Belief in socialism is beating capitalism on college campuses—and it’s not even close. A new Axios poll of 1.5K two- and four-year students found that 67% view socialism positively or neutrally, compared to just 40% for capitalism. And negative views of capitalism (53%) far outweigh negative views of socialism (23%). For Gen Z, capitalism has become shorthand for a rigged game where stability feels increasingly out of reach, and it’s reshaping their political identities. They say it is driven by affordability concerns—74% of college students are extremely worried about groceries, gas, rent, and utilities price—and billionaires’ growing influence in politics and tech. There is stark partisan split, though: where 47% of Democrat-identifying students react positively to “socialism versus just 5% of Republican students.” And when asked about their party’s ideal next presidential nominee, Democratic students picked self-proclaimed democratic socialist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (19%) as their top choice. (Axios)
👀 Read more from YPulse: How Politically Divided Are Gen Z Males and Females?
