The kids these days are doing fine . . . if you think socialism is fine. According to a recent YouGov poll, 43 percent of those ages 18 to 29 have a favorable view of socialism, compared with 23 percent of those over 65. Because only 26 percent of young people had an unfavorable view (the rest had no preference), respondents under 30 were the only group more likely to report a positive view of socialism than a negative view.
But this isn’t simply a youthful flirtation with supposedly radical views. Labels aside, there’s something deeper going on: An analysis of national survey data reveals that on core issues of the role of government, young people are significantly more pro-government than their parents.