Das Kapital, dude: Polling shows sharp rise in support for socialism among the young

Polling in the United States and internationally is showing a sharp increase in support for socialism among young people.  Support for capitalism is waning as a new generation embraces views of collective economic policies and programs. Two hundred years after the birth of Karl Marx, his views are now coming back into vogue despite a long history of economic failures in socialist countries.

A new poll conducted June 11-25 by Momentive on behalf of Axios found that a majority (57% of U.S. adults) still have a favorable view of capitalism. However, the most notable data point is age. Those 18-34 now are evenly split on negative and positive views of capitalism. (46% vs. 49%). The dislike for capitalism rises further at younger age groups.  For those 18 to 24, the negative views outweighing positive views by a margin of 54% to 42%.

The other groups showing stronger support for socialism are black and female Americans (60% and 45%, respectively).

The same swing is being reported internationally. A new poll by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) shows younger people growing opposing to capitalism and support for socialism. The paper includes a Forefront Market Research poll of people aged between 16 and 34 in the UK. An astonishing  67 per cent say they would like to live in a socialist economic system.

The radical left has spent decades pushing Communist ideas to young people. In our 2016 article “The Roots of America’s Dangerous Turn Left,” Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry warned:

In the 1960s and ’70s, America had many problems with rioting and violence on college campuses. Educators would ask who was in charge, and in almost every case, there was nobody in charge except the people who were rioting.  

Soon, the New Left began to get into those institutions and gain control. It was in the education system that the left got its foothold into the nation: first in colleges, then high schools and even elementary schools. It is from the education system that a nation gets its leadership. Where did the ideas of America’s leaders today come from? From our educational institutions. 

Consider this: The Soviet Union pushed harder to establish communism than perhaps any government in history. Much of that push happened not inside its own borders, but inside America! In 1970, kgb agent Yuri Bezmenov defected from the Soviet Union and escaped to Canada. He went to great lengths to warn the Americans about the stealth attack the Soviets were waging against them. …

Mr. Armstrong wrote in 1956 about the Communists “perverting our morals, sabotaging our educational system, wrecking our social structure, destroying our spiritual and religious life, weakening our industrial and economic power, demoralizing our armed forces, and finally, after such infiltration, overthrowing our government by force and violence! All this clearly disguised as a harmless political party! Communism is a worldwide psychological warfare!”  

Communists first corrupt, pollute and agitate from within. But their final phase is a violent overthrow of the government. They aim to destroy the system, because they can’t build another one until that happens.  

The Communist attack from within America is far more significant than you might realize. We are staring it in the face today.  

“The Roots of America’s Dangerous Turn Left,” January 2016, Philadelphia Trumpet