New polling findings suggest that the American public is feeling down about capitalism but remains wary of full-blown socialism — and many voters are now weighing whether a few socialist candidates might help shake up the system.

The findings, reported by Mene Ukueberuwa at The Free Press, point to a notable gap between what Americans say in public and what they are willing to say in private. That gap matters because it suggests the debate over economic systems is not being reduced to simple labels; instead, people appear to be distinguishing between broad support for capitalism as a framework and frustration with how it is working in practice.

• Just a third of Americans privately say they have a positive view of capitalism.
• Less than half of Republicans privately express a positive view of capitalism, though two-thirds support it in public.
• Almost half of women privately say they would consider voting for a socialist.
• Nearly a third of Gen Z publicly say that America would be better off as a socialist country, but only 14 percent say so in private.
• A majority of Black Americans publicly say capitalism is the cause of America's social ills, but only 37 percent say so privately.
• Of people earning more than $150,000 a year, 58 percent privately say they are open to voting for a socialist, though only 42 percent say so publicly.

Taken together, the results depict a public that is skeptical of capitalism, hesitant about fully embracing socialism, and considering whether a small number of socialist candidates might bring change to the system. The mix of public and private answers also suggests that views on these labels remain politically sensitive, which helps explain why support can look different depending on whether respondents are speaking openly or anonymously.

The figures were highlighted by the economics blog Marginal Revolution.