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News18
6 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Zohran Mamdani's Political Rise And His Socialist Pipe Dream
His inability to bridge divides within his party, let alone challenge Trump's national dominance, exposes the fragility of his movement and its disconnect from pragmatic governance Zohran Kwame Mamdani's improbable ascent to the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor at age 33 has stunned the political world, thrusting a radical democratic socialist of Indian origin into the spotlight of America's largest city. Born in Kampala, Uganda, to Indian-American filmmaker Mira Nair, renowned for films like Salaam Bombay! and Monsoon Wedding, and Indian-Ugandan scholar Mahmood Mamdani, a Columbia University professor of postcolonial studies, Mamdani was steeped in a privileged, intellectually elite environment saturated with leftist ideology. His father, of Gujarati Muslim descent, named him 'Kwame" after Ghana's revolutionary leader Kwame Nkrumah, signalling the family's radical political bent. Nair's films, often critiquing social inequalities, and Mamdani's academic work on colonialism shaped Zohran's worldview, evident in his early activism, including co-founding a Students for Justice in Palestine chapter at Bowdoin College. His platform—rent freezes, free transit, city-run grocery stores, and wealth taxes—reflects this socialist upbringing but ignores the harsh realities of governing New York's complex bureaucracy. As the United States deepens its involvement in Middle East conflicts under President Donald Trump's second term, Mamdani's win prompts a critical question: can an inexperienced ideologue, moulded by a radical family legacy and leftist echo chambers, dent Trump's MAGA campaign? The answer, grounded in the left's dismal governing record and Mamdani's untested radicalism, is emphatically no. His victory, fueled by his parents' cultural cachet and a 46,000-strong volunteer army, is less a breakthrough than a warning. Mamdani's divisive anti-Israel rhetoric and economically ruinous proposals, rooted in his elite, socialist upbringing, threaten to plunge New York into chaos while serving as a perfect foil for MAGA's narrative of progressive incompetence. Zohran Mamdani's platform is a laundry list of socialist fantasies that crumble under scrutiny. His calls for tripling the housing budget to $100 billion, implementing universal rent freezes, and creating city-owned grocery stores are not just impractical—they're reckless. Historical precedents of leftist governance, from Bernie Sanders' tenure in Burlington to Chicago's Brandon Johnson, reveal a pattern of fiscal irresponsibility and administrative chaos. Sanders' early mayoral years were plagued by budget disputes and resistance from entrenched interests, while Johnson's Chicago has teetered on financial collapse, with property tax hikes alienating residents. Mamdani, with zero executive experience, seems poised to repeat these mistakes on a grander scale. His proposal to tax the wealthy ignores New York's dependence on mobile capital—billionaires can and do flee punitive regimes, as seen in the 1970s when high taxes drove businesses out of the city. Governor Kathy Hochul's swift rejection of his tax plans underscores their infeasibility. Mamdani's refusal to engage with fiscal realities, coupled with his dogmatic adherence to socialist principles, risks plunging New York into a financial abyss, proving once again that leftists prioritise ideology over competence. Mamdani's Divisive Politics Weakens Democratic Unity Mamdani's radicalism, particularly his strident anti-Israel stance, threatens to fracture the Democratic coalition at a time when unity is critical to counter Trump's MAGA machine. His refusal to support resolutions celebrating Israel's founding and his vocal criticism of US support for Israel in its conflict with Iran play well to his progressive base but alienate Jewish voters and moderates, key demographics in New York and beyond. This echoes the missteps of past leftists like Seattle's Kshama Sawant, whose divisive rhetoric on class warfare and international issues sidelined potential allies. Mamdani's focus on ideological purity—evident in his embrace of the Democratic Socialists of America's radical agenda—mirrors the 2016 Sanders campaign, which galvanised the left but failed to build a broad coalition. As Trump capitalises on Democratic disarray, Mamdani's polarising positions hand MAGA a narrative gift: a 'radical socialist" mayor whose politics alienates swing voters. His inability to bridge divides within his own party, let alone challenge Trump's national dominance, exposes the fragility of his movement and its disconnect from pragmatic governance. Mamdani's Inertia on Foreign Policy Amplifies His Irrelevance As Trump navigates a volatile Middle East, with US strikes on Iran fueling debates between MAGA hawks and isolationists, Mamdani's role as mayor renders him impotent. His anti-war posturing, including calls to end US military involvement, is little more than symbolic noise from a local official with no foreign policy clout. Historical examples of social democrats in municipal roles—such as Bill de Blasio's tenure during global crises—show a consistent inability to influence national security debates. Mamdani's inexperience exacerbates this irrelevance; his focus on local issues like free childcare and bus fares, while appealing to his base, offers no framework for engaging with the complexities of international conflict. His strident rhetoric, including accusing Israel of 'genocide", risks inflaming tensions without offering solutions, a hallmark of leftist leaders who prioritise moral grandstanding over practical outcomes. As Trump's foreign policy dominates headlines, Mamdani's voice will be drowned out, exposing the limits of his parochial radicalism. Mamdani as Trump's Perfect Strawman Trump's political strategy thrives on demonising progressive figures, and Mamdani is a tailor-made target. His socialist label, youth, and radical proposals make him an easy caricature for MAGA's narrative of Democratic extremism. Past leftist figures, from Ocasio-Cortez to Ilhan Omar, have been weaponised similarly, with their policies distorted to scare moderates. Mamdani's plans—free transit, city-run groceries, and wealth taxes—are already being lambasted as fiscally insane, with critics noting that New York's $100 billion budget cannot sustain his $100 billion housing plan alone. His lack of governing experience, coupled with his reliance on viral social media and a 46,000-strong volunteer army, paints him as a performative activist rather than a serious leader. As Trump pushes polarising policies like mass deportations and tariffs, Mamdani's radical image will fuel MAGA's attacks, portraying Democrats as out-of-touch elitists. His failure to anticipate this backlash, a recurring blind spot among social democrats, underscores his political naivety and the broader left's inability to counter Trump's populist surge. The author teaches journalism at St Xavier's College (autonomous), Kolkata. His handle on X is @sayantan_gh. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. tags : donald trump iran israel New York Zohran Mamdani view comments Location : Kolkata, India, India First Published: June 26, 2025, 19:49 IST News opinion Opinion | Zohran Mamdani's Political Rise And His Socialist Pipe Dream Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. 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NZ Herald
08-07-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
The rise of a New York socialist and the challenge to Labour here
But it's not enough to be liberal. Cuomo bungled the city's Covid response with horrifying consequences and has faced multiple accusations of sex abuse. These same things have never held back a certain other politician from New York but, with very good reason, they hurt Cuomo. Mamdani won on a platform that included more equitable tax, rent freezes and more public housing, free buses and more subway trains, city-run supermarkets (they already exist in Kansas and Wisconsin and are soon to open in Chicago and Atlanta), and community funding for mental health to ease the burden on police. It's not a revolutionary platform, despite what some people think. But the changes he promotes are far larger than the incrementalism common to governments of the centre-left. And he doesn't own a car. Zohran Mamdani celebrates with his wife Rama Duwaji after winning the Democratic primary in June. Photo / Shuran Huang/ New York Times Also, from the did-you-know department, he's the son of Indian filmmaker Mira Nair, whose movies include the acclaimed Salaam Bombay!, Monsoon Wedding and Mississippi Masala. Cuomo, on the other hand, is the scion of one of those powerhouse political families that think they're entitled to run everything in America. It shouldn't be taking the big party machines in our democracies so long to recognise that people have had enough of that. They're pissed off, and with good reason, because as almost everyone knows, our governments are not delivering the security and prosperity they promise. They can't or won't control prices. Nor, despite the endless rhetoric, are they building a more productive economy or taking the climate crisis seriously. Donald Trump is one of many populists around the world who know how to exploit this. But we shouldn't think we're immune in this country just because we don't have a populist leader with enough mass appeal to sweep the establishment and or modern society away. Winston Peters and David Seymour are still tails wagging the dog, despite their best efforts to become the dog itself. But someone new will come along. Why would we be immune from the biggest political trend in the democratic world today? This is now the central challenge facing Labour. While populism is more common on the right, it doesn't have to be that way. The populist response can swing left and Zohran Mamdani is not the only one proving it. Countries as varied as Brazil, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Bolivia and Tanzania, among many others, have governments on the left. In Britain, the fightback against Sir Keir Starmer's austerity politics is having an impact. In the US, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders have teamed up on the Fighting Oligarchy Tour, building a mass movement against Trump and the timid centrism that gets nothing much done. 'No Kings' is, as it always has been, a powerful democratic slogan. Bernie Sanders out campaigning in the United States. Photos / 123rf Is Labour going to be part of this global movement? If so, Hipkins has three big lessons to learn from the politics of the coalition Government. The first is a positive lesson: that you can govern effectively when the different parties in a coalition decide what they agree on, and act accordingly. The second is a negative one: you lose the respect of the electorate if the tail keeps wagging the dog. And the third? Get things done. The grand irony of Labour's 2020-2023 time in office was that although it didn't have to manage any coalition partners, it got much less done than its mandate allowed. If the Greens, in particular, had been in that Government, there might have been much more effective action on poverty and the climate. White elephant projects like underground light rail might have been replaced by much more realistic transport progress. They would have been further to the left than the Ardern-Hipkins Government managed to be, and it might well have got them re-elected. So now what? Many wealthy people say they wouldn't mind paying more tax, but they don't trust governments on the left to spend it well. This is relevant and ridiculous. Relevant, because Labour does need to convince voters its lack of progress last time won't happen again. And ridiculous because, excuse me, have you seen what the current Government is doing? Many of its new laws were repeals of Labour laws, not new policy. Many have been badly conceived. It's pouring time and money into virtue-signalling on crime, populist healthcare, the wrong parts of the education sector and a few massively expensive roads. The Infrastructure Commission has just released its report outlining a framework for 30 years of progress. But the analysis it contains is almost the diametric opposite of Government policy, so Cabinet ministers barely talk about it. In this context, the way ahead for Labour and its putative coalition partners is clear enough. It includes poverty action, a Green New Deal, equitable tax reform, housing for all and respect for the Treaty of Waitangi. And economic reform to boost productivity and reduce our reliance on low-return commodities. These things should be the most sellable propositions in politics today. Why aren't they? Partly, it's because enormous effort goes into discrediting them. From the wild fossil-fuelled rhetoric of Shane Jones, through the sombre neoliberal warnings of Nicola Willis, to the apocalyptic forecasting of Matthew Hooton, it's a barrage. They're not hard to answer, though. Economist John Gascoigne provided a splendid account of the higher-taxing, economically powerful and socially resilient welfare state of Denmark in the Herald just yesterday. Sadly, though, the New Zealand Labour leader has been more interested in learning from the British Labour Government. But learn what? Labour leader Chris Hipkins risks failing at the next election without a programme that appeals to fed-up voters. Photo / Dean Purcell The supposed 'landslide' Labour won a year ago wasn't what it seemed. Labour's vote didn't go up: the very moderate Starmer won fewer votes than the more radical Jeremy Corbyn. But because of the first-past-the-post system, Labour's 34% of the vote produced 64% of the seats in Parliament. The 'landslide' happened because the Conservative vote collapsed to 24%, in favour of Nigel Farage's hard-right Reform Party, which rose to 15%. Populists, sweeping the establishment away. Since then, the Conservatives have not recovered, while Labour has sunk to the low 20s and Reform has doubled its support. In all 13 of the most recently conducted polls, Reform was in the lead. It's frightening. What Labour should do, here as well as there, is not an idle question. Without a programme that appeals to fed-up voters, Hipkins will fail. Getting shouted at by Shane Jones, Nicola Willis et al is not the main reason Labour is reluctant to embrace the most sellable propositions in politics today. It's scared of what money will do. Starmer's own Government was bluntly reminded of this last week when backbenchers forced it to abandon £4.8 billion ($10.9b) worth of welfare cuts. The bond market almost collapsed. And manipulating the markets is not the only way money flexes its muscles to keep left-wing politics in check. The Taxpayers' Union runs a relentless and extremely well-funded attack on the welfare state. Wealthy donors favour the parties of the right: the Electoral Commission reported donations of $16.5m to the centre-right parties during 2023, the last election year, compared with $8.3m for the centre-left. But this can be overcome. Zohran Mamdani faces the same challenge on steroids: the mighty Democratic establishment is aghast at his success to date. How did he do it? With an army of 40,000 volunteers. And with a policy platform that gives voters hope. Simon Wilson is a senior writer covering politics, the climate crisis, transport, housing, urban design and social issues, with a focus on Auckland. He joined the Herald in 2018.
India.com
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet The Actor Who Starred In Oscar-Winning Film, Won National Award, Was Paid Rs 20 — Now Drives Auto To Support His Family, Still Hopes For Comeback
photoDetails english 2927169 In this feature, we talk about an actor who once worked in an Oscar-nominated film and even won a National Award for his performance. Today, he drives an auto-rickshaw in Bengaluru to make ends meet. Updated:Jul 05, 2025, 06:28 PM IST Which Actor Are We Talking About? 1 / 8 The actor in question starred in Mira Nair's acclaimed film Salaam Bombay! (1988), which went on to receive an Oscar nomination and won several awards globally, including India's National Film Award. Hint: He Was Just 12 Years Old 2 / 8 He was only 12 when he delivered a performance that won him the National Film Award for Best Child Artist and critical acclaim. Got Rs 20 for Lunch, Was Fed Vada Pav 3 / 8 Discovered by Mira Nair in the slums of Bengaluru, the young actor was paid just Rs 20 a day and was often fed vada pav for lunch on set. Meet Shafiq Syed 4 / 8 Shafiq Syed played the lead role of Krishna (also known as Chaipav) in Salaam Bombay!. Despite the global recognition and national acclaim, life had different plans for him. Today, Shafiq drives an auto-rickshaw in Bengaluru to support his family. From Big Dreams to Stark Reality 5 / 8 Though the National Award gave him hope for a bright future in cinema, his acting career ended shortly after he appeared in one more film, Patang (1994). In the early '90s, he returned to Bengaluru. From Auto Driver to Camera Assistant 6 / 8 Shafiq tried various jobs including working as a camera assistant for Kannada TV serials before finally turning to auto-driving full-time to support his family. "The Whole Family's Responsibility" 7 / 8 Speaking about his life, Shafiq once said: 'There was a time when I had no responsibilities. Now, the entire burden of my family is on me.' Despite the hardships, he remains a devoted father, determined to provide a better future for his children. Still Hoping for a Comeback 8 / 8 Shafiq has penned a 180-page autobiography titled After Salaam Bombay, in which he describes his journey from child star to rickshaw driver. He hopes that one day it will be adapted into a film and that his story will come full circle.
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First Post
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
Meet Zohran Mamdani, filmmaker Mira Nair's son, the Indian- origin New York City mayoral candidate
Mamdani is the son of renowned filmmaker Mira Nair, known for films like Salaam Bombay! and Monsoon Wedding. For Zohran Mamdani, Mira Nair's films were of great influence in his formative years. read more Zohran Mamdani is an Indian-born Ugandan scholar. His mom, Mira Nair, a renowned Indian-origin filmmaker played a very important role in forming his ideas of life. Though aa a kid he hated the idea of his mother leaving for months for cinema. According to a story published in the Hollywood Reporter, Mira Nair said, 'Usually he doesn't like me being away.' He never encouraged his mother to do romcoms. How his mother's films played an important role in his life? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The The Reluctant Fundamentalist, based on Mohsin Hamid's novel influenced him a lot, The movie has Riz Ahmed playing a Pakistani immigrant to the U.S. who succeeds on Wall Street but then is targeted and arrested after 9/11 despite clearly having done nothing wrong. He then returns to his home country where he is eventually suspected by the CIA of kidnapping an American tourist — an act whose truth the movie leaves ambiguous. As per The Hollywood Reporter story, the bulk of the film has Ahmed's character and the character of Liev Schreiber's journalist-CIA officer hashing out topics like the roots of bias and the reasons for fundamentalism. Meet Zohran Mamdani, filmmaker Mira Nair's son Mamdani's early life Born on October 18, 1991, in Kampala, Uganda, Mamdani is the son of Indian-origin parents, renowned filmmaker Mira Nair and academic Mahmood Mamdani, an Indian-born Ugandan scholar. According to reports, Mamdani spent his early childhood in Cape Town, South Africa, attending St. George's Grammar School, before moving to New York City at the age of seven. He later graduated from the Bank Street School for Children and the Bronx High School of Science. In 2014, he earned a bachelor's degree in Africana Studies from Bowdoin College. (With inputs from agencies)
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
24 Famous People You Didn't Know Have Famous Parents
Nair is the mother of New York City mayoral race winner Zohran Mamdani. She's an Oscar-nominated director and filmmaker, known for her work on films like Mississippi Masala (1991), Queen of Katwe (2016), and Salaam Bombay! (1988). actor Hannah Einbinder is the daughter of SNL star Laraine Newman and Doctor Dolittle's Chad Einbinder. Steve Granitz / FilmMagic, Ron Galella / Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images Shawnna, who became famous with her 2006 song "Gettin' Some," is the daughter of blues icon Buddy Guy. You might also recognize him for portraying the adult Preacher Boy in Sinners. Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images, Proximity Media / Via Dearden from The Pitt is Bryan Cranston's daughter with wife Robin Dearden. and songwriter was born to professional basketball player Ralph Simpson. Ralph played for a series of NBA teams, including the Denver Nuggets, the New Jersey Nets, the Detroit Pistons, and the Philadelphia 76ers, before retiring in 1980. Dallas Howard's dad is Ron Howard, the Oscar-winning director behind films like Cinderella Man and The Da Vinci Code. singer Coco Jones is the daughter of ex-NFL player Mike Jones. Mike spent over 12 seasons in the league, playing for teams like the St. Louis Rams and the Tennessee Titans. John Shearer / WireImage, Doug Pensinger / Getty Images Schneider is singer Elle King's dad. He shares Elle with model and fellow actor London King. John Parra / Getty Images for Audacy, Michael S. Schwartz / Getty Images Related: Keke Palmer's "Sickening" Dress Has The Internet In Shambles Plimpton from The Goonies is Keith Carradine's daughter. Audiences will recognize him best for his roles in Nashville and Dexter. Collins's dad is THEE Phil Collins. Rashad was born to The Cosby Show actor Phylicia Rashad. Condola has since appeared in projects such as Billions, Master of None, and Sex and the City 2. 12."Good & Plenty" singer Alex Isley is the daughter of Isley Brothers guitarist Ernie Isley. Related: 31 Celebrity Slip-Ups On Social Media That Revealed Wayyyy More Than They Ever Intended Dionne Farris is rapper Baby Tate's mom. She's best known for featuring alongside Arrested Development on their 1992 song 'Tennessee." McGraw's dad was MLB player Tug McGraw. Tug died in 2004, and the same year, Tim wrote his famous song, "Live Like You Were Dying" about him. Gabe Ginsberg / Getty Images for iHeartRadio, Thomas S England / Getty Images Domhnall Gleeson and Brendan Gleeson are father and son — and have acted onscreen together. Domhnall portrayed Bill Weasley in the Harry Potter movies while Brendan played googly-eyed professor Alastor Moody. Parker from The Last of Us is one of Thandiwe Newton's three children with writer and director Ol Parker. Grey from Dirty Dancing also has two famous parents: Jo Wilder and Joel Grey. Jo is a singer and actor best known for appearing as Polly in Threepenny Opera, while Joel is an award-winning actor, singer, and director known for starring in Cabaret on Broadway. Todd played the mom Jo on Lizzie McGuire and had a famous mom in actor Ann Morgan Guilbert, who notably played the feisty grandma Yetta on The Nanny. Amanda Edwards / Getty Images, COZI / Via Threapleton from The Phoenician Scheme is Kate Winslet's daughter. from LMFAO is the son of Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. Detective and Blink Twice actor Adria Arjona — who's also known for dating Jason Momoa — is the daughter of famous Guatemalan singer and songwriter Ricardo Arjona. Gooding from the Scream franchise is Cuba Gooding Jr.'s son. Cuba is the son of Cuba Gooding Sr., a soul singer from the '70s group The Main Ingredient. Margaret Qualley is Andie MacDowell's daughter. Did any of these surprise you? Who are some other famous people with famous parents? Comment them down below. Also in Celebrity: You Have Excellent Facial Recognition If You Can Recognize These 12 Celebrities As Kids Also in Celebrity: Courtney Stodden Did A Face Reveal After Dissolving Her Fillers And She Looks Really Different Now Also in Celebrity: 26 Pairs Of Celebrities Who Look Sooo Much Alike, It's A Little Uncanny
