Socialism: A possibility for the American political system?

Ria realizes it’s more than just hoop earrings and fringe that are having major comebacks in 2018.

“Capitalism has not always existed in the world and will not always exist in the world,” declared Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the newly elected Congresswoman with a Democratic Socialist platform.

Cortez isn’t alone in affirming this harsh statement. With her she brings a small but growing number of democratic socialist candidates sweeping across the nation’s open positions in the recent midterm elections.

“So what?” said many Americans, me included, when Cortez first appeared on national American screens. She’s running under the Democratic party, so why should it matter that she identifies as a democratic socialist? Her main policy reforms, such as increasing public education opportunities, raising the minimum wage and raising taxes all line up perfectly with that classic, cookie-cutter, Democratic party view … so the ultimate question is: why should I care?

In my opinion, the difference between the oldest standing political party and the potentially newest one boils down to two seemingly similar but vastly different words: fair and equal.

Throughout the last decade, the idea of socialism has become more popular in the United States. As a student growing in an educated environment, I have always been told that “socialism is bad” and “capitalism is the best;” yet, right before my own eyes, I’m seeing a change of perspective in our government. Throughout history, our country has made it its duty to eradicate socialism, yet here we are adopting those same values ourselves. During the Red Scare of the 1950s, many Americans were accused of being socialists and publicly shamed for doing. Now, roughly half a century later, several political candidates campaigning under the Democratic party are proudly declaring that they support Socialist values. If Bernie Sanders had run for office as a Socialist 25 years ago, the American reaction would have been much different.

Although I do not support Democratic Socialism, my biggest criticism of it lies not in its values but in my apprehension that we are straying from the principles upon which we established our nation more than 250 years ago. As a nation founded on the ideals of individual and economic freedoms, I fail to see reasons why altering that foundational fabric could be beneficial for the United States in the future. As the governing values that America was founded on are rapidly being challenged, I can’t help but wonder, and worry, what will change next.