Sanders have often stated that he is a “democratic socialist” and he defined that term for the American people. Sanders’ definitions are not socialist in any shape or form. At least not according to the content of his public statements and campaign platform. But if Sanders is not a socialist, then what is he? He is a social democrat; which is radically different from being a democratic socialist.
It is true that Sanders is advocating going after the wealthy elites who dominate the economy by raising taxes, closing tax loopholes and placing tax havens off limits while at the same time doubling the minimum wage to help low-income earners. And it is true that he is proposing to also redistribute that wealth in the form of funding universal healthcare, tuition-free university and much-needed infrastructure projects. But none of this constitutes socialism. Government policies that redistribute the wealth generated by the private sector in the form of social programmes constitute social democracy, which is still capitalism.
