Gallup-ing Socialism
CHRIS MAISANO
It seems as if all of the hysterical right-wing talk about creeping socialism might be doing some useful work for us after all. Last year, a Rasmussen poll showed that a bare majority of respondents said that they prefered capitalism to socialism, and that people under the age of 30 were almost evenly divided on the question of socialism versus capitalism. Last week, Gallup released a poll with all kinds of interesting information about the ideological proclivities of the American public, and it found that 36% percent of Americans – a minority, but a pretty significant minority – said that they had “a positive view of socialism” off the top of their head. The results are even more interesting when you break them down by ideology and partisan affiliation – 61% of self-identified liberals and 53% of Democrats said that they viewed socialism positively, as did 35% of independents and a surprisingly large 20% of self-identified conservatives.
Of course, all of the usual caveats apply: the poll did not define what socialism is or ask people what they think the term means, and overwhelming majorities still respond favorably to ideological categories like “small business,” “free enterprise,” and “entrepreneurs.” Still, as the authors of the report conclude, “‘Socialism’ is not a completely negative term in today’s America,” and more people are likely starting equate the term with Western European welfare states. That’s a problem, but I think all of us can agree that it’s one that we’d like to have. It beats trying to convince people that socialism doesn’t equal breadlines, censorship, the gulag, and the communal sharing of toothbrushes and underwear. One shouldn’t place too much stock in polls like this, but it seems as if the discursive barriers that have held the left back for decades might be breaking down a bit. We’ve got some real opportunities here if we have the courage and imagination to take advantage of them.
On a distantly related note, “College Makes Students More Liberal, but Not Smarter About Civics, Study Finds”:
http://chronicle.com/article/College-Makes-Students-More/64040/?sid=pm&utm_source=pm&utm_medium=en
When you start to scratch the surface of the people who responded negative…You start to unravel a fun ball of contradiction and hypocrisy. I believe that this negativity to something that actually has shown to work and thrive in the modern world comes from generations of cold war propaganda brain washing. People like Dick Cheney for example…
Americans in general hate anything where citizens pay higher taxes and share benefits… But they love paying less taxes and getting screwed by corporations… I believe it is 33% racism, 33% stupidity, 33% Paranoia.
I would have liked to have seen on the poll how many people know the difference between communism and socialism?
I am an American who lives overseas in Belgium. I have done for so 9+ years. I don’t plan to come back until the U.S. has universal health care and universal higher education rights. Both of these things are here in Belgium and it makes day to life 1000% better.
However, here are some things that a typical non informed socialism hater says. I usually meet them when I visiting my parents who know live in the south ( retired )… Something about southern folks and their amazing lack of the big picture.
“I hate socialism” then says, “Don’t send my job overseas”
– Hey, guess what a strong social labor party would have done for the last 30 years?
“I hate socialism” then says, “I can’t send my kid to school because he’s white and doesn’t get student loans”
– If Universities and schools were fully funded all students would get student loans. Not just the ones who need it the most… School in Belgium is almost free for university students.
“I hate socialism” then says, “I wish place X had better public transportation”
This is probably one of those hater people who live out in the country side and not near a city cause that’s where the non white people live. Washington DC has a great metro system and its because people collectively pay for it.
“I hate socialism” then says, “Canadian cities have a better standards of living because there are no black people or Mexicans”…
Remind this person that in Vancouver there exists one of the largest Asian populations out side of Asia then say well I guess Yellow people are alright in your book? Vancouver voted #1 in most livable cities recently.
When you get into conversation with these people its so fun to wind them up. I literally had one throw a rib bone at my over dinner. I told him that maybe he should contact Harvard’s debate team because I am pretty sure that they need a Rib Bone Thrower for when times get rough.
But it goes to show, they won’t listen to facts or common sense. Then when you got them in a corner with their bad logic they just change the goalposts and cry about something thing else like “Mexican’s are destroying the country!” or throwing a rib bone…
My favorite is when these haters start talking trash about Europe:
1) They have never lived there
2) They take one health care story second hand from some obscure “source” about how people die on waiting lists.
3) Then just start making crap up…. “French people are more gay so they have less crime…”
Then I tell them that yes I live there and I like it better… silence….