Zohran Mamdani, aiming for mayor in New York City, faces backlash for perceived communist ties. Videos reveal him advocating for radical changes, such as "seizing the means of production" and converting housing from a private commodity to a public good. He asserts that homelessness results from landlords prioritizing profit over housing people. Mamdani critiques housing as a market product, suggesting that it should not operate under market principles but serve societal needs. He cites post-war communist Vienna as a successful model for communal living and public housing alternatives.
Mamdani asserts, "Why do so many people end up homeless? It's not because there aren't enough homes to go around, there are plenty of empty homes. No. It's because housing people is not a primary goal of developers or landlords. Their goal, simply put, is to make a profit."
Mamdani argues that housing is "a consumer product, just like clothes or cars" which private businesses sell to profit, leading to a stark divide between housing for the wealthy and insufficient options for the poor.
He remarks, "[It's] not efficient or beneficial for the rest of society. Housing doesn't have to be seen as a market at all." This emphasizes his stance on shifting the perception of housing.
Mamdani points to post-war communist Vienna as an example of removing privatization from the housing market, suggesting that such a system can be advantageous for society.
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