Communism is a term that, over the past 15 years, has become a predominant part of Gen Z’s political views. The term communism itself is a subject of debate.
Merriam-Webster offers various, rather contradictory definitions for the same word. One says that communism is a totalitarian system of government in which the state controls all the means of production. Another states that goods are owned in common and available to all as needed.
Do these not contradict each other? The state owning everything and choosing how it is divided, versus the people deciding?
Unfortunately, this is not the reality of a communist society. Communism is a utopian ideal that sprang from Karl Marx’s Das Kapital. All established communist governments have begun by promising their people liberty, equality, and peace. As we will discuss in this article, this has never been the truth.
The most important question is why Gen Z has turned to communism. A 2025 survey by the Cato Institute found that up to 65% of young Americans (aged 18-29) agree with socialism, and 34% agree with communism.
One key reason Gen Z has turned to communism is the desire for “equality for all”. In the current economy, many have turned to communism’s ideals because the rich seem to be becoming ultra-rich as the poor become poorer.
“Eat the Rich” has become a popular political slogan, for instance. Influence from schools and other educational institutions has also been accused of pushing Gen Z further to the left. Especially so without proper education on communism’s consistent failures when implemented.
The desire to have “free things”, such as free food, free clothing, and a life free of work, is a promise that communism makes. This is the baseline that needs to be addressed: the lack of education on communism and the way that rampant misinformation has drawn Gen Z closer and closer to a dangerous ideology.
Within the current United States Congress, there are over five politicians who support and advocate for communism. The most vocal of these are Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), who are common names when discussing the far left. Many more have started to be elected as Gen Z moves from schools to the voting booths.
This, again, ties back to our original question: why has Gen Z veered so strongly toward communist ideology? Even with the ease with which one can access videos, photographs, and written evidence of the poor quality of life in communist nations, the ideology seems to be soaring in popularity.
This, again, ties back to our original question: why has Gen Z veered so heavily in the direction of communist ideology? Even with the ease that one can access videos, photographs, and written evidence of the poor quality of life in communist nations, the ideology seems to be soaring in popularity.
Current communist nations in the world – Cuba, formerly Venezuela, and North Korea, primarily – have implemented the policies that communism promises. It has never done so in a way that benefits the people, a pattern that follows in every communist nation.
Communism may promise equality, but the blunt truth is that it makes people equally poor and the state far richer at their expense. Communism may promise the equal sharing of goods, but it is a sharing determined by the state’s decisions. The Soviet Famine is a perfect example. When the state orders you to think what they think, to plant only what they tell you to plant, to say exactly what they want you to say, or be executed, you must ask— is this truly equality? Is this truly liberty? Is this truly an end to exploitation?
In the same vein, Gen Z often denounces fascism. Fascism, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is a centralized, autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader that exalts the nation and often race over the individual.
Fascism and communism are not the same, but they are definitely similar in the actions taken to reach their promised goals. Communism is also a centralized, autocratic system with a dictatorial leader. Communist leaders educate their children to exalt their nation.
In Cuba, the hatred toward the Yankees (Americans) forms a core part of Cuban identity. In North Korea, the veneration of the Kim family and silencing anyone who dares to utter a word otherwise. Gen Z has protested against fascism with increasing frequency, seen in the No Kings protests against current President Donald Trump. Gen Z fights tooth and nail to avoid fascism, and then, in an ironic twist, turns and supports communist members running for Congress.
All in all, communism is an ideology that Gen Z has strongly embraced in recent years. More than half of Gen Z supports communism, and this can be clearly seen in the influx of communist politicians in the US Congress. Communism promises much but often delivers little, despite what the world currently seems to say. Gen Z is already a significant generation, one known for its advocacy, desire for change, and commitment to equality. Where does equality fit in with the true dictatorship of a communist society?