Majority of Americans oppose moving toward socialism: poll

A majority of Americans oppose a national shift away from capitalism and toward socialism, a recent survey revealed.

Overall, 60% of registered voters opposed such a shift, while 32% support it, according to a recent Fox News poll. That position tended to trend along partisan lines, with 83% of Republicans, 63% of independents, and 35% of Democrats disinclined toward moving toward socialism. A Majority of Democrats, however, 53%, saw a shift in that direction as a positive move.

Moreover, 54% of voters said they believed the country was trending in that direction, while just 38% said it was not.

Conversely, a majority of respondents do want the government to "lend me a hand" as opposed to "leave me alone," the survey found. While 43% preferred government to stay out of their affairs, 52% wanted some aid.

That metric represents a reversal from one year ago, when more voters, 47%, wanted Washington to take a hands off approach, as opposed to 44% who wanted more support in their lives.

An overwhelming 73% of respondents said the economy was getting worse.

The poll was conducted Oct. 9-12 among 1,206 registered voters and has a margin of error of +/- 2.5%.