Favorable opinions of socialism are rising in the U.S., but capitalism is still preferred. From February to December, support for capitalism has remained steady at 57 percent. However, Socialism has risen in favorability from 25 percent to 31 percent, according to a Fox News survey, which polled 1,000 people from December 8 to 11, 2019.
Socialism used to be considered a foul word in the U.S., but as debt increases and healthcare becomes more unaffordable for some Americans, the idea of socialism doesn’t sound as taboo as it used to. “It’s about humane capitalism – having social control over the harshest features of capitalism like healthcare and pensions,” Jesse Sharkey, the leader of the Chicago Teachers’ Union, told The Guardian in September.
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a 2020 presidential hopeful, has openly campaigned as a democratic socialist. Healthcare for all, free college and canceling student debt are some of his most popular platforms. “You should be able to leave a job or a marriage without fear of losing your health insurance. Medicare for All means safety and security,” he tweeted December 18, 2019.
