Home > Spotlight Analysis > Republicans, White Evangelical Protestants Most Likely to Believe Capitalism is Important for Being Truly American
Republicans, White Evangelical Protestants Most Likely to Believe Capitalism is Important for Being Truly American
Emma Beyer, PRRI Staff,
04.01.2019
Tags: capitalism

While President Donald Trump denounced socialism during the 2019 State of the Union address, many Democratic politicians and presidential hopefuls continue to call for more liberal and socialist policies, such as Medicare for All, higher taxes for the wealthy, and free public college.

In recent years, the debate between socialism and capitalism in America has been at the forefront of popular discussion, thanks, in part, to politicians like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). But do Americans believe that capitalism is synonymous with being American?

The majority of Americans (56%) say that believing capitalism is the best economic system is important for being truly American, according to a recent PRRI survey. Attitudes on this topic are split by party, religion, and generational lines.

The starkest division is found along partisan lines. Nearly eight in 10 (79%) Republicans say that believing capitalism is the best economic system is important for being truly American. Conversely, independents and Democrats are less likely to believe this, with less than half of independents (49%) and Democrats (46%) rating this as important for being truly American.

Opinions on this issue also vary greatly by religious tradition. Over seven in 10 (71%) white evangelical Protestants agree that capitalism is important for being truly American, compared to 64% of white mainline Protestants, 57% of nonwhite Protestants, and 59% of Catholics. Only 45% of religiously unaffiliated Americans say that believing capitalism is the best economic system is important for being truly American.

Support for capitalism is also divided along generational lines. While 71% of seniors say that believing capitalism is the best economic system is important for being truly American, only 47% of young Americans (ages 18-29) say the same.

White (60%) and Hispanic (56%) Americans are also more likely than black Americans (41%) to say believing in capitalism is important for being truly American.

Following Sanders’ recent announcement that he would seek the Democratic nomination in 2020, the debate between socialism and capitalism is sure to continue.