Most Americans think the economy is rigged for the rich and powerful

Washington, D.C., June 20, 2023 – The majority of Americans think the American economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful (69%), according to the findings of a new Ipsos poll among 1,030 Americans conducted between March 21 to March 29, 2023. The poll also finds that nativist sentiment among Americans is high: More than half of all Americans believe traditional parties and politicians don’t care about people like them (64%) and that America needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful (61%). Separately, around half of Americans believe Black people do not have the same opportunities as white people in the U.S. (47%) and that racism is built into the American economy, government, and educational system (53%). Only one in four think the U.S. would be stronger if it stopped immigration (24%) or that immigrants take jobs away from real Americans (24%).

About the Study

This Ipsos poll was conducted March 21 – 29, 2023, by Ipsos using the probability-based KnowledgePanel®. This poll is based on a nationally representative probability sample of 1,030 general population adults age 18 or older, 275 Republican respondents, 309 Democrat respondents, and 359 Independent respondents.

The margin of sampling error for this study is plus or minus 3.2 percentage points at the 95% confidence level, for results based on the entire sample of adults. The margin of sampling error takes into account the design effect, which was 1.07. For Republican respondents, the margin of sampling error is plus or minus 6.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. This margin of sampling error takes into account the design effect, which was 1.05 for Republican respondents. For Democratic respondents, the margin of sampling error is plus or minus 5.7 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. This margin of sampling error takes into account the design effect, which was 1.05 for Democratic respondents. For independent respondents, the margin of sampling error is plus or minus 5.3 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. This margin of sampling error takes into account the design effect, which was 1.05 for independent respondents. In our reporting of the findings, percentage points are rounded off to the nearest whole number. As a result, percentages in a given table column may total slightly higher or lower than 100%. In questions that permit multiple responses, columns may total substantially more than 100%, depending on the number of different responses offered by each respondent.

The survey was conducted using KnowledgePanel, the largest and most well-established online probability-based panel that is representative of the adult US population. Our recruitment process employs a scientifically developed addressed-based sampling methodology using the latest Delivery Sequence File of the USPS – a database with full coverage of all delivery points in the US. Households invited to join the panel are randomly selected from all available households in the U.S. Persons in the sampled households are invited to join and participate in the panel. Those selected who do not already have internet access are provided a tablet and internet connection at no cost to the panel member. Those who join the panel and who are selected to participate in a survey are sent a unique password-protected log-in used to complete surveys online. As a result of our recruitment and sampling methodologies, samples from KnowledgePanel cover all households regardless of their phone or internet status and findings can be reported with a margin of sampling error and projected to the general population.

The data for the total sample were weighted to adjust for gender by age, race/ethnicity, education, Census region, metropolitan status, and household income. The demographic benchmarks came from the 2022 March Supplement of the Current Population Survey (CPS).

• Gender (Male, Female) by Age (18–29, 30–44, 45-59 and 60+)
• Race/Hispanic Ethnicity (White Non-Hispanic, Black Non-Hispanic, Other, Non-Hispanic, Hispanic, 2+ Races, Non-Hispanic)
• Education (Less than High School, High School, Some College, Bachelor or higher)
• Census Region (Northeast, Midwest, South, West)
• Metropolitan status (Metro, non-Metro)
• Household Income (Under $25,000, $25,000-$49,999, $50,000-$74,999, $75,000-$99,999, $100,000-$149,999, $150,000+)

For more information on this news release, please contact:

Chris Jackson
Senior Vice President, US
Public Affairs
+1 202 420-2025
[email protected]

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