It must be a sad day for all those anti-socialist hardliners in Miami, but 20% of Americans told Rasmussen Reports
that they think socialism is better than capitalism. While only 53% can
definitely say that capitalism is better than socialism. In adults
under 30 the margin is even smaller. Thirty three percent prefer socialism, and only 37%
champion capitalism (Thirty percent had no idea what these pollsters were talking
about).
Has Fidel finally won? Well, let's consider that some
bastardized form of capitalism that we ran away with for the past few
decades just had the rug pulled out from under it. So, maybe it's not a
huge surprise that Americans are getting a little red in the face while
flirting with Marxist ideals at the moment. Plus, as Alex Koppelman over at Salon is quick to point out,
"I don't think we can really say anything at all with confidence based
on these results, because Rasmussen didn't provide a definition of
their terms when they conducted the poll, and definitions -- or the
lack thereof -- can have a significant effect on survey results."
I also wonder how the results of the poll would have be skewed if a little "third-way" mix of both was included.
