Why Zohran Mamdani’s New York win does not really hold lessons for progressives across the world

Social media platforms in India and those used by Indians abroad by are abuzz with exultations over Zohran Mamdani’s position as a frontrunner in New York city’s mayoral election. Reactions combine a mixture of ethnic pride and political relief in the face of the resurgence of Right-wing populism.

Comments from members of the Indian diaspora speak of a new era for the American Left in “the greatest city in the world” (oddly, these leave out the bit about American actions around the world that have produced its greatness).

There is also happiness at being a South Asian in America. Some commentators talk of how Mamdani’s hybrid familial circumstances – parents and spouse from different religious and ethnic backgrounds – being the reason for his beliefs and framework for the future actions he will pursue. But, most significantly, many speak of his successful campaign as foreshadowing what can be achieved in other parts of the world through adherence to socialist and liberal values.

At the heart of the reactions to the mayoral election in New York is the idea that American liberalism – in this version, one articulated through “socialist” narratives about improving living conditions for New York’s poor – is, somehow, good for the rest of...

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