More than four in ten Americans have a positive view of socialism – 43 percent – only 12 points lower than the 55 percent who view capitalism positively, a recent Gallup survey revealed.
The survey asked respondents if they have a negative or positive image of small business, free enterprise, capitalism, socialism, and big business.
Small business had the highest rating at 95 percent positive, followed by free enterprise with 77 percent positive, and capitalism with a 55 percent positive rating.
However, 43 percent now have a positive view of socialism. This is “the first time this figure has exceeded 39% in Gallup’s trend since 2010,” Gallup reported.
Democrats’ view of socialism has grown more positive over the past several years. More than half, 57 percent, had a positive view of socialism in 2018. Now, that figure among Democrats stands at 65 percent. Coinciding with that is the fact that Democrats view capitalism less favorably, dropping from 42 percent in 2025 to 35 percent in 2026.
Similarly, independents are cozying up to the ideology. In the last year alone, independents went from a 37 percent positive view of socialism to 45 percent.
Only 14 percent of Republicans have a positive view of socialism.
Per Gallup:
Independents’ positive rating of socialism has risen by eight points this year, as their view of big business has fallen to a new low of 32% after several years of decline. Socialism now ranks ahead of big business among independents, although capitalism, free enterprise and small business remain more positively viewed.
…Democrats’ views have shifted more substantially since 2010. Socialism surpassed capitalism among Democrats by 2016 and now ties free enterprise at 65%. This follows a sizable decline in Democrats’ positive rating of free enterprise since 2021.
Unsurprisingly, the survey also showed major generational gaps in views of economic systems. Older generations have more positive ratings of capitalism, while younger generations view socialism more favorably than capitalism altogether:
Most notably, positive ratings of capitalism and free enterprise are higher among older than younger age groups, while positive views of socialism are lower. Adults aged 18 to 34 view socialism more positively than capitalism (57% vs. 43%, respectively), while those aged 55 and older view capitalism more positively than socialism by an even larger margin (65% vs. 34%). Adults aged 35 to 54 rate the two systems about the same.
The survey was taken August 3-24, 2026, among 1,200 adults. It has a margin of error of +/- 4 percent and coincides with other surveys showing Democrats taking a stronger liking to socialism – something that has been evident in the election of socialist political figures such as New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani. A summer survey from the Economist/YouGov found that a majority of Democrats would vote for a candidate describing themselves as a “Democratic Socialist.”
