Nithya Raman Declares Herself Both Capitalist and Democratic Socialist

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman stated that she identifies as both a capitalist and a democratic socialist in a recent interview, a declaration that has prompted scrutiny just days before the election. Raman, who is challenging incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), defended her positioning when pressed on the apparent contradiction.

"I am a capitalist, and I'm also a democratic socialist," Raman told CNN's Elex Michaelson. "I want the city to work and when the government is doing its job, it needs to work really effectively, and we need to make sure capitalism works without harm to workers, without worker exploitation, without exploitation of poor people. That's what I'm going to focus on."

Her remarks drew immediate criticism. Roxanne Hoge, chair of the Los Angeles County Republican Party, questioned how Raman could align with capitalism while being associated with an organization that advocates for its replacement. "It's no surprise that Nithya Raman is confused by two mutually exclusive concepts," Hoge said in a statement. "Perhaps she was in a fugue state when she agreed to co-govern with the DSA who proudly proclaim their desire to expropriate private property and to abolish the police."

This ideological declaration comes as the DSA's national leadership is reportedly considering action against its Los Angeles chapter over the endorsement of Raman. According to the Los Angeles Times, this consideration stems from accusations that Raman does not fully support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement targeting Israel. Raman had previously referred to BDS as a "legitimate form of peaceful protest" without explicitly endorsing the movement.

Lisa Cusack, president of the Don't LA My Burbank PAC, criticized Raman's ties to the DSA, pointing to the organization's historical roots and current platform. "The founder of DSA-LA, Dorothy Rea Healey, was a longtime leader of the California Communist Party in California," Cusack stated. "Her autobiography is titled: 'A Life in the American Communist Party.' The current Democrat Socialist Program for Los Angeles states, 'Capitalists extract massive profits by stealing the surplus value of working-class labor.'"

Cusack added that the DSA's program advocates for organizing to rebuild worker militancy, expanding union density, dismantling the gig economy, and asserting democratic worker control over municipal and private industries.

Raman's recent statements contrast with her response to a similar question in July. At that time, she avoided a direct answer about being a capitalist, instead focusing on the city's existing economic structure and the role of local government. When asked if she supported abolishing police departments, prisons, or the U.S. Senate, Raman rejected all three proposals. She defended her ideological diversity within the DSA by stating, "I think democratic socialism is a big tent. The DSA is a big tent organization, and I'm in part of that tent and I think a lot of Angelenos are in that tent with me."

The DSA's official stance on democratic socialism, as outlined on its website, calls for replacing capitalism with an economic system where workers have greater control over businesses and major industries. The organization explicitly rejects capitalism, stating, "Capitalism is a system designed by the owning class to exploit the rest of us for their own profit. We must replace it with democratic socialism, a system where ordinary people have a real voice in our workplaces, neighborhoods, and society."