The Allure of Socialism: Why It Feels Right to a New Generation

Let’s be honest…on the surface, socialism sounds fantastic. Free college. Free healthcare. Cancelled student loans. Guaranteed housing. Universal income. The promise of a safety net so wide and so deep you’ll never have to fear falling through.

To young Americans…especially my fellow Millennials and Gen Z…this is a deeply seductive message. They’ve grown up watching:

• The 2008 financial collapse wreck their parents' lives

• Skyrocketing tuition and crushing student debt

• A pandemic that exposed government inefficiencies and economic fragility

• Stagnant wages and rising housing costs

• Political elites getting richer while they get left behind

Against that backdrop, socialists like Zohran Mamdani (and other “DSA” darlings) show up looking like anti-heroes. They speak in plain language. They dress like the people they represent. They Tik Tok like it’s a weapon. They reject the corporate-slick veneer of establishment politics. And they offer a grand moral cause: We can build a just society by taking care of everyone…equally.

Sounds great, right?

Here’s the problem.

The Truth About “Free”

Nothing is ever free. Someone always pays. And when the government promises “free” things, you’re just being handed the bill through a different door. Usually through higher taxes, weakened currency, fewer choices, and lower-quality services.

More importantly, the kind of socialism being pushed in America isn’t some new or noble invention…it’s a rebranding of an old, dangerous idea.

From the Soviet Union to Venezuela, history shows us what happens when governments promise everything and take everything to do it:

• Bread lines and shortages

• Censorship and loss of individual freedoms

• A ruling elite class that thrives while the masses suffer

• Economic collapse and currency devaluation

• Forced conformity and state dependency

The more government controls the economy, the more it controls you. And ironically, the utopia these young activists dream about eventually turns into the very dystopia they claim to be fighting.

Why Socialism Feels Morally Superior

Here’s why it’s gaining traction despite its history: It sounds morally right.

It cloaks itself in compassion, empathy, and equality. To question it feels mean. To oppose it feels greedy. But compassion without realism is just a nice-sounding suicide pact.

True morality isn’t just giving everyone “free” stuff…it’s empowering people to build, grow, and pursue their own lives without government interference. That’s dignity. That’s liberty. That’s the American dream.

How to Push Back…Effectively (with Real-World Examples)

Mocking socialism or its advocates might feel good, but it doesn’t change minds. If we want to counter its rising popularity…especially among my generation and the young…we have to engage honestly, compassionately, and strategically. Here’s how:

1. Speak plainly and honestly
Example: Thomas Sowell's interviews and books
Sowell doesn't sugarcoat anything. He breaks down complex economic ideas into plain speech without condescension. In interviews, he calmly explains why price controls fail or why government redistribution creates dependency…without ever sounding like he's above anyone. That style connects.

“You cannot subsidize irresponsibility and expect people to become more responsible." — Sowell

What you can do: When you talk about inflation, explain it like this: “When the government prints money to fund programs, your dollar buys less. That’s not a conspiracy…it’s basic math.”

2. Acknowledge their pain
Example: Andrew Yang’s 2020 campaign
Though not a conservative, Yang’s rise came because he acknowledged real pain…automation replacing jobs, student debt, burnout…and then offered (albeit flawed) solutions. He didn’t dismiss people's problems; he validated them.

What you can do: When someone complains about student loans or the cost of housing, don't just say, “Get over it.” Say: “You’re right. The system is broken. But giving the government more control isn’t going to fix it. Let’s talk about better ways…like breaking up monopolies in education and housing reform that opens up supply.”

3. Champion opportunity, not dependency
Example: Opportunity Zones and entrepreneurship programs
Instead of handing out more government checks, some communities have used Opportunity Zones to incentivize private investment in struggling areas. In places like Baltimore and East LA, these programs are creating local jobs and new small businesses without the government owning everything.

What you can do: Share stories about people who succeeded after starting their own businesses, learning a trade, or escaping government dependency…like the veteran who used the GI Bill to launch a tech company or the single mom who went through a coding bootcamp and got hired by Google.

4. Fix capitalism’s problems…don’t abandon it
Example: Breaking up Big Tech and ending corporate welfare
You don’t have to defend crony capitalism to defend the free market. In fact, young people are more receptive to capitalism when it’s fair and accountable. Many are frustrated that billion-dollar companies pay zero taxes and manipulate markets with lobbying.

What you can do: Call out hypocrisy. Say: “I agree it’s wrong when corporations get bailouts while families struggle. But that’s not capitalism…that’s corruption. Let’s reform the tax code, end corporate welfare, and make markets free again.”

5. Tell real stories
Example: The collapse of Venezuela and Cuba
Socialist experiments aren’t abstract. Venezuela was one of the richest countries in Latin America…until government overreach, nationalization, and price controls tanked the economy. Now, people trade bread for diapers and flee across the border.

What you can do: Share the story of a Venezuelan refugee who had to eat zoo animals to survive or a Cuban who risked their life on a raft to escape “free” healthcare. Better yet, invite them to speak at community events or schools.

Bottom line:
Don’t dismiss or demean. Connect, challenge, and offer hope. Make the case that freedom…not dependency…is the surest path to justice, dignity, and prosperity.

Final Thought: Let’s Not Trade Freedom for Freebies

My generation and young Americans want a better future. Who can blame us or them?

But trading your freedom for the illusion of “free” is a bad deal. Socialism doesn’t elevate…it equalizes by dragging everyone down to the lowest common denominator.

Let’s not be fooled by fresh faces and empty promises. Let’s build a country where everyone has the chance to rise…not a system where rising is resented and punished.