In 2011 blacks viewed socialism favorably; is it actually Bernie's path to Black voters?

[HereSince1628]

Maybe Bernie's success reaching blacks can be facilitated by mostly staying on message.

The main thrusts of criticisms of Sanders campaign is that he is a democratic socialist who has a problem with black support. But there really isn't much evidence that those two things are linked as a reinforcing double negative.

Indeed if we go back to 2011, to the beginnings of the 2012 campaign (thereby taking the competition between the Clinton campaign and Bernie Sanders out of the picture) it turns out that, according to PEW, Blacks supported socialism by a substantial margin: 55% to 36% (and Hispanics were roughly equally divided in their views of capitalism vs socialism). Yes, look at that again, just four years ago in the US support for socialism was strongest among Blacks.



The above chart suggests it's not Sanders and the liberal/progressive left that is against prevailing economic policy perspectives of Blacks, but rather the white moderate democrats who dominate the democratic establishment. In the US over the past decade, it's moderate and conservative white voters who haven't viewed socialism favorably.

And it's white voters more than black voters that need to be convinced that Democratic Socialism isn't a fifth column movement easily conflated with the push of totalitarian centrally controlled of economies that the US opposed in the cold war. It's white voters more than black voters who need to be convinced of America's monstrous asymmetries in justice that can't continue.

There seems to be no long-standing problem between Sanders and Black Americans on issues of socialism, per se.

[leftofcool]

1. Something tells me that socialism is not what Black voters care about.

[HereSince1628]

3. Something suggests that the meme that socialism cannot fight against all injustice

is a construction of the cold war propaganda and status quo politics.

[leftofcool]

4. You don't get it.

[HereSince1628]

8. I think I do.

Immediacy of the need for social justice is -the- issue, particularly so for those involved in BLM. It is for them -the- only issue.

Common ground is essential to establishing the rest of the conversation. Socialism appears to be a path that can carry Bernie to American Blacks so that his interest in social justice and his record of commitment to social justice can be communicated.

None of the three leading democratic candidates are running on, or will win running a campaign on a single issue.

[pangaia]

2. I would also be willing to bet

that a rather large percentage of those people, any Americans, actually, don't even know what capitalism and socialism are, much less democratic socialism.

[azmom]

11. Democratic socialism maybe. But

You can't really believe people don't know what capitalism and socialism are.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

16. Oh, yes very unfortunately...

I have friends that cover all strata, from upper management, business owners, hourly workers; highly educated to GED graduated. My own college educated children. None understand, not really, what the two are all about.

They know the definitions, but not the nuances of both. Don't even bother to point out that we live in a country that uses socialism to some degree. Most argue that if we restrict capitalism in any way we would return to an agricultural society or somewhat like that.

The predjudices are set, they only understand what they want to understand.

I want to pull out my nasal hairs talking to them, it would be less painful.

[pangaia]

19. Oohhh yes I can.....

[Truprogressive85]

5. Awaits Duers to explain me why Socialism is bad for black people

now I why would black people have such a positive view of socialism according to this poll ?

[azmom]

9. It may be because capitalism is inherently

Exploitative system. Being that my latino and black brothers and sisters are the ones that have historically been the most exploited it would make sense that we would favor socialism over capitalism

[HereSince1628]

12. Yes, although Am Hispanics by a closer margin had a negative view of socialism

in that survey.

I suspect that anti-Castro sentiment was part of that. I am not sure how that's changed in 5 years, nor am I sure how the demographics of Hispanics have changed. I suspect migration from non-Cuban countries has had some effect.

[azmom]

6. From what I know about the Latino

Community, I would say that is correct. The only latinos that would be the exception are the older Cuban generation; but they in large vote Republican.

[restorefreedom]

7. very interesting idea

a lot of critics who were saying that bernie will never connect with the aa community said it was because his crusade for economic justice was not enough. obviously there are other issues (institutional racism, needing police reform, etc), but this throws the idea on its head that the aa community will reject bernie for someone who is more "on message." he has some more work to do as he has said, but this shows that the core message of his longtime fight for justice is actually resonating.

great post!

[azmom]

10. This is from 2011 so it only

Pertains to Bernie in the sense that POC may not oppose Bernie solely on the basis of a socialist label that many want to pin him with.

[HereSince1628]

13. Yes. Although being from 2011 it also eliminates the influence of the current campaigns

Certainly current attitudes can't be expected to be precisely represented. And that wasn't my point.

My point is there has been broad sharing of common ground between Blacks and Bernie Sanders. Common ground is what allows people to come together. Without common ground Sanders hasn't a chance to be heard speaking of his hopes and historic commitment for social justice.

[azmom]

15. I agree.

[restorefreedom]

14. but that piece is critical

since the socialist label will be played ad nauseum. if his message of economic justice as a cornerstone of justice for all can be well received, then the rest of his plan might as well.

hoping......

[HereSince1628]

18. Look at this...economic injustice, social injustice...

they are both part of the massive problem with injustice. The ingot of injustice can be cut into pieces but every piece contains social injustice and economic injustice.

Socialism, and progressivism, are about correcting injustice in society. So is the Judaism of Jesus, and so was Liberation Theology.

Our uniquely American capacity to see economic justice as isolated and independent of social justice is a consequence of Americans' capacity to apologize and tolerate an abusive status quo.

It is unfortunate that such apologism is so critical to making centrism work...centrists get to dissemble even to the point of lying to themselves that social justice can somehow be propagated from a machine whose actions, if not basic design is intended to repress the weak in order to sustain the status quo. It is only a softer faced despotism still committed to entrenching socio-economics whose co-products always include injustice.

[Hydra]

17. Socialism is only scary to people who think they are benefitting from the current system

So it's only natural that people who are forced out of the system see no reason to cling to it.