A TALE OF TWO COUNTRIES

 

While socialist politics is advancing in the United States, it remains largely moribund in New Zealand. Why the difference and what can we do about it?

EVEN THOUGH socialism has a long history in the United States, it has long been dismissed by the political establishment as a fringe current, a relic of the Cold War era, or a youthful indulgence destined to fade with age. Yet the recent election of socialist mayors in New York and Seattle, alongside the steady growth of socialist representation in councils and community boards, signals something far more profound: the re-entry of socialist politics into the mainstream of American life. 

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), now the largest socialist organisation in the country, has become the vehicle for this resurgence, translating grassroots energy into tangible political power. It is precisely this growing foothold that prompted Congress to recently pass a motion condemning socialism, a symbolic act of establishment panic that reveals how seriously the ruling class takes the threat of socialist advance. The irony, of course, is that such condemnation only underscores the legitimacy of the movement. When the political elite feels compelled to denounce an ideology, it is because that ideology has begun to resonate with millions.

The victories in New York and Seattle are not isolated anomalies. They are the crest of a wave that has been building for years, from the campaigns of Bernie Sanders to the election of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other DSA-backed candidates. What distinguishes this moment is that socialism is no longer confined to insurgent congressional campaigns or activist circles; it is governing in major cities, shaping budgets, and setting agendas. In New York, a socialist mayor represents a direct challenge to Wall Street’s dominance, while in Seattle, the election of a socialist mayor reflects the city’s deep discontent with corporate tech power and spiraling inequality. These wins are not symbolic gestures but concrete ruptures in the neoliberal consensus that has defined American politics for decades. They show that socialism can win, not just in rhetoric but in practice, and that ordinary people are willing to entrust socialists with the responsibility of governance.

Contrast this with the moribund state of politics in New Zealand, where neoliberalism remains the unchallenged orthodoxy. Decades after the so-called reforms of the 1980s and 1990s, the ideological framework of market supremacy, privatisation, and austerity continues to dominate both major parties. Labour, once the party of working-class aspiration, has hollowed itself out into a centrist managerial machine, more concerned with fiscal credibility than transformative change. National, predictably, remains committed to the same neoliberal dogma, offering little more than harsher versions of the same policies. 

The result is a political landscape where genuine alternatives are absent, and where the language of socialism has been so thoroughly demonised that even modest proposals for public ownership or redistribution are treated as radical fantasies. Unlike in the United States, where socialist movements have forced their way into the mainstream, New Zealand’s left remains trapped in a cul-de-sac of compromise and timidity. There is little to be excited about.

The contrast is stark. In the United States, socialism is advancing despite the country’s entrenched hostility to the very word. In New Zealand, socialism is retreating despite a history of working-class struggle and a political system that once prided itself on egalitarianism. 

Why is this?

The explanation lies in organisation and courage. The DSA have built a mass membership organisation that connects electoral campaigns to grassroots activism, ensuring that victories at the ballot box are sustained by movements in the streets. They have not shied away from the socialist label, refusing to dilute their politics in the hope of appeasing centrists. In New Zealand, by contrast, the left has allowed itself to be captured by the neoliberal consensus, abandoning socialist language and retreating into technocratic tinkering. The absence of a mass socialist organisation means that discontent with inequality and housing crises is channeled into resignation rather than resistance. Where Americans are electing socialist mayors, New Zealanders are told to be grateful for incremental adjustments to the status quo. We are told, even now by Labour's cheerleaders, that we should be inspired to vote for a so-called 'lesser evil' Labour-led government. 

This divergence should shame New Zealand’s 'progressives'. The United States, with its vast corporate power and entrenched anti-socialist ideology, is proving more fertile ground for socialist advance than a country that once prided itself on fairness and social democracy. The lesson is clear: socialism does not advance by waiting for permission from the establishment. It advances by organising, by naming the system for what it is, and by offering a vision of transformation that resonates with ordinary people. The DSA has shown that it is possible to build such a movement, even in the belly of the neoliberal beast. New Zealand’s left must learn from this example, or else resign itself to irrelevance.

The condemnation of socialism by the US Congress is a reminder that victories will always provoke backlash. But backlash is a sign of progress. In New Zealand, there is no backlash because there is no progress. Neoliberalism reigns unchallenged, its myths of efficiency and inevitability repeated by politicians and media alike. The task for New Zealand’s socialists is to break this spell, to reintroduce the language of class and equality into public debate, and to build organizations capable of contesting power. Without such efforts, New Zealand will remain stuck in a stagnant political cycle, while socialism abroad continues to gain ground.

The rise of socialist mayors in New York and Seattle is not just an American story. It is a global signal that the neoliberal era is cracking, that alternatives are possible, and that courage can yield results. For New Zealand, the choice is simple: continue to languish in the shadow of neoliberal orthodoxy, or take inspiration from abroad and begin the work of building a movement that can challenge the status quo. The United States has shown that socialism can win even in the most hostile terrain. In 2026, an election year, New Zealand must decide whether it will remain a neoliberal backwater or join the growing tide of socialist renewal. The future will not wait for timid centrists to catch up. It belongs to those willing to fight for it.