> Socialism's Positive Rating Tops 40% for First Time

Story Highlights

    43% of Americans view socialism positively
    Positive views of big business down to 35%; capitalism steady at 55%
    Small business, free enterprise remain most popular economic concepts

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Forty-three percent of Americans now have a positive view of socialism, marking the first time this figure has exceeded 39% in Gallup’s trend since 2010. Socialism still trails capitalism and free enterprise in public favorability but now ranks ahead of big business. Small business remains the clear leader among the five economic concepts tested, with 95% viewing it positively.

Gallup has measured Americans’ overall views of these five economic concepts periodically since 2010, with the latest update conducted Aug. 3-24.

Over the longer term, Americans have become less positive about most of the market-oriented concepts Gallup tracks. Since 2010, positive views of big business have fallen by 14 percentage points, free enterprise by nine points and capitalism by six points. Small business is the exception, with views of it unchanged. Meanwhile, positive impressions of socialism have risen by seven points.

Most of the increase in socialism’s positive rating through 2025 reflected increasingly positive views among Democrats, rising from 50% in 2010 to 66% last year. The latest uptick, however, comes entirely from political independents, whose positive rating jumped from 37% last year to 45% today. Democrats’ rating is essentially unchanged, at 65%, while Republicans’ remains below 15%.
Partisans Differ Sharply in Views of Economic Concepts

Party subgroups differ not only in their views of socialism but increasingly in their views of capitalism and other market-oriented concepts.

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.

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https://news.gallup.com/poll/714653/soc … -time.aspx