Attitudes toward Capitalism

I received the results of a survey carried out by the BBC involving about 27,000 people. The questions asked included:
1.Are there limits to growth in this country?
2.Should people in this country learn to live with less?
3.We can or cannot solve the problems in this country?
4.Government regulation of business is necessary to protect the public interest.
5.Government regulation of business usually does more harm than good.
6.Do business corporations make too much profit?
7.Do large businesses have too much power in this country?
8.How well is free market capitalism working?
9.Should governments distribute wealth more equally?

The results are interesting. More people now than a few years ago belive there are limits to growth, that people SHOULD learn to live with less, and cannot solve the problems in the country. The results that I find most interesting however, is the breakdown of the attitude toward government regulation.

On the question of whether government regulation of business is necessary to protect the public interest, the amount of education one had significantly affected the response one gave. Of the college grades, 65% thought it necessary while 28% thought it harmful. Of those with some college 50% thought it necessary while 38% thought it harmful. Of those with a high school degree, 41% thought it necessary while 45% thought it harmful.

So, college education makes one more likely to support government intervention in the economy. What is it that is being taught in college?

Almost a quarter - 23% of those who responded - feel capitalism is fatally flawed. And there is very strong support around the world for governments to distribute wealth more evenly. That is backed by majorities in 22 of the 27 countries.

If there is one issue where a global consensus seems to emerge from the survey it is this: there are majorities almost everywhere wanting government to be more active in regulating business.