American Youth Tilt Toward Socialism, Which Hardly Matters

Young Americans have a more positive view of socialism than capitalism, according to new research from Pew. That puts them in contrast to the balance of adults, the great major of whom view socialism negatively. But younger Americans, those under 29, may have read the headlines about the future of Social Security and other social safety nets and believe these programs will be gone in two decades. That makes the results understandable.

The Pew research reports that, overall, only 31% of Americans have a positive view of socialism. And 50% view capitalism the same way. Capitalism gains further among the middle aged and those over 65. Some 72% of people who have passed the traditional age of retirement view socialism negatively. People who make over $100,000 a year have similar views to those over age 65.

The findings of the latest national survey by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, conducted from December 7 to December 11, 2011, among 1,521 adults, do not tell  much about why the young, as well as the relatively poor and minorities, have positive feelings about socialism. The answer is obvious, though. Capitalism has done almost nothing to help minorities and the relatively poor for many decades, if ever. Younger Americans are more often without jobs than they were five years ago, and they have become increasingly concerned about federal government support, both now and in the future.

The American form of government, which supports capitalism and almost always has, is very unlikely to change. One of the reasons is that those who object to it vote in small numbers. The other is that the top portion of society, both financially and in its political stance, have proven that it can stay in power indefinitely. The young can turn against that system, but in the final analysis it does not matter.

Douglas A. McIntyre