Millennial Bernie Sanders supporters aren’t as socialist as is commonly believed.
A certain ignorance about the realities of socialism plays favorably for Sanders, but as B.K. Marcus notes for the Foundation for Economic Education, the young have flocked to Sanders as a rebellion against the status quo.
“Even if a different array of confusions drives the radical chic of millennial voters, what is clear is that they see American capitalism as rigged. ‘Crony capitalism,’ from their perspective, is redundant — and ‘free market’ is an oxymoron. They’re not necessarily opposed to meritocracy; they just don’t see what merit has to do with the marketplace,” he writes.
Sanders, who rails against corruption, money in elections, and advocates for a more fair America, has struck a nerve. While his facts can be off, Sanders has tapped into a sense of dissatisfaction among the young and channeled it into support.
It’s no wonder, either. Republicans have done little to present an alternative to the status quo. The only change offered is that heralded by a strongman who has no regard for individual rights and basic freedom.
Millennials don’t care for passive acceptance of the norm. Not anymore, at least. Millennials have become Democratic by default, but it’s a new trend; before the 2000 election, Republicans had an advantage among younger voters. As Democratic candidates have campaigned on hope, change, and a “political revolution,” however, they’ve appealed to millennials who saw the current political system as corrupt or ineffective.
That’s not necessarily a mass dressed in Mao suits and urging the proletariat to rise. Conservatives could put millennials back into play as a voting bloc, but when they write them off as empty-headed socialists, they’re alienating their audience.
