A recent poll conducted by The Wall Street Journal demonstrates that much of the polarization and divide between Americans has much to do with fundamentally differing worldviews. It’s easy to point to certain political figures such as Donald Trump or Joe Biden as the “cause” of national division, but in truth they are merely individuals who have harnessed political sentiments of one of the two competing sides. In other words, the roots of today’s division are much deeper.

According to the poll, 85% of Republican voters agree with the perspective that anyone can get ahead in America if they are willing to put in the hard work. On the Democrat side of the aisle, that number shrinks considerably to 53%.

This isn’t shocking seeing as today’s Democrats have a more favorable view of socialism, a system in which government rather than the individual is seen as the primary source of social upward mobility. Republicans, on the other hand, believe individual initiative, hard work, and an entrepreneurial spirit freed from the entanglements of overly burdensome government regulations are the primary means of success and upward mobility.

These two fundamentally different — indeed, diametrically opposed — views of the means of attaining the American Dream result in significantly differing perspectives on the state of the nation today.

Another interesting question addressed in the poll deals with the future of the country. Just 34% of Republicans believe the next generation will do better than the current one, whereas 55% of Democrats believe the future is brighter. This would seem to indicate that with Democrats currently in power implementing an increasingly socialistic agenda, Republicans are a bit pessimistic. Furthermore, Republicans more than Democrats (61% to 40%, respectively) view themselves as being looked down upon by the elites.

Finally, when it comes to views of America’s greatness, Republicans embrace this view by a whopping 91-6 margin. By contrast, just 61% of Democrats view America as great, and 34% disagree. This too has much to do with the Left incessantly preaching negative and increasingly ahistorical views of America and her history. When complaining, envy, and tearing down others is the Democrat Party’s political MO, it’s little wonder its voters have such a low view of the country.