Capitalism, Free Speech and Economic Anxiety

Sep 20, 2025

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In recent years, support for capitalism has seen noticeable shifts across demographics. Younger generations in particular are more skeptical of capitalism’s benefits compared to older voters, and national surveys reflect this trend. A recent Gallup poll finds that only 54% of Americans now view capitalism positively, down from 60% in 2021 and the lowest level Gallup has ever recorded.

Attitudes toward capitalism vary sharply not only by age, but also by partisanship, geography, and life experience. Our Capitalism Sentiment Score measures these views at the individual level. We assign every voter a score from 0–100, 0 being those who fully support capitalism and 100 being those the most skeptical.

Alongside our Capitalism Sentiment Score, we also track an Economic Anxiety Score, which measures how worried voters are about their personal financial situation and the broader economy. While some voters express their frustration through heightened anxiety; fearing job loss, rising costs, or economic instability – others channel their concerns into more activist-driven responses, seeing the system itself as the problem rather than just the current conditions. These scores differentiate how voters react to economic turbulence.

At the same time, support for free speech has become a flashpoint across demographics and political divides. The recent suspension of Jimmy Kimmel, followed by ABC and parent company Disney’s backtracking in the face of significant backlash has pushed the debate into the headlines once again. Where does society draw the line between speech, accountability, and censorship?

Our Truth vs. Free Speech Sentiment Score captures these dynamics at the individual level. This score highlights where voters stand on the spectrum from those who believe free expression should be absolute, to those who prioritize curbing harmful or misleading speech, and everyone in between.

Together, these sentiment measures help us better understand how Americans are reassessing two foundational pillars of modern democracy: the economic system that drives growth and opportunity, and the freedoms that shape our public discourse.

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