Socialism is gaining acceptance among Democratic voters, and the ideological shift is increasingly being reflected in the candidates they are choosing at the ballot box.
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A new CBS News/YouGov poll released Monday found that Democrats now view socialism more favorably than capitalism, while the label “democratic socialist” itself has become acceptable to a substantial portion of the party. The findings come as candidates aligned with the socialist left have scored significant victories in Democratic primaries and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) seeks to expand its political influence.
The CBS poll found that Democrats are mostly positive toward socialism, even though Americans overall continue to view capitalism more favorably. Younger, white, college-educated, and more liberal Democrats are particularly likely to hold favorable views of socialism. Half of Democrats also view the term “democratic socialist” positively, while many of those who do not view it positively are neutral rather than opposed.
That represents a notable change in the political landscape. Gallup found last year that 66% of Democrats viewed socialism positively, compared with only 42% who felt positively about capitalism. In 2010, those numbers stood at 50% and 51%, respectively. Democrats are now the only major partisan group in Gallup’s polling that favors socialism over capitalism.
The change is not merely about political terminology. When CBS asked respondents what socialism meant to them, Republicans and independents were more likely to associate it with government ownership or control. Democrats were more likely to describe socialism in terms of equality, fairness, and public services. Democratic respondents also tended to believe socialism would improve their personal finances while capitalism would make them worse.
Those attitudes provide fertile ground for the growing influence of the Democratic Socialists of America. The organization says its electoral strategy involves training chapters to support socialist candidates at the local and state levels while building political power capable of holding elected officials accountable to its agenda. DSA membership has reportedly grown from roughly 5,000 a decade ago to nearly 130,000 today.
That movement is increasingly colliding with the Democratic establishment. Democratic socialist and progressive candidates have achieved high-profile victories in recent election cycles, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and, more recently, Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed. El-Sayed’s primary victory was among the developments that prompted the centrist Democratic organization Third Way to launch a $15 million effort aimed at countering democratic socialism within the party.
The CBS poll suggests the ideological struggle may not be going away. Roughly half of Democrats say their party is not progressive enough, and Democratic voters prefer economic proposals that promise major changes rather than smaller reforms that may be easier to enact. More than a third even describe their own party as weak, with dissatisfaction particularly pronounced among those who want Democrats to move further left.
Still, socialism remains significantly less popular with the country as a whole than it is within the Democratic Party. The CBS survey found Americans overall are net-negative toward socialism and generally positive toward the free market. A recent Reuters/Ipsos survey also found only 27% of Americans believed the democratic socialist movement had good ideas, suggesting that what appeals to Democratic primary voters may face a different reception in a general election.
For intercessors, the growing debate over socialism is about more than political labels. It raises fundamental questions about government’s proper role, individual responsibility, economic freedom, care for the poor, and where Americans look for provision and security. As the socialist movement gains influence within one of America’s two major political parties, let’s pray for wisdom and discernment among voters and elected officials and for economic policies that uphold justice, stewardship, generosity, and human flourishing.
Share your prayers and scriptures for America’s political and economic future in the comments.
(Photo Credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
