CNN Expert: Democratic Socialism Is Different Than the Soviet Union and China Because ‘Democratic’ Is In the Name

Sean James Nov 22nd, 2025, 5:29 pm

Democratic socialism has been thrust into the political limelight recently, thanks to self-described democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani winning the race to become New York City’s next mayor earlier this month.

But what is the difference between democratic socialism and the socialism practiced in hellholes like the Soviet Union?

That’s the question CNN’s Michael Smercornish had on his Saturday morning program. And it turns out, the answer is right there in the name — democratic socialism is much different because it is “committed” to democracy, according to his guest Johns Hopkins University Political Science Professor Robert Liebe

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