Nearly half of Canadians aged 18-to-34 support socialism
According to a Leger poll commissioned for the Fraser Institute, 42% of all Canadians support socialism as their preferred economic system. The number rises to 50% among Canadians aged 18-24, and it drops to 38% support among Canadians over 55.
More than four in ten young Canadians believe Canada should embrace socialism as its ideal economic system, though few want to pay more taxes to fund loftier spending.
A Fraser Institute report released Wednesday found that Canadians aged 18-to-34 had a more favourable impression of socialism (46%) than capitalism (39%), communism (13%), and fascism (8%).
According to a Leger poll commissioned for the policy think tank, 42% of all Canadians support socialism as their preferred economic system. The number rises to 50% among Canadians aged 18-24, and it drops to 38% support among Canadians over 55.
"A whole segment of the population — not just in Canada but across the developed world — self-describes as socialist, but many of them have never lived in a world with genuine socialism nor the misery it imposed," said Jason Clemens, executive vice president of the Fraser Institute and co-author of Perspectives on Capitalism and Socialism: Polling Results from Canada, the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
Unlike other similar polls, this recent poll explored how respondents defined socialism.
Many young Canadians defined socialism as receiving more from the government.
However, the report defines socialism as the state controlling the means of production, namely the raw materials, capital such as machinery and equipment, and buildings necessary to convert various inputs into goods and services.
Traditionally, socialism means the government rather than individuals and entrepreneurs control and direct companies and industries, thereby controlling and directing the economy.
The most common perspectives of socialism among the 18-to-34 demographic include "government providing more services like healthcare, education and daycare" (67%) and "the government guaranteeing a certain level of income for all citizens" (59%).
The least common perspective is its traditional definition — "the government taking control of companies and industries to control the economy" (36%).
Despite a significant number supporting socialism in some capacity, young Canadians believe passing the buck to wealthy citizens would finance additional services and provide a universal basic income rather than paying for it themselves.
Seven in ten (72%) said socialism should be funded by increasing taxes on the wealthiest 1%, while six in ten (59%) said the government should tax them 10% more.
"These targeted tax hikes will not generate near enough revenue to pay for the higher levels of spending linked with socialism," said Globerman.
"If Canadians want a larger government and substantially higher government spending, then all Canadians, and not just top income earners, will have to pay higher taxes to finance it."
Fewer (32%) said they should raise income taxes on all citizens except those with low income to fund socialism, and the least (20%) said socialism should be supported by adding a purchase tax on goods and services.
Don't Get Censored
Big Tech is censoring us. Sign up so we can always stay in touch.
Don't Get Censored
Big Tech is censoring us. Sign up so we can always stay in touch.