A recent national survey indicates that capitalism still holds more appeal than socialism, even as Democratic mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani from New York City advances his campaign agenda. Interestingly, many voters are in favor of increasing taxes for the wealthy.
Mamdani identifies as a democratic socialist and aims to enhance affordability in New York City by imposing higher taxes on its affluent residents.
Nationally, 64% of voters endorse government support, particularly when it involves bolstering social programs—73% would back tax increases to see this happen—and aiding the less privileged. However, an increase in taxes for wealthy individuals doesn’t receive unanimous support.
In varying measures, a majority of Democrats (89%), Republicans (56%), and independents (78%) are in favor of taxing the rich to strengthen these social programs.
It’s worth noting that a bit over half of Republicans push back against raising taxes for the wealthy with the intention of preventing extreme wealth accumulation by any single person.
Mamdani’s national approval rating currently sits at a deficit of 19 percentage points, with only 18% of voters viewing him positively compared to 37% who have a negative view. A significant portion, 44%, are unfamiliar with him altogether.
Trump’s ratings highlight a strong stance on border security yet a lesser performance regarding economic issues. Among those who are aware of Mamdani, the most engaged tend to be highly liberal individuals (44%) and Democrats (34%). Many Republicans contribute to negative perceptions of him; conversely, a substantial number of Democrats (47%) and independents (55%) have yet to hear about him.
Despite the desire to tax the wealthy, two-thirds of respondents express a skewed view of socialism—65% see it negatively, according to the latest Fox News surveys, which dates back to 2019.
The most fervent backers of socialism tend to be highly liberal individuals (53% view it positively, the only group surpassing 50%) and Democrats (41%).
While capitalism continues to thrive in popularity, with 53% viewing it favorably, this is a decline from 57% in 2019.
Support for capitalism is notably pronounced among Republican men (80% favorability), individuals over 65 (74%), highly conservative voters (71%), and those holding graduate degrees (70%).
Skepticism about capitalism is particularly evident among independent voters, women, and Hispanic populations. Yet, it’s important to note that even these groups show more preference for capitalism over socialism.
Most voters under the age of 30 seem to hold an unfavorable view of both socialism (56% negative) and capitalism (61% negative).
Cross stub and Top Line
This survey was carried out between September 6 and 9, 2025, by Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), engaging a randomly selected sample of 1,004 registered voters across the nation. The sample included interviews with participants via live callers on landlines (119) and mobile devices (638), as well as online surveys prompted by texts (247). The overall sample results have a margin of error of about ±3 percentage points, which could be higher for subgroups. Methodological factors such as question wording and order may also affect results. Adjustments are made for age, race, education, and other local demographics to reflect the registered voter population more accurately.
