Can Democratic Socialism Be Stopped in America?

The liberty principle for this Freedom Friday is that socialism has not worked at any place in the world where it has been tried and would work havoc in the United States. Yet, more and more of the young adults in America  think that socialism is the answer to affordability.

Both New York City and Seattle elected socialists for their mayors just a week ago. Both cities are Democrat strongholds, but who would suspect Utah of following their example?

Brigham Tomco reported on this strange phenomenon in his article published at the Deseret News this week. He used information from a new Deseret News/Hickley Institute of Politics poll. 

A slight majority, 51% of Utah voters who identify as Democrats said they have a favorable view of socialism, compared to 48% of Democrats nationally. Utah Democrats appeared uniquely open to experimenting with socialism across multiple questions.

Whereas 54% of Democrats nationally said they approve of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s plans for office, 65% of Utah Democrats said they approve of the 34-year-old member of the Democratic Socialists of America.

Democratic socialism – the political ideology espoused by New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders – was viewed favorably by 61% of Democrats nationally. But it was viewed favorably by 70% of Democrats in Utah.

Socialism refers to an economic system where the state owns major resources and industries instead of private firms, and redistributes wealth equally. Democratic socialism is seen as a way to achieve this incrementally through elected officials.

While small Nordic countries like Sweden and Finland have implemented some democratic socialist principles, places that have tried to make socialism a reality have historically devolved into greater authoritarianism and poverty, like the Soviet Union, Cuba, Venezuela and China….

The appetite among the vast majority of Utah Democrats for increased public ownership and expanded social welfare may find an electoral outlet now that the state’s congressional boundaries have been redrawn to include an almost-guaranteed Democratic seat in the U.S. House.

On Nov. 10, a district judge rejected the Utah Legislature’s map, which created two more competitive districts, in favor of a map making a “Democratic-leaning district anchored in the northern portion of Salt Lake” that leans blue by up to 20 percentage points….

Young people struggling to make ends meet care less about “the democratic socialist label,” King said, and care more about policies that address their “basic needs,” like affording housing, college tuition, gas and groceries….

Aside form self-identified Democrats, Utahns are less interested in socialism than the rest of the country. The state’s youngest voters are also less likely to have favorable views toward Mamdani or unfavorable views toward capitalism, the poll found.

Nationally, 31% of all voters approve of Mamdani compared to 24% in Utah. Among Gen Z voters, 39% approve of the millennial candidate nationwide, compared to 29% in Utah. This pattern was repeated across multiple questions related to different economic systems.

Whereas 44% of Gen Z nationally have a favorable view of democratic socialism, 34% do in Utah. The same goes for socialism, which is viewed favorably by 42% of Gen Z nationwide and 37% of Gen Z in the state.

The least popular economic system among Gen Z Americans is capitalism, viewed favorably by just 29% of Genn Z nationwide. But the system of private property , profits and prices set by supply and demand was viewed favorably by 42% of young Utahns….

Among American voters of all ages, democratic socialism was viewed favorably by 34% of respondents, socialism by 31% and capitalism by 49%, the poll found.

There were wide partisan disparities, with almost no Republicans in favor of socialism and 59% of Republicans holding favorable views toward capitalism, compared to 47% of independents and 39% of Democrats….

The results of the Deseret News-Hinckley Institute poll did not come s a surprise to Christopher Talgo, a socialism research fellow at libertarian-leaning nonprofit The Heartland Institute, and a former high school history teacher.

A recent Heartland Institute poll conducted in November by Rasmussen Reports found that a majority of likely voters would like to see a democratic socialist candidate win the 2028 presidential election.

This points to a glaring failure in American civics education, according to Talgo, who said he saw firsthand how teachers often glossed over the shortfalls of socialism, and even spoke highly of it, when teaching students.

But the results also reflect the reality of serious economic headwinds that are pushing young people toward extremes, Talgo said. The Heartland poll found that three-quarters of voters said the cost of housing has reached a crisis level.

The poll identified majority support for Mamdani’s proposals to create government-owned grocery stores and to freeze apartment rents. But these government interventions will likely make the problem worse, according to Talgo.

Leaders must apply simple, free-market solutions that make people’s lives better – like removing “crony capitalist” zoning restrictions at the local level to increase housing options – or else Talgo believes Americans will elect more Mamdanis….