Zohran Mamdani's Victory: Remaking the Great American Dream

 

By Harmen Batubara

1. New York Changes Direction: From Wall Street to Astoria

Zohran Mamdani's victory in the 2025 New York City (NYC) mayoral election represents one of the most significant political upheavals in the United States in modern times. This phenomenon is not simply a shift in power from one Democratic faction to another; it is a historical anomaly that places an outspoken democratic socialist (a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)) at the helm of the global financial capital.1 The victory of Mamdani, a 34-year-old state assemblyman from Queens, reflects a profound rejection of the political status quo and the failure of the neoliberal economic model to provide basic well-being for the vast majority of the city's residents. In a contest that garnered national attention, Mamdani secured over 50% of the vote, defeating his main rivals, former Governor Andrew Cuomo (who ran as an independent and received about 40% of the vote), and Republican Curtis Sliwa (who received just over 7%).3 The defeat of Cuomo, a powerful Democratic Party establishment figure, demonstrated that in NYC, a working-class-focused ideology and a message of radical affordability now have far greater appeal than traditional political brands or dynastic politics.

This victory marked several milestones. Mamdani became NYC's 111th mayor, the first from the Muslim community, the first from South Asia, and the youngest mayor in over a century.3 This background, combined with his grassroots-based agenda, fundamentally challenged traditional American views on who should hold power. A relatively unknown politician dubbed "just another social media guy," he transformed his image through mass mobilization and the largest field operation in the city's political history.1

1.2. More Than a Victory: A Mandate for a New Narrative

A thorough analysis shows that Mamdani's victory was more than just luck. It was the result of a long-term strategy that successfully recognized and responded to a fundamental crisis facing New Yorkers: the crisis of affordability. 4 This victory, funded by small donations and supported by tens of thousands of volunteers, marked a return to intensive, mass-based politics, which generated the highest voter turnout in half a century. 1

The essence of this thesis is that Mamdani's victory was a referendum on the failure of the core promise of the American Dream (AD). For millions of hard-working New Yorkers who could not afford rent or basic necessities, the individualistic version of AD had collapsed. Mamdani's platform offered a new vision, one in which government served as a tool to ensure basic well-being and stability, rather than as a barrier to individual initiative. In other words, this victory provided a political mandate to rebuild the lost foundations of the American Dream, centered on collective economic security.

2. The Erosion of the Classical Ethos: When Hard Work Alone Isn't Enough

The American Dream, popularized by historian James Truslow Adams in 1931, centers on the belief that every individual, through hard work, perseverance, and ambition, can achieve success and prosperity in the United States [User Query]. For decades, this narrative has been dominated by an individualistic-conservative interpretation that emphasizes the rags-to-riches story—a personal struggle that overcomes adversity through sheer perseverance.4

However, this narrative has had detrimental cultural and political implications. The downside of the individualistic narrative is that if someone fails or remains poor, that failure is attributed entirely to personal fault—a result of laziness or a lack of initiative.4 This understanding has underpinned conservative arguments that view government as the "enemy of the American Dream," where social assistance and welfare programs are seen as giveaways that sap individuals' initiative and make them dependent.4 This rhetoric has marginalized social programs for generations, making it difficult for Democratic politics to capture the imagination of voters.

2.1. Overpriced New York: System Failure

In New York City, contemporary economic realities have rendered the individualistic American Dream an illusion. NYC is one of the most expensive cities in America, where wage inequality is deepening and the housing crisis is reaching a tipping point. Media reports have noted that the median rent in Manhattan soared to $4,700 in July, making the struggle to find affordable housing feel like a "war."2

For workers and families in NYC, especially minority communities, the logical conclusion is that the problem lies not with individual initiative, but with a system that demands hard work without guaranteeing humane outcomes. When someone works double shifts and still can't afford rent or food, the narrative of blaming the individual loses its relevance. This unease, rooted in social inequality, historical injustice, and difficult family circumstances, is the niche that Mamdani's campaign exploits.4

2.2. Mamdani's Re-Articulated Dream: Government as Moral Accelerator

Mamdani successfully reclaims the American Dream narrative by presenting a powerfully progressive interpretation. Progressive Democrats agree that individual initiative is important, but they argue that success cannot be achieved without a “level playing field.”4 Mamdani’s focus on affordability is not about bestowing wealth, but about ensuring that the fruits of hard work are not immediately eroded by the exorbitant cost of living.4

In this vision, government should be a “moral force” that ensures everyone has a fair chance, regardless of their background.4 The role of government is to “level the playing field” by providing programs and laws that enable citizens to reach “the starting line and prove their worth.”4 By shifting the focus from individual morality to systemic justice—especially on fundamental issues like rent, wages, and the cost of living—Mamdani provides a political solution to what was previously considered a problem of personal moral failure. This approach has historical resonance with President Johnson's Great Society programs of the 1960s, which aimed to replace "despair with opportunity" through government intervention in education and welfare.4 Mamdani's victory in New York confirmed that modern voters, especially young and working-class voters, are ready to support bold government intervention, provided that the policies explicitly aim to restore the fundamental foundations of the American Dream.

3. Affordability as a Key Political Strategy

Mamdani's platform was built on a simple yet revolutionary premise: New York must be affordable.5 While his proposals—such as free childcare, free buses, and city-owned grocery stores—may sound familiar in Western European countries, in the United States, where the welfare state is virtually non-existent, these ideas were dismissed by critics as "radical" or even "utopian."2 However, Mamdani's success demonstrated that the aspiration for a better quality of life and freedom from economic anxiety is deeply held by New Yorkers.

3.1. Pillars of a Democratic Socialist Agenda

Mamdani's agenda is supported by a series of detailed economic policies that focus directly on meeting the basic needs of the working class:

A. Housing Interventions

The housing crisis is addressed through both immediate and long-term measures. Mamdani promises an immediate rent freeze for all tenants living in rent-stabilized units in the city.7 More ambitiously, Mamdani plans to build 200,000 new units of permanently affordable, union-built, rent-stabilized housing over the next decade. This program aims to create a housing stock immune to market speculation and ensure housing stability for hundreds of thousands of families.7

B. Wages and Worker Protections

To address wage inequality, his platform calls for raising the minimum wage in NYC to $30 per hour by 2030, with automatic adjustments based on the cost of living thereafter.7 This policy directly addresses the soaring wage-cost gap.

Mamdani also specifically targets protections for the 80,000 delivery workers (known as deliveristas), the majority of whom are Black and Brown immigrants. He strongly criticized app companies that exploit these workers by misclassifying them as independent contractors to avoid entitlements and benefits. Solutions include strengthening licensing requirements for these apps and investing in road infrastructure (such as the DOT's e-bike program and dedicated hubs) to support a safer and more equitable work environment.7

C. Universal Social Safety Net

The three key pillars for improving the general welfare include:

1. Free Childcare: Implementing free childcare for every New Yorker ages 6 weeks to 5 years, a measure that would significantly reduce the economic burden on working families.7

2. Free Public Transportation: Eliminating fares on city buses, which would make transportation more accessible and improve bus infrastructure with priority lanes.7

3. Food Security: Establishing city-owned grocery stores to combat price gouging by corporate supermarkets. These stores are proposed to focus on lower prices by eliminating rent and property taxes, and centralizing distribution.7

3.2. Fiscal Architecture and Funding Controversy

Mamdani's plan is expensive, requiring an aggressive fiscal architecture. Funding is planned through shifting the tax burden from the working class to large corporations and ultra-wealthy individuals.7

Main Funding Mechanisms:

1. Corporate Tax: Raising NYC's corporate tax rate to 11.5% (matching New Jersey's), which Mamdani projects could generate an additional $5 billion in annual revenue.7

2. Wealth Tax: Imposing an additional flat 2% tax on households earning more than $1 million annually.6

3. Efficiency and Compliance: Raising an additional $1 billion through increased tax audits, landlord fines, and reforms to the city's procurement process.7

Critics of the plan have framed it as "utopian" due to concerns that it could harm the business climate and trigger an exodus of millionaires.6 However, analysis suggests that these concerns may be overblown. Studies of recent moderate tax increases (such as 2% on millionaires) in Massachusetts and Washington state have shown that such measures do not trigger significant migration from high-income groups.6 Furthermore, experts consider that while Mamdani's policies are theoretically "feasible" because they resemble reforms undertaken by previous mayors, their implementation will be "difficult to enact, and difficult to enact quickly" amid political resistance.5

4. Generational Voter Machine: A Grassroots Strategy

Mamdani's victory was a victory for mobilizing new voters, not simply converting existing ones. The campaign built the largest field operation in New York's political history, supported by tens of thousands of young volunteers who engaged in intensive canvassing. 1 The primary message conveyed to voters was his policy platform: making New York a more affordable city. Volunteers ensured that Mamdani, a state legislator, was a Democratic nominee with a clear vision, not just a social media activist. 1

This strategy successfully sparked unprecedented participation in a municipal election. It demonstrated that focusing on substantive issues (rent, wages) can overcome historical barriers to participation, especially among groups apathetic to establishment politics. This victory demonstrated that the American Dream can be revived by making the political process feel directly relevant to citizens' daily lives.

4.1. The Rise of the Youth and Minority Vote

Electoral data from the 2025 NYC gubernatorial election demonstrates a fundamental shift in the city's political landscape. Youth voter turnout (ages 18-29) surged to 19%, a significant increase for a city election.10 This youthful turnout was a crucial factor in defeating Mamdani's opponents, who relied on traditional voter bases.

Support for Mamdani was heavily concentrated among young minority voters and young women. Young Latino voters (86%) and young Black voters (84%) voted for Mamdani at significantly higher rates than young white voters (66%).10 This underscores the failure of the previous Mayor (Eric Adams) to retain the core Black and Latino base, which requires radical, systemic economic solutions. Furthermore, there was a significant gender disparity, with young women (84%) more likely to support Mamdani than young men (67%).10

This data highlights a core shift in the NYC Democratic coalition, which now centers on young voters, young women, and minority communities demanding bold economic solutions. This victory gave significant energy to the progressive wing of the Democratic Party nationally 12, sending a signal that to win big cities, the Democratic Party must present a strong working-class economic agenda, one that goes beyond mere identity politics.

4.2. Representing Diversity and New York's New Identity

Mamdani's own background directly embodies a renewed American Dream. Born in Kampala, Uganda, Mamdani is the son of a prominent academic and filmmaker. His birth outside the US constitutionally bars him from running for president, but his New York education ties him intimately to the fabric of the city.13 He represents America's new "immigrant paradox"—the descendant of immigrants emerging as a powerful moral voice in public life.13

Despite coming from a privileged background and openly acknowledging himself as a self-proclaimed nepo-baby, Mamdani consciously chose a grassroots socialist path.14 His ideological choices demonstrate that issues of class struggle transcend boundaries of privilege and identity. His identity as the first Muslim and South Asian mayor, holding the highest office in a city with the largest immigrant population in the world, symbolically breaks down barriers to non-traditional identities, affirming that the American Dream is now truly open to all backgrounds.

5. Economic Skepticism: Utopianism in the Financial Capital

Mayor Mamdani's next task will be to translate enthusiastic campaign promises into the reality of effective city governance, a process that will face significant political and fiscal challenges. Critics from business and conservative political circles have raised concerns that his democratic socialist agenda, particularly corporate tax increases and a wealth tax, will burden Wall Street and create a hostile climate for business, threatening NYC's status as a global financial center.6

While analysis suggests that Mamdani's policies are fundamentally feasible, former officials from the Independent Budget Office (IBO) have warned that his proposals will be "difficult to enact, and difficult to enact quickly."5 Mamdani will need to quickly demonstrate sufficient fiscal confidence to manage the ambitious costs of his universal programs, such as free childcare and free buses.9

These implementation challenges are complicated by organized political resistance. For example, a rent stabilization freeze plan would likely be blocked by existing bureaucratic structures, such as former Mayor Eric Adams, who is known to have opposed the plan and could potentially try to block it by "inserting" the Rent Guidelines Board.7 New York, in this context, will become a living laboratory to test whether a democratic socialist welfare model can be implemented without destroying the capitalist economic engine. Mamdani's success will depend largely on his ability to secure an additional $5 billion in tax revenue to cover the costs of his universal program.

5.1. Political and Moral Intersections: Geopolitical Controversy

Mamdani's challenges are not only fiscal, but also ideological and communal. Mamdani is New York City's first anti-Zionist mayor. 15 His victory, fueled by Democratic outrage over the war in Gaza, was viewed by much of New York's Jewish community—the world's largest diaspora community—with "anxiety" and "foreboding." 15

For decades, support for Israel was considered a prerequisite for winning elections in NYC, a view Mamdani has now shattered. Critics worry that his anti-Israel rhetoric could fuel hostility and anti-Semitism against pro-Israel Jews. 15 Concerns about anti-Semitism are central, given that the Jewish community is a primary target of hate crimes in the city. 15

This creates a situation where Mamdani has a strong pro-people economic mandate, but a political mandate fragmented on issues of identity and geopolitics. He needs to demonstrate that he can govern and protect all diverse communities, regardless of their ideological differences. If his focus shifts away from domestic affordability issues, or if anti-Semitic sentiment increases in the city, it could quickly erode his newly won political capital and economic mandate. The need to balance the demands of the economic class with the sensitivity of community identity is the toughest test of his leadership.

Hope Built on the Certainty of a “New American Dream”

Zohran Mamdani’s victory in New York City ultimately represents a profound philosophical shift among American urban voters. Mamdani has successfully redefined the American Dream. This narrative is no longer seen as a lottery of individual luck, where extreme success is achieved only by the most talented or fortunate few. Instead, the AD re-enacted in New York is seen as a collective promise that the state must guarantee.

This new American Dream shifts from a rags-to-riches story to a promise of stability and opportunity. This means that hard work must guarantee basic rights: affordable housing (through a rent freeze), a living wage ($30/hour), and opportunities for children (through free childcare).4 This is a rediscovery of the foundations of the Democratic Party—the belief that every American, regardless of background, should have a chance at a better life, and that government should be the moral accelerator that enables that opportunity.

For the national Democratic Party establishment, this victory is a stark warning. Failure to decisively address the fundamental economic problems facing the working class (especially affordability) will continue to open the door to radical candidates who offer bold, systemic solutions and mobilize a base of young voters and previously marginalized minorities.

Now, Mamdani's biggest task is to translate the energy of his campaign into a sustainable governance reality. New York City, under the leadership of a democratic socialist, will become a national example—whether it serves as proof that the new American Dream can be realized through collective action, or, conversely, reinforces the doubts of skeptics worried about fiscal failure. Mamdani's victory has rekindled hope for America's great promise, but the real challenge lies in successfully delivering on that promise at city hall.