Is The US Moving Left? 7 In 10 Millennials Would Lean Towards Voting For A Socialist

A YouGov-Victims Of Communism Memorial Foundation poll released Monday said that 70% of American Millennials would be somewhat or extremely likely to vote for a socialist candidate.

The survey also said that only 57% of Millennials believe the Declaration of Independence better "guarantees freedom and equality" over the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx.

A Millennial is defined as being between the ages of 23 and 38.

The same survey revealed that 50% of Millennials have a favorable idea of the term "capitalism" in comparison to 63% of Baby Boomers (ages 55-73) and 77% of the Silent Generation (ages 74 and higher). Only 49% of Generation Z (ages 16-22) had a favorable opinion of the term.

Marion Smith, the Executive Director of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation said that "the historical amnesia about the dangers of communism and socialism is on full display in this year's report." Older generations might be more pro-capitalism and anti-socialism as they lived during the Cold War between the U.S. and the communist Soviet Union, which lasted from 1947 to 1991.

As the cost of living in parts of the U.S. continues to rise, more Millennials may be less averse to the term socialism, and more in favor of government intervention in the economy. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Democratic candidate for president, has developed a powerful following among young people, with his plans to forgive student loan debt and implement a universal single-payer healthcare system.

Sanders has called himself a "Democratic Socialist," and has said that the country should focus on an economic bill of rights, such as the right to healthcare, affordable housing, racial equality, a clean environment and a living wage.

Trump has tried to paint Sanders as an extremist and has used the term "socialist" as a pejorative for many Democrats. During his State of the Union address earlier this year, he said "Here in the United States, we are alarmed by calls to adopt socialism in our country… Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country."