Four in 10 Americans Embrace Some Form of Socialism

(Gallup) WASHINGTON D.C. -- Americans today are more closely divided than they were earlier in the last century when asked whether some form of socialism would be a good or bad thing for the country. While 51 of U.S. adults say socialism would be a bad thing for the country 43 believe it would be a good thing. Those results contrast with a 1942 Roper/Fortune survey that found 40 describing socialism as a bad thing 25 a good thing and 34 not having an opinion. The Roper/Fortune survey is one of the oldest trend questions measuring attitudes on socialism in the U.S. Gallups update of the question in an April 17-30 survey finds Americans more likely to have an opinion on the matter now as well as a smaller gap in the percentage calling socialism a bad thing vs. a good thing. Previous Gallup research shows that Americans definition of socialism has changed over the years with nearly one in four now associating the concept with social equality and 17 associating it with the more classical definition of having some degree of government control over the means of production. A majority of Democrats have said they view socialism positively in Gallup polling since 2010 including 57 in the most recent measure in 2018. Outlook on Socialism Around the World The April 17-30 survey also updates another historical question on socialism. Gallup first asked Americans in 1949 about their outlook on the spread of democracy over the next 50 years. At that time seven in 10 Americans (72) predicted that most countries in the world would have a democratic government. Its important to note that in much of the political rhetoric of the time the terms democracy and capitalism were more intimately intertwined than they are today perhaps synonymous to many.