Critics of New York City’s mayor-elect have said his pledges of free bus service and universal childcare are unrealistic, but in Europe it’s a given

After New York City’s race for mayor catapulted Zohran Mamdani from state assembly member into one of the world’s most prominent progressive voices, intense debate swirled over the ideas at the heart of his campaign.

His critics and opponents painted pledges such as free bus service, universal child care and rent freezes as unworkable, unrealistic and exorbitantly expensive.

But some have hit back, highlighting the quirk of geography that underpins some of this view. “He promised things that Europeans take for granted, but Americans are told are impossible,” said Dutch environmentalist and former government advisor Alexander Verbeek in the wake of Tuesday’s election.

Verbeek backed this with a comment he had overheard in an Oslo café, in which Mamdani was described as an American politician who “finally” sounded normal.

  • merdaverse@lemmy.zip
    2·
    1 month ago

    You cite neoliberal garbage that has a childish strawman argument against a socialist on its main page. There are plenty of good arguments to make in favor of rent control that are biased the other way, the one that is not subservient to capitalist market forces and interests.

    Jacobin has many articles in favor of rent control, written by economists that have looked at the data.

    While the Econ 101 view treats its own goals as a trump card, democratic societies — accountable to the public, not only economists — are permitted to weigh these competing policy goals against each other. […] These include, most obviously, limiting rent increases but also preventing displacement and evictions, slowing the pace of gentrification, and even guaranteeing a right to housing for all.

    And here is another one that looks at multiple studies and finds that the negative effect on supply are mixed and marginal at best.

    • Samskara@sh.itjust.works
      11·
      1 month ago

      one that is not subservient to capitalist market forces

      There’s always a market with market forces.

      If the legal market is completely state controlled, then the black market is still around. Corruption, bribes, and political connections then become the price to pay to even get a place to live at all.

      I grew up in a socialist country with super low rent and the state owning everything. The rent was ridiculously cheap, but the housing quality was terrible. The state didn’t pay for upkeep and buildings just rotted. Sure there was also new construction of commie blocks. Good luck getting one of those apartments! Also you couldn’t even move to a different city without getting a state permit first. My parents had to bribe the state official with hard currency in addition to changing career, and using political favors to get an actual decent place.