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Almost two-thirds of Americans under 30 now hold a favorable view of socialism.
The mayor of New York City is one politician who's leading the charge, proudly calling himself a democratic socialist.
Zohran Mamdani says he wants to create Publicly Owned Grocery Stores, Fare-Free Transit, and Universal Childcare.
He also wants to ban extreme wealth, telling NBC's Meet the Press, "I don't think that we should have billionaires because, frankly, it is so much money in a moment of such inequality."
Does that include his wealthy family?
Is socialism the solution to "inequality"?
Where and when did the notion of socialism emerge?
And what is the basis for socialism?
Be informed, not misled.
The following is primarily drawn from a blog written by Steve Shapero.
The Colonists tried it.
Every Thanksgiving, the late Rush Limbaugh told the story of the original socialist experiment among the English colonists back in 1621. William Bradford was the governor at the time, and the Merchant Adventurers, who bankrolled the Mayflower voyage, mandated a communal approach for the colonists to work together to raise enough crops for the entire colony. Everyone would receive an equal share of the harvest. After all, many hands make light work. Right?
Produce and goods were to be accumulated in a collective storehouse. Food and clothing were dispensed to every colonist regardless of how hard they worked, and all profits would be divided among the settlers and investors at the end of a seven-year period. However, things didn’t work out as they had planned.
Those who labored with vigor resented those who were slacking off. The hard workers eventually became less productive since there was no incentive to produce; everyone received the same amount of food and clothing regardless of how much they contributed. Finally, the colony was on the brink of starvation due to low crop yields.
Finally, William Bradford ended the communal system and allotted reserved parcels of land to every family to work, keep, or trade their crops as they saw fit. The results: productivity went up dramatically, more land was developed, and the colony thrived.
It was tried in a college economics class.
This story has circulated in a number of spheres.
The professor, wanting to encourage his class, stated that he had never failed a student – the material was straightforward and not that difficult. Since it was an economics class, one day early in the year the students insisted that socialism was the great equalizer: no one would be wealthy, but no one would be deprived.
The professor took them up on their claim and pronounced that their grades would be based on the class average of their scores – everyone would receive the same grade as dictated by the average.
Students studied as usual for the first exam, and everyone received a B. High performers were upset and low performers were overjoyed. On the second exam, everyone received a D. Bitterness grew among classmates.
Everyone received an F on the third exam, and in the end everyone failed the class. Thus, the professor who had never failed a student ended up failing an entire class. The wise professor took that moment to explain to his students that when the reward is great, the effort to flourish is unlimited, but when government takes away all incentives, no one will attempt to succeed.
NYC Mayor Mamdani is trying it.
What better case study than present-day New York City? Mayor Zohran Mamdani promised grocery stores selling food at greatly reduced prices (at least one in each borough) and free bus service. Currently, these promises have not come to pass. The free bus service has been delayed, since it requires authorization from Governor Hochul and a way to offset the $800 million price tag.
Recently, the socialist mayor unveiled his plan to bring New Yorkers cheaper goods by opening a “publicly-funded, privately-operated” supermarket in each borough. There are currently no grocery stores selling food at greatly reduced prices due to a number of logistical roadblocks. The proposal was roasted far and wide, from the Associated Press to Forbes, to the NY Post and USA Today.
“Thirty percent off adds up to real money for New Yorkers,” the democratic socialist mayor of New York City said at a news conference in front of a display of produce. “In the wealthiest city, in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, no New Yorker should have to worry about being able to afford to feed their family.”
When he floated this idea in 2025, Mamdani said if it doesn't work, “C’est la vie, then the idea was wrong.”
Discounted food at a grocery store down the street, run by the city at the mayor's discretion, with prices he mandates. What could go wrong?
The idea sounds charitable, even generous, but it's deeply flawed. It's not a commonsense solution that empowers citizens. It's a government one that hurts taxpayers while disguised as relief for everybody's wallets. It's just one of the many obvious ways the tenets of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) are trying to infiltrate real life. Like price controls, which always backfire, this plan will, too.
The spirit of socialism is anti-Christian.
Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have also helped boost the popularity of democratic socialism in recent years. They will tell you they want to help people, but the socialist principles they espouse come through a very troubled man, who, say historians, if he was not a Satanist, was obsessed with Satan.
Dr. Paul Kengor, the author of The Devil and Karl Marx, says Marx was also a playwright and poet, and his writings included many references to Satan and Hell.
Kengor cites Marx's poem, "The Pale Maiden," written in 1887: "Thus heaven I've forfeited. I know it full well. My soul, once true to God, is chosen for hell."
In "The Fiddler or The Player," in 1841, the same decade when he wrote the Communist Manifesto, Marx wrote, "See the sword. The Prince of Darkness sold it to me. For he beats the time and gives the signs ever more boldly. I played the dance of death."
Kengor says Marx would tell his children stories about a toymaker who sold his soul to the devil.
Marx's father said that his son's heart was "governed by a demon," and Marx was, by all accounts, a terrible husband, father, and provider who sponged off his relatives.
Kengor says, "Marx, the man, was somebody very lazy, refused to work, did not take care of his family, his home, even himself. He refused to bathe, smelled, had boils and sores all over his body."
Marx's Communist Manifesto calls for "the abolition of religion," and calls the family unit "disgusting."
Last year's Democratic Socialists of America annual convention in Chicago called for the "abolition" of the traditional family, and like Marx, compared marriage to prostitution. One attendee said abortions should be done in churches.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani spoke at the group's 2023 convention.
Socialism is always deadly.
It seems as if some of those pushing democratic socialism might be confused about what socialism actually is.
Bernie Sanders has said, "When I talk about 'democratic socialism,' I'm not looking to Venezuela. I'm not looking to Cuba. I'm looking at countries like Denmark and Sweden."
Yet neither Denmark nor Sweden is socialist. Both rank higher than the United States on the Heritage Foundation's Index of Economic Freedom. Both call themselves capitalist nations with generous welfare programs.
Countries that have called themselves 'socialist,' such as the Soviet Union and North Korea, have had the most oppressive and deadly governments in the last 100 years. Historians say the number of victims killed under socialism is more than 100 million.
The late Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, who was tortured and imprisoned in communist Romania, said jailers would yell, "We are the devil!" while they tortured Christians.
Kengor says Christians who adopt socialist principles are wrong.
He says Christians who think socialism is good, because they believe it's like the sharing among believers in the book of Acts, are mistaken. And misled.
"These (early Christians) have private property," Kengor said. "They are choosing voluntarily on their own, in the love of Christ, to share their things, to help their brother. Communism is a government by fiat and coercion, which comes in and takes over an entire country and forces everybody at gunpoint or gulag, religious or not, to hand over their stuff."
Yet the appeal of socialism seems stronger than ever among America's youth. Kengor says that's only because many don't understand what socialism truly is. They are uninformed.
Takeaway
Socialism is Satanic in spirit.
The Bible describes Satan as a fallen angel, a dangerous deceiver, and the evil ruler of this world. It calls him the prince of the power of the air, a murderer, and a liar who leads people away from God.
Names and titles of Lucifer include:
- The morning star who fell from heaven because of pride (Isaiah 14:12).
- The Devil: A word meaning slanderer or accuser (Revelation 12:9).
- Satan: A Hebrew word meaning adversary or enemy (Job 1:6).
- Prince of this world: The ruler of the dark systems of this world (John 12:31).
- God of this world: One who blinds the minds of those who do not believe (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Character and Actions
- The Deceiver: He tricks the whole world and disguises himself as an angel of light (Revelation 12:9, 2 Corinthians 11:14).
- The Father of Lies: He spoke lies from the beginning and has no truth in him (John 8:44).
- A Roaring Lion: He walks about like a wild animal, seeking people to destroy (1 Peter 5:8).
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Vigilant. Be Courageous. Be Engaged. Be Faithful. Be Prayerful.
