Determinants of Leftist Radical Belief in the United States: A Test of Competing Theories

The endorsement of leftist radical proposals among members of the mass public has been variously attributed to: political ignorance, social isolation, social integration, economic insecurity, objective economic hardship, and subjective deprivation. This study employs national survey data to simultaneously evaluate each of these competing theories. The political ignorance and social isolation theories receive no empirical support, while the evidence yields varying degrees of support for the other explanations. The findings bear on debates concerning "American exceptionalism"and the responsiveness of the two party system, as well as longstanding theoretical debates concerning the determinants of leftist radicalism.