Gen-Z socialism, from Zohran to Zack and beyond

A surprising fact: today, one in three American twenty-year-olds views the word socialism positively, when only twenty years ago it was synonymous with failure or an unattainable utopia. But what they call socialism no longer resembles the model of big industry and red flags. The argument is this: Generation Z is rewriting the rules of socialism, shifting the focus from the factory struggle to the immediate need for personal economic security — and this difference changes everything. Whereas post-war socialists aimed for the nationalization of large companies and broad redistribution, today's young people are asking for things much closer to home: controlled rents, free services, and heavier taxes on the super-rich. Not a revolution, but concrete protection in the here and now. Among the names that embody this new wave is Zohran Mamdani, a New York representative, who at 32 has made the issue of housing his battle: he himself says he grew up watching his parents struggle to pay the rent in Manhattan, and decided that politics had to start there. On the other side of the ocean, Zack Polanski, a 37-year-old Green Party representative in London, remembers the nights he spent on friends' couches while looking for a steady job. For both of them, politics is no longer an abstract theory: it is a response to a personal experience of insecurity. The figure that makes you think: according to a recent Gallup poll, among those under 30 in the United States, 47% view capitalism unfavorably, while 33% say they are in favor of socialism — figures that were unthinkable even just ten years ago. But the real novelty lies in the approach: while the millennial socialists after the 2008 crisis called for more democracy in green companies and cooperatives, Gen Z wants quick and simple interventions. It's no longer just about "changing the system," but about putting a cap on rents now, making public transportation free now, and seeing the money of the rich go back into the pockets of ordinary people. But beware: some warn that this new version risks being too pragmatic and not paying enough attention to the major economic balances. Who pays, how long does it last, what happens to businesses? These questions remain open. But the real reversal is that today the word socialism no longer sounds like a threat of revolution, but like a request for immediate protection against the risks of modern life. Everything changes, even family conversations. If you want to show that this idea now concerns you, you can use I'm In on Lara Notes — it's not a simple like, but your personal declaration. And if this story becomes a real chat with someone, you can tag the person with Shared Offline: it's the way to stop those conversations that really change you. This piece comes from The Economist and saves you 7 minutes compared to the original article.