Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has once again made headlines for her controversial take on American history.
At a recent event hosted by the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics, Ocasio-Cortez asserted, “The American Revolution was against the billionaires of their time,” positioning the founding of the nation alongside her modern fight against wealth and capitalism.
She further claimed, “And [now] we are declaring independence from such an extreme marriage of wealth and power and the state that the voices of everyday people did not exist.”
This assertion, while provocative, lacks historical accuracy.
The motivation behind the American Revolution largely stemmed from escalating tensions between the American colonies and the British Crown throughout the 1760s and 1770s. Colonists grew increasingly frustrated with taxation from Parliament enacted without their consent, as well as governmental overreach from London.
Events like the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Tea Act of 1773 were pivotal in stoking revolutionary sentiment. The famous rallying cry “no taxation without representation” became a cornerstone of the independence movement.
The Declaration of Independence, primarily crafted by Thomas Jefferson in 1776, focused heavily on grievances against King George III and British authority. It argued that rightful government exists through the consent of its people and condemned the Crown for violating colonists’ rights through numerous abuses.
“The American Revolution was against the billionaires of their time” – AOC pic.twitter.com/PGmDnLa9DU
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) May 8, 2026
Historians acknowledge that economic factors played a role in the Revolutionary sentiment. British trade restrictions, mercantilist taxes, and policies led to discontent among colonial businesses and landowners. Many colonists felt that Britain’s economic system benefited elites at their expense.
Yet, critics argue that framing the Revolution solely as opposition to the wealthy overlooks deeper political and philosophical principles that gave rise to the nation.
“No, AOC, the American Revolution was NOT ‘against the billionaires of their time,” countered Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT). “It was against a large, distant, overly intrusive government that recognized no limits over its own authority to tax, regulate, and eat out the substance of the citizens it claimed to serve.”
“If a 9th grader writes this on her history test, she gets an F,” remarked Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). “It was literally a revolution against oppressive GOVERNMENT…the very thing @aoc wants to inflict on all of us. And the Revolution was financed by American free enterprise…the billionaires’ of that time.”
Notably, many Founding Fathers were affluent landowners and businessmen. George Washington was among the colonies’ richest individuals, while Benjamin Franklin amassed wealth through various ventures.
Rather than being anti-wealth, many founders aimed to curtail centralized political power and safeguard individual freedoms. The Constitution established a framework rich with checks and balances, federalism, and protections for private property.
However, historians also recognize that early Americans were wary of entrenched power, both political and economic. More than two centuries post-Revolution, figures from all political factions still reference the Founding Fathers to advocate for differing interpretations of government and liberty.
Ocasio-Cortez has regularly pushed for higher taxes on the rich, stronger labor laws, and government programs aimed at addressing economic disparities.
The ongoing debate highlights the intersection of contemporary politics and historical interpretation.
RELATED: Trump Official Abruptly Resigns
