Socialist ferment in the United States: Rise, fall, and Aftermath of the Sanders Challenge

Abstract

Bernie Sanders, a U.S. Senator who openly identifies as a socialist, has run highly credible campaigns to obtain the nomination of the Democratic Party to be its candidate for President of the United States. This was the case both in 2016 and 2020. There is no question that he has had a powerful impact on mainstream politics in the United States. In order to understand this, it makes sense first to look at Sanders himself.