Terry JonesBad news for those who advocate for free markets and free choice as the basis of our economy and society. A slim plurality of voters say that they agree with the principles of socialism, including public ownership of property and natural resources, according to the latest I&I/TIPP Poll.
With a number of self-avowed socialists already winning office in a number of major cities in recent weeks, I&I/TIPP wondered how broad the support for such candidates might be. It turns out to be pretty broad indeed.
Specifically, I&I/TIPP asked: “Socialism is commonly defined as ‘a social and economic system that calls for public rather than private ownership or control of property and natural resources.’ Generally speaking, do you agree or disagree with the principles of socialism?”
The surprising result: 42% of those taking the poll said they agree either “strongly” (14%) or “somewhat” (27%), while 39% said they disagree “strongly” (24%) or “somewhat” (14%). But a sizeable 20% describe themselves as “not sure.”
The online nationwide poll, taken from Oct. 28 to Oct. 31 by 1,418 adults, has a margin of error of +/- 2.8 percentage points.
The responses weren’t just a “hard-left voter” thing, either. Among Democrats, 55% agreed with the principles of socialism, while only 27% didn’t. But the shocker: Even 39% of Republicans agreed, while 45% disagreed. Independents, which includes libertarian voters, were least likely to sign on to socialist principles, as 31% agreed and 48% disagreed.
If so, what is the profile of the typical pro-socialist voter? The answer: Democrat, young, male and minority.
The numbers skew sharply toward youth. Among those 18-24 years of age, a whopping 57% agreed with socialist principles, versus just 26% that disagreed. For those 25-44 years old, the numbers were 52% agree, 29% disagree.
Support drops from there. Among those 45 to 64 years old, 37% it was agree compared to 40% disagree. And for those over 65 years, the numbers plunge to 26% agree, 56% disagree.
That’s a real generation gap.
Another surprise is the male/female split. A total of 50% of men agree to the principles of socialism, while 39% disagree. For women, the comparable numbers are 34% agree, 38% disagree. On socialism, there’s a gender gap.
What about race? Blacks and Hispanics support socialism by 50% (agree) to 28% (disagree). Among white voters, the comparable figures are 38% and 43%.
Finally, income level is another predictor of socialist support. But not, perhaps, how you might think. For those in the bottom three quartiles of income, under $75,000 a year, the level of agreement with socialist principles came in at an average of 39%, compared to 41% disagreement.
The wealthiest part of the income spread was the most supportive of socialist principles, by far: 54% agree compared to 35% who disagree.
A second I&I/TIPP question asked about actual voting: “Would you vote for a candidate who describes themselves as a socialist and says they intend to enact socialist policies if elected?”
Here, the response was more negative. Of those answering 34% said either “yes, definitely” (12%) or “yes, probably” (22%), while a 44% share responded “no, definitely not” (27%) and “no, probably not” (17%). Another 22% weren’t sure.
The political breakdown was a bit more emphatic than for the first question. Among Democrats, 47% said they would definitely or probably vote for a socialist candidate, while 33% said they would probably not or definitely not vote for a self-avowed socialist candidate.
Republicans basically flipped those numbers, with 31% saying they’d definitely or probably vote for a socialist candidate, while 52% said they definitely not or probably not vote for one.
Independents were closer to the GOP respondents than Dems, with just 24% saying they would “definitely/probably” vote for a socialist, while 50% said they would “probably not” or “definitely not” vote for a socialist.
It is perhaps a bit shocking that even those who belong on the center and the right side of the political spectrum (Democrats and independents) would find such a high degree of acceptance for socialist candidates. After all, by any reasonable definition, socialist placed on the far-left side of the conventional political spectrum.
Has woke, politically-correct media, Hollywood and education eroded Americans’ faith in free markets and capitalism?
One possible answer: Just under 40% of voters in the 2024 elections were 45 years of age or younger. That’s significant, since someone 45 years old today was just 10 years old when the Berlin Wall fell and communism (the most extreme for of socialism) collapsed in 1990.
Communism’s demise set off a furious debate over the virtues of socialism versus free-market democracy. The latter won the debate, hands down. And yet, today 39% of Republicans say they “agree” with the principles of socialism.
That’s reflected in the Heritage Foundation’s global Index of Economic Freedom, which declined for the 23rd straight year in 2024. So while free-market capitalism won the debate, socialism, communism and other types of strict government economic and political control won many of the battles on the ground — despite socialism’s failures.
A study by the Coolidge Foundation summed it up this way: “Over the past 25 years, the average country that became more capitalist experienced an increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per person from about $7,600 to $11,800, an increase of 43%.”
It added: “Moreover, the average citizen in these countries gained almost five years in
added life expectancy. Meanwhile, in countries that became less capitalist over the same 25-
year period saw their life expectancy drop and their income growth stagnate.”
Even so, socialism remains surprisingly popular.
As influential political analyst Michael Barone wrote earlier this year: “As one who shared the hope, after the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, that representative government, guaranteed liberties and global capitalism laced with some measure of welfare state protections would spread across the globe, I naturally look back over the intervening long generation and ask what went wrong.”
Democrats, in general, remain infatuated with the promises of socialism. A recent Gallup Poll found that 66% of Democrats view socialism positively, while just 44% saw capitalism the same way. Is it any wonder, then, that both New York City and Seattle have recently elected self-described “socialists” or “communists” as their mayors?
Meanwhile, a recent vote in Congress, lawmakers voted 295 to 98 to denounce socialism in “all its forms,” with 86 Democrats joining Republicans in the denunciation, and two abstaining. No Republicans voted against it.
Socialism does not have a great track record of success. Yet, many high schools and universities have become virtual academies for advocating socialist ideas, according to Campus Reform.
In a recent poll of 1,574 college students nationwide, 67% said they held either a positive or neutral opinion of the word “socialism,” while just 40% said the same about “capitalism.” More than anything, this might help explain why socialism is now acceptable, in particular among younger voters, as the I&I/TIPP Poll shows.
I&I/TIPP publishes timely, unique, and informative data each month on topics of public interest. TIPP’s reputation for polling excellence comes from being the most accurate pollster for the past six presidential elections.
Terry Jones is an editor of Issues & Insights. His four decades of journalism experience include serving as national issues editor, economics editor, and editorial page editor for Investor’s Business Daily.
The growing income disparity in businesses might be a key factor in explaining this troubling pro-socialism data. Perhaps if American corporations were more open to and supportive of employee profit sharing, and even broad-based employee ownerhip, thus spreading the fruits of successful capitalistic ventures more broadly across middle and lower income sectors, we would see less enthusiasm for socialism.
How does one interpret this statement, “thus spreading the fruits of successful capitalistic ventures more broadly across middle and lower income sectors, we would see less enthusiasm for socialism”? Do you mean to say the best way to avoid socialism is redistribution and profit sharing. . . . sort of “Socialist Lite”? Well, heck, that’s easy. There are no end to profit sharing efforts in America and have been for decades. Let’s get on it then. Or is that not what you mean?
I think the love for socialism (especially among the young) is due mainly to two things: Envy (the older people) and The Public School System (both the older and the young people).
Most everyone, among the commentators below, give cogent reasons why capitalism is not only superior but is also superlative.
But of those who love socialism it is doubtful that they even read I&I.
And if they do turn to I&I, because of the Public School System, it is doubtful that they can even read, comprehend or analyze what they gape at.
Unfortunately, if they become the majority were all going to have to suffer for that idiocy.
“Dark Ages”-here we come again.