[Marxism] Interesting Survey

[Anthony Boynton]

 Just 53% Say Capitalism Better Than Socialism
 Thursday, April 09, 2009
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Only 53% of American adults believe capitalism is better than socialism.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 20%
disagree and say socialism is better. Twenty-seven percent (27%) are not
sure which is better.

Adults under 30 are essentially evenly divided: 37% prefer capitalism, 33%
socialism, and 30% are undecided. Thirty-somethings are a bit more
supportive of the free-enterprise approach with 49% for capitalism and 26%
for socialism. Adults over 40 strongly favor capitalism, and just 13% of
those older Americans believe socialism is better.

Investors by a 5-to-1 margin choose capitalism. As for those who do not
invest, 40% say capitalism is better while 25% prefer socialism.

There is a partisan gap as well. Republicans - by an 11-to-1 margin - favor
capitalism. Democrats are much more closely divided: Just 39% say capitalism
is better while 30% prefer socialism. As for those not affiliated with
either major political party, 48% say capitalism is best, and 21% opt for
socialism.

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The question posed by Rasmussen Reports did not define either capitalism or
socialism

It is interesting to compare the new results to an earlier survey in which 70%
of Americans prefer a free-market
economy<http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/business/general_business/voters_champion_free_market_but_want_more_regulation>.
The fact that a “free-market economy” attracts substantially more support
than “capitalism” may suggest some skepticism about whether capitalism in
the United States today relies on free markets.

Other survey data supports that notion. Rather than seeing large
corporations as committed to free markets, two-out-of-three Americans
believe that big government and big business often work together in ways
that hurt consumers and
investors<http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/ideology/55_of_americans_are_populist_7_support_the_political_class>.


Fifteen percent (15%) of Americans say they prefer a government-managed
economy, similar to the 20% support for socialism. Just 14% believe the
federal government would do a better job running auto
companies<http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/business/auto_industry/just_14_say_federal_government_will_run_big_three_better>,
and even fewer believe government would do a better job running financial
firms<http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/business/general_business/just_11_say_government_can_run_financial_institutions_better>.


Most Americans today hold views that can generally be defined as populist
while only seven percent (7%) share the elitist views of the Political
Class<http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/ideology/55_of_americans_are_populist_7_support_the_political_class>.


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