When offered a positive vision for creating broader opportunity, Americans overwhelmingly prefer improving how markets work to relying primarily on redistribution.
Key Takeaways
- Americans believe the economy can work better, but they are looking for a positive vision—not simply more redistribution.
- By nearly two to one, voters prefer improving how markets create opportunity over relying primarily on taxes and government programs to help those left behind.
- When offered three distinct economic philosophies, a majority chooses improving the rules that shape markets over both minimal-government capitalism and redistribution.
- Support for improving how markets work extends across party lines, with the majority of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents all choosing this approach.
- The findings suggest the appeal of redistribution may depend in part on the absence of a compelling alternative focused on creating broader opportunity.
Why It Matters
The recent rise of democratic socialism has led many observers to conclude that Americans are moving away from capitalism and toward redistribution.