Bernie Sanders is the early frontrunner for the Democratic Presidential nomination. In this episode with economist Emily Chamlee-Wright, we look at why support for socialism is on the rise, and where this ideology comes from. According to recent polls of young Americans, ages 18 to 29, they are more likely to have a positive view of socialism than capitalism.

Despite socialist economic failures in Venezuela, Africa and Eastern Europe, today's promises of free health care, college loan debt forgiveness, mandatory stock ownership for employees, and guaranteed income look increasingly attractive to numbers of voters in the U.S.

"Seriously debating socialism gets us talking about a good society really is and the philosophical, economic and political foundations that underlie it," wrote Emily in The Wall Street Journal.

While believing that "competitive and open markets are the answer", Emily she tells us that the debate over socialism allows us to challenge the flawed system of crony capitalism and discuss fundamental moral questions about how our economy is organized.

Emily Chamlee-Wright is President and CEO of The Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University.

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