Why So Many Young Americans Fall for Socialism
Once seen as a taboo word in American politics, socialism has experienced a notable resurgence, especially among young voters. Polls show that more than half of millennials and Gen Zers now view socialism favorably. Politicians like Senator Bernie Sa...
By Brian C. Joondeph
Once seen as a taboo word in American politics, socialism has experienced a notable resurgence, especially among young voters. Polls show that more than half of millennials and Gen Zers now view socialism favorably. Politicians like Senator Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have transformed what was once a fringe ideology into a highly popular political movement.
Even more troubling, they’ve achieved this not through real policy solutions but by promoting a utopian fantasy rooted in grievance, entitlement, and historical ignorance.
Image via ChatGPT
Socialism is a system of “governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods.” No truly socialist society has achieved a level of plenty or freedom comparable to America.
A Cato/YouGov survey conducted in March found that “62 percent of American adults under 30 say they hold favorable views of socialism.” Rasmussen Reports observed a similar sentiment this past May, with 50% of voters under 30 indicating they want a democratic socialist to win the next presidential election.
Why are so many young Americans falling for it?
To be clear, this movement isn’t rooted in careful study of history or economics. It’s fueled by emotion rather than reason. It thrives because too many young people have been raised to believe that discomfort equals injustice and that government is the answer to every problem.
Today’s young adults have grown up in a culture that promotes victimhood instead of resilience. From K-12 schools to college campuses, they have been taught that life is unfair, that capitalism is oppressive, and others—corporations, the wealthy, or “the system”—cause their struggles.
They’re told that if they can’t afford a house, it’s due to capitalism. If they have student debt, it’s because they’ve been “exploited.” If they feel anxious or unfulfilled, it must be because of inequality or climate change. In this worldview, personal responsibility is an afterthought, and government redistribution is viewed as the ultimate solution.
Enter socialism, stage left.
It’s no coincidence that today’s youth know more about TikTok trends than about the gulags of the Soviet Union or the starvation in Mao’s China. Schools have stopped teaching the harsh truths about socialism’s brutal legacy. Instead, they focus on sanitized stories about “equity,” “social justice,” and “collective good,” often blending them with moral superiority and “safe spaces” for those who are easily offended.
This isn’t just a failure of the education system; it’s a deliberate ideological project. Young people aren’t truly being educated. Instead, they’re being indoctrinated to believe that capitalism is the problem, not the answer.
Critics often point out economic issues like increasing student debt, rising housing costs, and stagnant wages as failures of capitalism. However, the irony is that many of these problems are actually made worse by government interference, not market forces.
A few generations ago, few, if any, students graduated with significant educational debt. A middle-class family lived in a home, had two cars, a stay-at-home mom, and could pay the bills as well as save.
The federal government subsidized student loans and drove up tuition costs. Local governments limit housing through zoning and regulations. Inflation? Blame the government’s focus on spending and the Federal Reserve’s monetary policies.
Capitalism didn’t fail. It was undermined by bureaucrats, regulators, and central planners. Now, the same group that caused the problems claims they will fix them by increasing their own power. That’s not progress; it’s a power grab.
As we see with Big Pharma, the government creates the problem and then sells the cure, except that the solution is often worse than the original problem.
One of the left’s favorite tactics is pointing to countries like Sweden and Denmark as “proof” that socialism works. However, these countries are not socialist. They have capitalist economies with high taxes and generous welfare systems, supported by a strong work ethic, homogeneous populations, and increasingly strict immigration controls, factors the American left would never endorse.
In Denmark, the top marginal income tax rate is 55%. Additionally, there is a 25% VAT on nearly all goods and services. The high taxes on income and spending support generous welfare benefits, maternity leave, subsidized housing, and more.
Try replicating that model here, with our open borders, declining labor participation, and cultural fragmentation, and you’ll end up with Venezuela or Cuba, not Stockholm or Helsinki.
What’s most concerning is that socialism is no longer viewed as a radical idea. It has been rebranded and marketed to young people as kind, fair, and compassionate. But socialism, even in its “democratic” form, is fundamentally coercive. It expands government power, limits economic freedom, and suppresses dissent. History shows where it ultimately leads - shortages, stagnation, and government surveillance.
New York City could soon resemble Havana if residents elect Democrat socialist Zohran Mamdani as mayor. Mamdani campaigned on a platform that included a “$30 minimum wage, tax hikes on businesses and the rich, and other policies like creating city-owned grocery stores and imposing a rent freeze for stabilized tenants.”
The left isn’t giving young people independence. It’s offering dependence with a smile—a life where the government pays your bills but also controls your future. Or as the World Economic Forum promises, “you will own nothing and you will be happy.”
The solution isn’t to shout, “communism bad” and walk away. It’s to engage, educate, and expose the lie. Conservatives must explain, clearly and confidently, why capitalism is the most moral and effective system ever devised. It rewards merit, encourages innovation, and protects freedom.
We also need to stop surrendering the culture war. This involves reforming education, fighting ideological bias in the media and universities, and encouraging young Americans to see themselves not as victims of the system, but as capable individuals responsible for their own future.
America’s future is at risk. Only 36% of Democrats feel extremely or very proud to be American, down from 80% a decade ago. Among young Americans, the Gen Zers, only 24% are proud to be American, compared to 32% who have little or no pride.
In contrast, 92% of Republicans are proud to be American, a number slightly higher than it was ten years ago.
Nature abhors a vacuum. When half the country hates America, they will gladly embrace something very un-American, namely, socialism.
Socialism flourishes when honesty is absent. Our duty is to speak the truth openly and confidently. Because if we don’t, we could soon live in a country where freedom isn’t the norm but the exception.
WE HAVE RAISED TWO GENERATIONS OF IDIOTS!
