Sunday, December 2, 2012

Gallup Poll on Socialism and other Terms

Gallup is out with a new poll that says 53% of Democrats or Democrat-leaners have a positive view of socialism. Overall, 61% of Americans rate capitalism positively, while 39% rate socialism positively. That 39% figure is up from 36% in 2010. Small business, free enterprise, and entrepreneurs all poll at least 85% positive.

These data reinforce the conclusion that certain terms in common use today in political and economic discourse are more politically charged than others. Any mention of capitalism, socialism, big business, or the federal government will evoke significantly different reactions from Republicans than from Democrats and from conservatives than from liberals. Those terms do better than either capitalism, socialism, or the federal government, even among respondents who identify themselves as Democrats or Democrat-leaners or as liberals, so says the Future of Capitalism
.

 Gallup Poll

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