Why I recoil at the term “champagne socialist”

I am a socialist by all definition. A political philosophy that takes care of the worker and their rights is undeniable in eradicating an unjust capitalist system. A redistribution of wealth, state intervention into a business market and social ownership of public services are all things I would like to see prosper in a future political climate.

Socialism has always been for the “left behind”; the under-class who have lost hope in their government to tackle despair and inherent poverty. Therefore, it seems inevitable that a socialist movement should be led by the labourer, public sector or low-skilled worker. Instead, it is not. It has been catapulted through the middle and upper classes of society as a trendy and charitable political trend. The hard-left socialist Labour party has become the “party of quinoa”, according to a new poll. Although I rebuke the middle-class invasion of socialism, my current situation may be perceived as similar to the voter who labels it that way.

I have recently graduated from university. A former polytechnic and mediocre institution amongst elitist establishments. Since my graduation, I have struggled to make it onto my career path. I have a part-time role in the retail sector; cash-strapped and hoping for a break.

I may sound like an individual that the socialist message attempts to appeal to. But there is a difference. I live at home, rent-free, with my parents. I do not pay taxes as I am just short of the threshold, and, since leaving university, have not contributed to bills or utilities.

I understand this revelation may fathom an eye-roll from the just about managing families. I am well aware of my privilege. That does not mean, however, that I cannot be a vociferous sympathiser of people who are dehumanised for living in social housing. Or for the large number of people relying on food banks. Or for the indebted NHS staff who work round the clock to provide a service for all in need.

You may call me a “champagne socialist”, but I am not. My generation have a bleak future if we ever want to own a home or find a job in the most competitive market in decades. I am a paying member of a Corbyn-led Labour party, as well as an ardent follower of the Socialists Workers League and Democratic Socialists of America. All three organisations are here to help the victims of capitalism. I stand by them.

I never feel lucky. Instead, I am ridden with guilt on a regular basis for my position in life. I am unhappy because I am a struggling writer looking for a break. I lack confidence because I have had no steady income since my academic years. I have similar qualms to my peers who may not have the option to live rent-free like myself.

George Orwell, one of my favourite authors, condemned a socialist uprising in the wealthier spheres of society. Although he was a self-described democratic socialist, he decried the use of the elite in helping to shape the outlook. He himself was from an upper-class background. The same goes for popular socialist figures today, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and U.S Senator Bernie Sanders. The most prolific socialist the UK has seen, former prime minister, Clement Attlee, was also a man who rebelled against his aristocratic background.

All in all, it is important to bring socialism back to its working-class roots. The socialist parties around the world were founded to rid the conservative and neoliberal influence in politics. Anti-establishment and empathetic leaders could return the cause to its foundations. If you are not working-class, or like me, have options, then we must not be complicit. You do not have to be financially comfortable to be conservative. Look at what is happening now. A populist revolt from the far-right has taken the immiserations of the proletariat and placed it onto a podium. The lower-classes have come out in numbers to vote for alt-right politicians. The tables have turned but they are retrievable.

I always will be a socialist. I am frustrated at the exponential inequality that coincides with capitalist conservatism. I see it every day although I may not be fully living it. The left has always been in disarray. Whether you are rich or poor, unification is the key to a return to left-wing politics.