By Bowen Xiao
A majority of Americans prefer a free-market economic system over a socialist economic system, according to a recent poll conducted jointly by The Heartland Institute and Rasmussen Reports.
Respondents were asked, among other questions “which is better—a free-market economic system or socialism?” in which 75 percent chose the free-market economic system. Just 11 percent voted for socialism, according to the Dec. 18 poll that surveyed 1,000 people across the nation.
One question asked respondents for their impression of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.
Most of the respondents had a negative view of Cortez: 38 percent said they had a “very unfavorable” impression of the congresswoman while 20 percent said they had a “somewhat unfavorable” impression of her. Eighteen percent said they had a “very favorable” view of her, while 19 percent said they see her as “somewhat favorable.” About 15 percent of likely voters said they were not sure.
Chris Talgo, editor and Research Fellow at The Heartland Institute, said in a statement that “despite the increased calls for socialism by many on the far left,” most still believe that the United States “should embrace a free-market economy.”
“Only a sliver of likely voters think that the United States should abandon the free-market capitalistic policies that are responsible for making the United States the wealthiest nation in world history,” he added.
“Despite the countless calls for more socialism among elites in media and Hollywood, Americans aren’t interested in adopting the same socialist policies that have led to mass poverty wherever they have been tried.”
The poll, which has a sampling error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points, was more mixed when it came to people’s impression of former Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.
Just over half, or 51 percent of respondents, had a “very favorable” or “somewhat favorable” impression of Biden, while 47 percent said they had a “somewhat unfavorable” or “very unfavorable” impression of Biden.
President Donald Trump has frequently spoken out against socialism and communism throughout his years in office, making it a key part of his agenda. At last year’s State of the Union speech, he said that “America will never be a socialist country.”
In a speech earlier this month, Trump warned voters that Democrats are eager to implement socialism in America and will be one step closer to doing so if they win control of the Senate in January.
