For the first time in Gallup's measurement over the past decade, Democrats have a more positive image of socialism than they do of capitalism.
While attitudes toward socialism among Democrats have not changed materially since 2010, with 57% today having a positive view. The major change among Democrats has been
a less upbeat attitude toward capitalism, dropping to 47% positive this year -- lower than in any of the three previous measures, according to Gallup.
Americans aged 18 to 29 are as positive about socialism (51%) as they are about capitalism (45%). This represents a 12-point decline in young adults' positive views of capitalism in just the past two years and a marked shift since 2010, when 68% viewed it positively.
Notes Gallup:
It's possible that the drop in Democrats' positive views of capitalism is related to Donald Trump's presidency. Trump is an enthusiastic capitalist, and his administration's efforts to roll back regulations on business and industry, as well as the tax cut law that is advantageous to businesses and corporations, may have caused Democrats to view the entire capitalist enterprise with less positive eyes.
This is no surprise from my corner. Two days after the 2016 presidential election, I wrote:
The socialists are going to experience a boom in followers under Trump.To be sure there was some movement toward socialism with the Bernie Sanders campaign but the kids who see President Trump as a crony, racist, capitalist buffoon for the most part are unaware of an alternative other than socialism.
