This past Wednesday, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) gave a magnificent speech defending his political philosophy which he described as “democratic socialism.” The 2020 presidential candidate made out a damning case against today’s buccaneer brand of capitalism. He even described how the one percent actually enjoy a form of corporate socialism (FDR used to refer to this as “private socialism”). At the same time he proposed many common-sense measures designed to help a long-neglected working class as well as a diminishing middle-class – health care, support for vigorous unionization and fairer taxation.
But while the speech set out a clear progressive agenda, there was just one problem with the topic: Bernie did not describe socialism of any sort, but actually New Deal liberalism.
Throughout, Bernie extolled the virtues of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the New Deal. He reminded us of Social Security and FDR’s proposed Economic Bill of Rights. He then went on to talk about President Harry Truman’s plan to give America a very progressive health care plan, one that was designed to alleviate the suffering of many poor and working Americans. He went on to describe LBJ’s twin jewels of the Great Society, Medicare and Medicaid.
Bernie then perfectly illustrated how the Right always resorts to using the term “socialist” as a slur against any sort of reform. Again, he cited the invectives hurled at FDR. He even referred to how the GOP maligned Bill Clinton’s proposed health care plan and cited the famous Truman quote from 1952, “Socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people.”
This is how Bernie described his view of democratic socialism.
Except there is one problem with Bernie’s description: this is not democratic socialism, but liberalism as it was and as it should be again; liberalism at its very best.
Nowhere in Bernie’s speech did I hear anything about nationalizing industry or in any way, curtailing or doing away with either private property or the profit motive. From what I understand about socialism, with varying degrees that is at the root of socialist beliefs.
Bernie made another key mischaracterization in his speech: All the heroes he described never described themselves as democratic socialists, but firmly aligned themselves within the liberal wing of the Democratic Party. FDR constantly referred to himself as a liberal, as did Truman, as did JFK, as did LBJ.
Now, the Senator from Vermont is correct to criticize much of the current leadership of the Democratic Party. Unfortunately, many of them no longer practice the liberalism of FDR, Truman, LBJ and the Kennedys. Instead, they have opted for neoliberalism, which makes them akin to a 1970s moderate Republican. And because of this the liberal appellation has been allowed to fall into a form of disrepute. This is quite unfortunate and Bernie is quite correct in calling them out for dishonoring their political heritage. More importantly, Bernie – along with other rising voices – has done extraordinary work in bringing the Democratic Party back to roots.
Yet at the same time, this does not excuse Bernie’s mischaracterizations. Indeed, Bernie, who is a very intelligent man with good goals needs to be more accurate in what he is defending. This is unlike Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) who from the very start explains that she is for a form of “accountable capitalism.” Such a description is more in line with the progressive outlook of FDR and his middle 20th century heirs (Disclosure to readers: I do support Elizabeth Warren).
Indeed, at one time Bernie did advocate certain core socialist beliefs. But have his views evolved? There is recent evidence that he has indeed moderated such views. Still, he needs to make a more concise clarification. If he does not do so and wins the nomination, Trump and the GOP will seize the initiative and make that clarification for him – and do so with devastating results.
And that is the point. FDR was not about overturning or replacing capitalism, but instead saving capitalism through reform. FDR succeeded because he set out to make capitalism and democracy compatible. From 1933 through 1980, this was a reality. It has been the slow erosion of removing democracy from capitalism since the Reagan era (one can reasonably argue from the Carter presidency) that has caused much of the economic inequality we now experience.
Bernie and I share a common hero and that is FDR. It is for that reason if he is the Democratic presidential nominee in 2020 I will do all I can to help him get elected.
But with that said, he would do the progressive cause greater service by acknowledging that the 32nd president was a self-described liberal. As an extension of that acknowledgement, instead of claiming to be extolling democratic socialism, he should indeed be explaining how liberalism must return to the vision of FDR, Truman, LBJ and the Kennedys. That is true liberalism – just like what Bernie so aptly defended.