A democratic socialist running the financial capital of the universe? For a magazine obsessed with how business can change—and change the world—it’s hard to imagine a more intriguing experiment.

As Zohran Mamdani wraps up his first year as New York City’s mayor, we decided to explore a possibility that got lost in the reductive shouting that surrounded his campaign: What if his democratic socialism-fueled agenda is actually good for business? And what will happen as other cities and states elect leaders with similar ideas?

Making New York more affordable is a goal that most of us can get behind. So is making city government faster, more responsive, and more innovative. The question—a thorny one—is whether Mamdani can deliver a more equitable city without throwing a wet blanket over the investment and entrepreneurship that help it thrive.

That tension animates this issue’s cover story, by Morgan Clendaniel, our executive editor, digital. Clendaniel, who has long covered the intersection of business and progressive politics, spoke to Tony Shorris, president and CEO of the NYC Economic Development Corporation, and Julie Su, deputy mayor for economic justice, about the sweeping role that they believe government can play in the economy—speeding up procurement, cutting red tape, making city services function.

The revolution may include city-owned grocery stores. It will definitely include high-tech public bathrooms.

There’s something invigorating about that combination of grand ambition and attention to the daily details. At Fast Company , we spend a lot of time talking to visionaries who see a broken system and decide to build something better.

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