“When they go low, we go high,” is a Democratic mantra. But it only works if people think liberals have the credibility to trumpet high morals. Not enough of America does. To Gen Z voters, such virtue signalling comes straight from the self-serving “boomer” playbook. The young are no likelier to respect Democratic ethics appeals than they are to take up bridge. Coming to grips with America’s volatile politics is futile without engaging the deep scepticism of its young.
Among the best-known younger Democrats, two — Zohran Mamdani, New York’s mayor, and New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — call themselves socialists. A third, James Talarico, a Democratic Senate nominee, describes himself as a Christian progressive. But he is running in Texas, so is treated as a socialist regardless.
More than a third of Americans under 30 have a favourable view of “communism”, according to a Cato poll last year. Almost two-thirds look kindly on socialism. It is easy to dismiss this as standard youthful misguidedness. Gen Z is variously written off as work-shy, entitled, unambitious and ignorant. But there is nothing in their politics that is nearly as drug-inspired as the late 1960s radicalism of their grandparents. It is not hippie to wish for affordable housing or to fear AI’s impact on your earnings potential. Nor is it Stalinist to want universal health insurance.