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Why the 'Democratic' in Democratic Socialism Matters — A Professor Explains the Key Difference

07:05 AM, 11/23/2025

Johns Hopkins professor Robert Lieberman told host Michael Smerconish that the defining feature of democratic socialism is its explicit commitment to democratic institutions. He said democratic socialists aim to address inequality while preserving free elections, civil liberties and pluralism — a contrast with authoritarian socialist regimes. Lieberman also suggested Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral win was driven by voters’ concerns about affordability, even as questions remain about specific policy solutions. His remarks came after Mamdani’s cordial White House meeting with President Trump and shortly after a House resolution condemning the “horrors of socialism.”

Democratic socialism has returned to the spotlight after self-described democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani won the race to become New York City’s next mayor. That victory, and his subsequent meeting with President Donald Trump, renewed a familiar question: how is democratic socialism different from the authoritarian socialism practiced in places such as the Soviet Union or China?

On a recent weekend program, host Michael Smerconish asked Johns Hopkins political scientist Robert Lieberman to explain the distinction. Lieberman said the answer is built into the label: democratic socialists prioritize democracy.

“Democratic socialism puts the emphasis on that first word — democratic. Socialist regimes, [like] the Soviet Union, China, Cuba, tend to believe that in order to achieve workers’ control of the economy and the sort of planned economy, that anything is fair game. Any means of gaining power.

“Democratic socialists, or social democrats, tend to be committed, first and foremost, to democracy. But they are people who worry about the compatibility of capitalism and democracy or whether inequality or extreme economic inequality kind of degrades democratic regimes.

“People who call themselves democratic socialists are committed to democracy, but worry a lot about inequality.”

Lieberman argued that the explicit, stated commitment to democratic institutions and processes — free elections, civil liberties, pluralism and the rule of law — is what separates contemporary democratic socialist movements from historical authoritarian socialist states. He emphasized that many democratic socialists aim to reduce extreme inequality while working within, and protecting, democratic frameworks.

Speaking specifically about Mamdani’s victory, Lieberman said the mayor-elect’s emphasis on affordability resonated with voters. He declined to take a strong position on whether proposals such as a rent freeze would fully resolve housing pressures, but said Mamdani had successfully tapped into widespread anxiety about the cost of living.

The exchange followed Mamdani’s surprisingly cordial meeting with President Trump at the White House, an encounter that drew attention because the two have publicly exchanged sharp criticisms in the past. Observers noted an unusually warm tone during their summit.

Lieberman’s remarks also came shortly after the House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning the “horrors of socialism,” underscoring the continuing debate in U.S. politics over the meaning and implications of different socialist currents.

A clip of the interview is available online for viewers who want to hear the full exchange.

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