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POLITICS

72% Favor Free Market Economy Over One Managed by the Government

Voters remain strongly supportive of a free market economy over one controlled by the government and still think small businesses are hurt more than big businesses when the government does get involved.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 72% of Likely U.S. Voters believe a free market economy is better than an economy managed by the government. Just 14% think a government-managed economy is better. Another 14% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here).

Republicans and unaffiliated voters overwhelmingly prefer a free market approach. Among these segments of the electorate, the number preferring a government-managed economy is in the single digits.

Among Democrats, 48% say a free market is better, but 29% think a government-managed economy is the answer. Twenty-three percent (23%) are not sure.

Seventy-five percent (75%) of those who work for a private company give the nod to a free market economy, compared to 53% of government employees.

The majority (56%) of all voters think increased competition rather than increased government regulation is the best way to hold big business accountable. But 34% see increased regulation as the better course.

Voters also view increased competition rather than increased government regulation as a better way to protect borrowers from unfair lending practices.

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on July 6-7, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

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