What Mamdani’s Support Among The College-Educated Tells Us

Voters with a bachelor’s degree or higher largely supported Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral race. As political analyst Byron York noted on X.com, “the non-degreed tried valiantly to save the city from the degree-holding horde. There just weren’t enough of them.” The election results suggest that our higher education system is broken and must undergo significant changes to prevent socialism from taking over America.

In 2023, Jacobin, a prominent socialist publication, recognized a significant shift in academia, noting that many universities have openly adopted Marxist ideology and associated radical concepts, such as Critical Race Theory (CRT). For countless students, the college experience has shifted from learning critical thinking and employable skills to ideological indoctrination, with Marxism, CRT, anti-capitalism, and anti-American sentiment permeating classrooms.

A striking example emerged before the recent election when a video of Mamdani’s father, Mahmood Mamdani — a professor at Columbia University — went viral. In the video, he says “America is the genesis of secular colonialism … The Nuremberg laws were patterned after American laws.” Hitler learned genocide from Abraham Lincoln, he implies. Most Americans would likely reject such extreme viewpoints; however, on college campuses, these ideas are not only prevalent but are being instilled in students during their formative years by leftist professors.

Uneducated and Misplacing Blame

Many college students lack the intellectual tools to resist radical views because they have not been taught the counter-arguments. For example, they often do not learn about the failures, including the significant destruction and human toll, of socialism and communism in places such as the Soviet Union and China. Furthermore, students often fail to understand that it was free-market capitalism, not socialism, that has halved the global poverty rate. Many students are also unfamiliar with basic economic principles, such as the idea that raising the price of a good leads to reduced demand, which is why taxation has limited effectiveness in raising revenue. 

After four years of ideological conditioning and insufficient acquisition of essential job skills, many college graduates today face an average student loan debt of about $38,375 (as of 2024). Alarmingly, over half of these graduates find themselves underemployed, a status likely to persist even a decade post-graduation. They form a credentialed class caught between the elite and the working class. This group often misplaces blame, believing that capitalism and the market are responsible for their unaffordable living costs, overwhelming student loan debts, and inadequate earnings to support the elite lifestyle they feel they deserve.

Many believe socialism is the answer, providing their desired benefits such as a rent-freeze and free childcare. Ironically, despite their education, the credentialled class fails to see that the government policies they support, such as rent control, only make affordability worse.

Young and Female

According to Pew Research, the share of Americans ages 25 or older with a bachelor’s degree had grown from 30.4 percent in 2011 to 37.9 percent in 2021. As this credentialed class continues to grow, it is no surprise that more young Americans are gravitating towards socialism. A recent survey indicates that 62 percent of American adults under 30 hold a favorable view of socialism, a stark rise from just 49 percent of Gen Z in a similar poll in 2020.

In addition, more American women than men aged 18 to 34 in the U.S. have earned a bachelor’s degree. College-educated women are increasingly leaning left compared to two decades ago, establishing themselves as a crucial support base for progressive policies and candidates. In the 2020 presidential election, an impressive 65 percent of female voters under the age of 30 supported Democrat Joe Biden. In the New York mayoral race, young progressive women who formed “Hot Girls 4 Zohran” have made socialism both appealing and trendy for many who might otherwise be put off by the term.

This credentialed class is not just reshaping the political landscape; it is actively driving politics further to the left. It’s no surprise that self-identified socialist politicians like Bernie Sanders and Pramila Jayapal advocate for bold initiatives such as canceling student loans and providing free college education. As long as left-leaning administrators and professors maintain control over our colleges, the growing number of graduates will likely bolster this credentialed class, accelerating our societal shift towards socialism.

Alternatives to the Broken System

The higher education system in the United States is undeniably broken. Despite receiving billions of dollars in government funding, universities and colleges continue to raise tuition at a rate that outpaces inflation, irrespective of their graduates’ success. It’s time for state and federal governments to reduce funding for higher education, using financial pressure as leverage to drive essential reforms. Those should include dismantling departments or majors that offer overpriced and ineffective degrees to ensure that students receive quality education that truly prepares them for the future.

Meanwhile it’s essential for American families and businesses to respond by seeking alternatives and supporting innovative education options. Fortunately, there are already a variety of alternatives available.

For example, the foundation established by Mike Rowe, the host of Dirty Jobs, provides scholarships specifically designed for high school students who want to pursue skilled trades instead of following the traditional college route. Additionally, leading tech companies like Amazon and Google offer free online courses and certification programs, enabling students to develop in-demand skills in thriving fields such as artificial intelligence and machine learning.

One standout initiative came from Palantir, which has launched an internship program for high school students. The program includes lectures on fundamental topics rarely covered in college, such as the foundations of Western civilization, U.S. history, and the value of defending Western ideals. Interns are integrated into production teams, allowing them to work on real-world projects. Palantir aims to hire those interns who demonstrate exceptional potential, providing a pathway to the workforce without college. The company received more than 500 applications from high school students and it selected 22 of them. The high number of applications showed that there is strong demand among families for such alternative educational opportunities.

The recent election of Mamdani as mayor of New York City raises vital concerns about our higher education system, which is increasingly becoming a breeding ground for indoctrination of young people. If we do not confront this issue decisively, we may unwittingly pave the way for socialism taking over American society in the future.