# Why Gen Z is drawn to communism

> Young Americans favor communism at rates that alarm those who lived through it, but their reasons have little to do with Soviet history.
- Title: Why Gen Z is drawn to communism · Fortune | Shortify
- Summary: Young Americans favor communism at rates that alarm those who lived through it, but their reasons have little to do with Soviet history. Gen Z's interest in…
- Keywords: gen z, communism, socialism, capitalism, economic inequality, united states, youth politics, housing crisis, student debt, political rhetoric, Gen, drawn
- Source: Fortune — https://fortune.com/2026/09/19/why-gen-z-is-drawn-to-communism-socialism
- Author: Luba Kassova
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: gen z, communism, socialism, capitalism, economic inequality, united states, youth politics, housing crisis, student debt, political rhetoric
## Four in ten Gen Z favor communism
A Cato Institute survey found 38% of Americans aged 18-29 view communism favorably, double the rate among 45-54 year olds and triple that of those 55-64.

> four in ten (38%) 18-to-29-year-olds are favorable towards communism
## Google searches for communism surging
Searches for communism in the US have jumped 82% since 2006, reaching all-time highs. News mentions of socialism now match those of capitalism globally.

> Google searches for communism have reached an all-time high in the US, up 82% since 2006
## Trump's red-baiting escalated rhetoric
President Trump mentioned communism 81 times in two weeks around July 4th, using the term as a midterm campaign tactic against opponents.

> President Trump drastically escalated his warnings about communism this summer, mentioning the term 81 times
## Young people lack Soviet context
Gen Z grew up three generations removed from the Soviet era and turn to Google and AI to understand terms like communism, socialism, and authoritarianism that hold no historical meaning for them.

> We grew up without memories of the Soviet era. We view these terms more abstractly
## Red-baiting backfired on Republicans
When Republicans label popular policies like universal healthcare as socialism or communism, young people see those policies as good and conclude communism might be good too.

> when you see something that looks good for people being labelled socialism, or communism, you think, 'Well, those things seem good'
## Gen Z prefers socialism over capitalism
Fifty-three percent of 18-29 year olds favor socialism compared to 45% who favor capitalism, reflecting deep dissatisfaction with the current economic system.
## Housing crisis defines Gen Z economics
The median age of first-time home buyers jumped from 29 in 1981 to 40 in 2025, alongside soaring costs, student debt, and stagnant wages that fuel interest in alternative systems.
## Crony capitalism, not real capitalism
Young people see billionaires controlling media, corporations funding politicians, monopolies, and outsourced labor as proof that American capitalism is broken and corrupt.

> we've seen large corporations become a sort of authoritarian entity in themselves
## Gen Z wants economic democracy
Young people seek more regulation, individual say in the economy, and limits on CEO power rather than endorsing Soviet-style communism.

> We want more regulation, more individual ground-level say in the economy and less of one CEO at the top
## Key takeaway

Gen Z's interest in communism stems from economic frustration with capitalism, not ideological commitment to authoritarian regimes, and politicians' anti-communist rhetoric may be backfiring.