How Popular Is Socialism? What Polls Show as Democrats Co...

By Andrew Stanton

Weekend Staff Writer

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Nearly half of House Democrats voted on Friday to condemn socialism, after New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s victory this month became a landmark win for the political left. Still, polls show that most Americans oppose the ideology.

Newsweek reached out to Mamdani’s team for comment via email.

Why It Matters

Mamdani’s tenure as mayor will be a key test for socialist ideas over the next few years. Socialist movements have grown over the past decade following the 2016 presidential campaign of Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who identifies as a democratic socialist. In the years that followed, more socialists, such as Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, have been elected to Congress, and a socialist will now lead the nation’s largest city.

But some Democrats are concerned about the political ramifications for the party amid the rise of socialism, and whether that could alienate some moderate voters. The latest polling suggests that socialism remains generally unpopular with most Americans.

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What To Know

In total, 86 Democrats voted in support of a resolution condemning socialism on Friday, a sign that many in the party are still reluctant to support the ideology even if it has built momentum in some of the most progressive corners of the country. The vote was on the same day Mamdani was to meet with President Donald Trump, who has referred to the incoming mayor as a “communist lunatic.”

Only one-third (33 percent) of Americans have a favorable view of socialism, according to a poll from YouGov and The Economist conducted among 1,663 adults November 7-10. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Meanwhile, 44 percent said they held an unfavorable view on socialism. Twenty-three percent said they were unsure if they view it favorably. Only 31 percent of respondents said they would consider voting for a socialist candidate in a presidential race.

An NBC News poll found that only 18 percent of Americans view socialism positively, compared to 49 percent who view it negatively. Twenty-eight percent said they hold a neutral view. It surveyed 1,000 registered voters October 24-28 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

A Gallup poll, meanwhile, found that 39 percent of Americans view socialism positively, compared to 54 percent who view capitalism positively.

Sixty-six percent of Democrats, 38 percent of independents and 14 percent of Republicans view socialism positively, the poll found. It surveyed 1,094 adults August 1-20.

What People Are Saying

Zohran Mamdani told CNN in June: “I have many critiques of capitalism. And I think ultimately, the definition for me of why I call myself a democratic socialist is the words of Dr. King decades ago. He said, call it democracy or call it democratic socialism. There must be a better distribution of wealth for all of God’s children in this country.”

Progressive commentator Nina Turner, on X: “When the GOP calls every social safety net measure ‘socialism,’ votes like this matter in a policy context. House Minority Leader Jeffries voting with the GOP in favor of this resolution is showing his ultra-wealthy donors exactly who he fights for. It’s not the people.”

Representative Maria Elvira Salazar, a Florida Republican, on X: “I warned the House today: Venezuela also said ‘it could never happen’ until it did. Chávez won in ’98. It was their last free election. Now NYC elects a proud SOCIALIST, and most young Americans say they prefer socialism to capitalism. This is why we must remember socialism’s record of death and destruction. My community has lived it. Congress must denounce it with one voice, before it’s too late.”