Yotam Marom Recasts Occupy’s 15-Year Legacy as Left Wins in New York
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 21
Yotam Marom Recasts Occupy’s 15-Year Legacy as Left Wins in New York
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 21
Summary
Fifteen years after Occupy Wall Street collapsed, organizer Yotam Marom argues the movement’s biggest failure was a “politics of powerlessness” that blocked durable strategy, leadership and broad-based growth.
In a new book, Marom says Occupy still reshaped US politics by popularizing the “99% versus 1%” frame, training hundreds of organizers and helping open the path to Bernie Sanders, the Squad and New York’s democratic socialist gains.
New York’s recent left victories — including Mayor Zohran Mamdani and a broader DSA sweep — show movements can pursue governing power, he says, but only if electoral work is tied to unions, tenant campaigns and other non-electoral organizing.
Marom points to CAAAV’s decision to shut a Queens campaign and concentrate resources in Chinatown as a model of painful but effective strategy, one that later helped build Chinese and Bengali support for Mamdani.
He warns the left is still at an early stage, facing billionaire power, climate crisis and a far-right federal government, making long-term institution-building more important than either protest waves or election cycles alone.
What are the key strategies for turning temporary protest energy into permanent institutional power?
Can activism build lasting power without adopting the hierarchical structures it aims to dismantle?
In the digital age, how can movements avoid internal radicalization to achieve mainstream impact?
New York’s 2026 Left Surge: How Occupy’s Legacy and Marom’s Vision Are Reshaping Progressive Power
Overview
In 2026, the left achieved major electoral victories in New York, driven by strong grassroots support for progressive candidates. Notably, Adam Bojak’s decisive win in a three-way Democratic primary for a State Assembly seat in western Buffalo followed an intensive volunteer effort, with about 25,000 doors knocked. If he wins in November, Bojak will become the first democratic socialist to represent western New York in the State Legislature, highlighting the growing viability of democratic socialist candidates in mainstream politics. These successes reflect a strategic push by the left to turn grassroots energy into real political power.