Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has described the American Revolutionary period as a class war against the “billionaires of their time,” according to remarks she made at the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics.
During her discussion with Democratic strategist David Axelrod, AOC stated that colonists revolted not against the British Crown but against wealthy individuals. She characterized the Founders’ rebellion as a struggle against an “extreme marriage of wealth and the state.”
Critics have noted that colonial grievances centered on British taxation without representation and monarchical overreach. Historical records indicate that prominent Founders, including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and Thomas Jefferson, were among the wealthiest citizens in their colonies.
Senator Mike Lee has argued that the Declaration of Independence specifically addresses grievances against King George III and his government, not private wealth. Senator Ted Cruz has similarly stated that AOC’s interpretation would be considered incorrect by a ninth-grade history teacher.
In addition to her historical remarks, AOC discussed economic policies during the event, including the need for tax reforms to address what she calls “the construction and organization of oligarchy in the economy.” She has previously asserted that billionaire wealth often results from exploitation and labor abuse, while advocating for single-payer health care, living wages, workers’ rights, and women’s rights.