature that will always be with us: covetousness, anger, guilt, a desire to feel righteous, and the need for simple-sounding solutions. But there’s also the obvious fact that many many decades ago the left set its sights on taking over the educational system, and has done so successfully.

I still think that’s a good summary, although not an especially eloquent one.

And in this post from May of 2019 I noted a recent poll that showed how widespread approval of socialism had already become in this country. The poll itself, taken in the summer of 2018, can be found here. Some excerpts:

– 47% of Democrats view capitalism positively, down from 56% in 2016
– 57% of Democrats now view socialism positively, little changed from 2010
– Republicans very positive about capitalism; 16% positive on socialism

Note that second point: as early as 2010, the majority of Democrats were viewing socialism positively. And note the first point, that the change between 2010 and 2018 was mainly driven by increased dislike of capitalism.

Approval of socialism and dislike of capitalism was even more marked among the young, exactly as one might expect from the way education has been going in recent decades:

Americans aged 18 to 29 are as positive about socialism (51%) as they are about capitalism (45%). This represents a 12-point decline in young adults’ positive views of capitalism in just the past two years and a marked shift since 2010, when 68% viewed it positively. Meanwhile, young people’s views of socialism have fluctuated somewhat from year to year, but the 51% with a positive view today is the same as in 2010.

Older Americans have been consistently more positive about capitalism than socialism. For those 50 and older, twice as many currently have a positive view of capitalism as of socialism.

So I see no reason whatsoever to be surprised about the rising stars of socialism.in large blue cities. Nor am I surprised that they are young and mostly (although not entirely) “diverse.” That combines three characteristics our young people (and those not-so-young anymore, since this began decades ago) have been taught to revere: hatred of capitalism and the US for that matter, love of socialism, and love of diversity for diversity’s sake.

Some people are of the opinion that it’s a good, thing, in a way, to have a bunch of blue cities be run by these DSA members. After all, it won’t work very well, and people will learn to reject them. I disagree (not that there’s anything I can do to stop this wave). I think the history of socialism/Communism is that for the most part its practitioners pay even more attention to their rhetoric and the entrenchment of their power (whether through bureaucracy, “rigging,” or tyranny) as they do to anything else. And people, especially young people, are gullible. Also, for reasons I don’t understand, turnout is low in municipal elections in these cities, and therefore fanatically dedicated extremists there have an outsized influence.

Of course, the DSA is not confined to blue city government because there now will be more and more DSA adherents (whether through formal membership or just endorsement and leanings) in the US House. Maybe even the Senate soon. What will this mean? Perhaps not all that much at first, because the regular Democratic Party is already so far to the left in its proposals: making DC and Puerto Rico states to solidify its power, banning ID for voters, packing SCOTUS, you know the drill. For the most part, the DSA candidates are merely replacing other Democrats, so the total votes may not change much.

However, the Overton Window has moved ever leftward. The new socialists will continue this trend if their numbers increase. Will their numbers increase? I don’t know, and obviously I hope not. But I’m not among those who say things like “pass the popcorn” and think it will all blow over and that the whole phenomenon is quite amusing.