Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the rest of the “Democratic Socialists” attempt to distance themselves from the catastrophic socialism of the 20th century that millions died under by emphasizing that their version of socialism is “democratic” and, therefore, completely different and somehow better.
The striking similarities in much of Ocasio-Cortez’s rhetoric to Marx shows otherwise.
It is clear that Ocasio-Cortes’ platform closely aligns with many of the tenets of Marxism, such as the supposition of class conflict as an engine for social progress, the use of identity politics to divide the “oppressed” from the “oppressor,” and even the idea of using democracy as a tool to achieve socialism, as does the Democratic Socialist of America (DSA) party, which was integral in getting her elected.
The fact that the message of someone so radical resonated with so many urban Americans implies that Marx’s ideas are indeed alive and well in modern American electoral politics.