5 ms·

Experiments have already been done. You just need to look at history. Or you can just look at north korea and Kabul .

deleted 11mo ago
[deleted]
afavour 11mo ago
Or, you know, current day European social democracies. You can’t help but laugh at the amount of hysteria about Mamdani. No cost childcare? Free buses? Using existing rent control regulations to keep rent affordable? Oh no
- YZF 11mo ago
  There are fundamental differences between Europe and the US. The US is not magically going to become Europe by electing a "left" mayor. Also this is a city- since when does a mayor set economic policies. Last I checked free busses, and no cost childcare, still need someone to pay for them. Rent control, if the rent is low, there won't be any rental property. What's the next step, forcing people to build? The city will build? I guess we shall see. The sad thing is that people didn't vote because they considered all the ideas and the implications. The other sad thing is that maybe Mamdani was the best candidate.
  - nikanj 11mo ago
    The people who lucked into rent-controlled suites will sublet them for a much higher rent https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20160517-this-is-one-city-where-youll-never-find-a-home https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20160517-this-is-one-ci...
  - afavour 11mo ago
    > since when does a mayor set economic policies. Childcare, buses and rent control are all under the control of the NYC mayor. > Last I checked free busses, and no cost childcare, still need someone to pay for them. Most places have “free” roads and public schools and survive just fine. The point in invoking Europe is to say that having a higher tax burden and getting more public services in return is not some crazy North Korean dystopia. It’s pretty common. If it’s not for you that’s absolutely fine, just don’t move to NYC.
    - YZF 11mo ago
      Europe isn't just simply about taxes and services. There are many more layers to the difference between where the US sits and Europe. Hopefully this is obvious. I believe Europe has plenty of toll roads as well ;) I find it weird that these priorities are set at a level of a city. I mean NYC is a big city but it is part of a state and a country. There are much better economies of scale and ability to exert control at the levels of government these policies usually exist at.
      - afavour 11mo ago
        NYC has a bigger population than the entire country of Ireland. It definitely has the economy of scale to operate public transport and education. > There are many more layers to the difference between where the US sits and Europe. Hopefully this is obvious. It is exceedingly obvious. The reason for my comparison wasn’t because I think they are the same place, I was responding to a commenter who said North Korea and Kabul were appropriate comparison points for Mamdani’s plans. My point is simply that immediately invoking North Korea is hysteria.
        JumpCrisscross 11mo ago
        > NYC has a bigger population than the entire country of Ireland New York City's economy [1], were it a country, would sit at No. 18 in the world between the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia [2]. The only EU members with economies larger than its are the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, France and Germany. (New York City's budget [3] is bigger than the military budgets of every country on the planet except for America, China and Russia's [4]. On par with the budgets of Ukraine and the Philippines [5].) [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_New_York_City https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_New_York_City $1.3tn [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nomi... [3] https://council.nyc.gov/press/2025/06/30/2915/ https://council.nyc.gov/press/2025/06/30/2915/ $116bn [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_with_highest_military_expenditures https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_with_highest... [5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_government_budget https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_governmen...
- radu_floricica 11mo ago
  I'm not sure there are many countries that actually have free childcare and free buses. Talk about it, yes. Subsidized to a degree, yes. But pretty much every municipal transport is already heavily subsidized.
pkulak 11mo ago
Why look at North Korea when NYC has had rent control forever? It makes landlords neglect maintenance. That’s about it. I don’t know that I totally agree with it, but it’s fine.
- dantheman 11mo ago
  Rent control increase the rent for everyone, lowers the amount of housing stock, and reduces its quality.
FuckButtons 11mo ago
Sure buddy, rent control is literally North Korea. I take it you have skin in this game.

deleted 11mo ago

[deleted]

Or, you know, current day European social democracies. You can’t help but laugh at the amount of hysteria about Mamdani. No cost childcare? Free buses? Using existing rent control regulations to keep rent affordable? Oh no

YZF 11mo ago
There are fundamental differences between Europe and the US. The US is not magically going to become Europe by electing a "left" mayor. Also this is a city- since when does a mayor set economic policies. Last I checked free busses, and no cost childcare, still need someone to pay for them. Rent control, if the rent is low, there won't be any rental property. What's the next step, forcing people to build? The city will build? I guess we shall see. The sad thing is that people didn't vote because they considered all the ideas and the implications. The other sad thing is that maybe Mamdani was the best candidate.
- nikanj 11mo ago
  The people who lucked into rent-controlled suites will sublet them for a much higher rent https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20160517-this-is-one-city-where-youll-never-find-a-home https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20160517-this-is-one-ci...
- afavour 11mo ago
  > since when does a mayor set economic policies. Childcare, buses and rent control are all under the control of the NYC mayor. > Last I checked free busses, and no cost childcare, still need someone to pay for them. Most places have “free” roads and public schools and survive just fine. The point in invoking Europe is to say that having a higher tax burden and getting more public services in return is not some crazy North Korean dystopia. It’s pretty common. If it’s not for you that’s absolutely fine, just don’t move to NYC.
  - YZF 11mo ago
    Europe isn't just simply about taxes and services. There are many more layers to the difference between where the US sits and Europe. Hopefully this is obvious. I believe Europe has plenty of toll roads as well ;) I find it weird that these priorities are set at a level of a city. I mean NYC is a big city but it is part of a state and a country. There are much better economies of scale and ability to exert control at the levels of government these policies usually exist at.
    - afavour 11mo ago
      NYC has a bigger population than the entire country of Ireland. It definitely has the economy of scale to operate public transport and education. > There are many more layers to the difference between where the US sits and Europe. Hopefully this is obvious. It is exceedingly obvious. The reason for my comparison wasn’t because I think they are the same place, I was responding to a commenter who said North Korea and Kabul were appropriate comparison points for Mamdani’s plans. My point is simply that immediately invoking North Korea is hysteria.
      - JumpCrisscross 11mo ago
        > NYC has a bigger population than the entire country of Ireland New York City's economy [1], were it a country, would sit at No. 18 in the world between the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia [2]. The only EU members with economies larger than its are the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, France and Germany. (New York City's budget [3] is bigger than the military budgets of every country on the planet except for America, China and Russia's [4]. On par with the budgets of Ukraine and the Philippines [5].) [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_New_York_City https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_New_York_City $1.3tn [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nomi... [3] https://council.nyc.gov/press/2025/06/30/2915/ https://council.nyc.gov/press/2025/06/30/2915/ $116bn [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_with_highest_military_expenditures https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_with_highest... [5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_government_budget https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_governmen...
radu_floricica 11mo ago
I'm not sure there are many countries that actually have free childcare and free buses. Talk about it, yes. Subsidized to a degree, yes. But pretty much every municipal transport is already heavily subsidized.

pkulak 11mo ago

Why look at North Korea when NYC has had rent control forever? It makes landlords neglect maintenance. That’s about it. I don’t know that I totally agree with it, but it’s fine.

dantheman 11mo ago
Rent control increase the rent for everyone, lowers the amount of housing stock, and reduces its quality.

FuckButtons 11mo ago

Sure buddy, rent control is literally North Korea. I take it you have skin in this game.