Polls show that a frighteningly large percentage of young Americans think they’d rather live under socialism than capitalism. Why is that?

Duke economics professor Michael Munger offers a cogent explanation in this AIER article.

He writes:

I think the explanation for the paradox is simple: Everything difficult has been banished. Just as our physiological immune system needs threats to mature and avoid attacking itself, our sense of commercial efficacy has to be confronted with challenges, and surmount those challenges, to mature into effective citizenship.

Correct. That reminds me of Schumpeter’s point that capitalism would collapse because it would create such a class of wealthy, over-educated grumblers who would have nothing better to do than find ways to tear down the system that made their wealth possible. Add to that the constant demand for “safety,” and what you get is a vast number of people who are easily turned into social-justice warriors.

Read the whole thing.