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Harvard Poll: 39% Of Young Adults Say Political Violence May Be Justified In Some Situations

05:09 AM, 12/05/2025
Harvard Poll: 39% Of Young Adults Say Political Violence May Be Justified In Some Situations

The 2025 Harvard Youth Poll finds that 39% of Americans aged 18 to 29 say political violence could be justified in at least one scenario, while 56% say it is never acceptable. Respondents most commonly cited government violations of individual rights, fraudulent election outcomes and the promotion of extremist beliefs as potential triggers. Researchers link willingness to accept violence to economic stress, declining institutional trust and social alienation. The question was included for the first time shortly after the killing of activist Charlie Kirk.

Nearly Four In Ten Young Americans See Political Violence As Justifiable In Certain Cases, Poll Finds

The 2025 Harvard Youth Poll, conducted by the Kennedy School and released Thursday, surveyed more than 2,000 Americans aged 18 to 29 about politics, national outlook and attitudes toward political violence. While a majority said political violence is never acceptable, 39% indicated there are at least some circumstances in which it might be justified.

Respondents most often pointed to government violations of individual rights as a potential trigger (28%). Other scenarios cited included perceived fraudulent election outcomes (12%), the promotion of extremist beliefs (11%), encouragement of violence by others, and situations where peaceful protest is seen as failing to achieve its goals.

"Gen Z is headed down a path that could threaten the future stability of American democracy and society," said Jordan Schwartz, student chair of the Harvard Public Opinion Project. "This is a five-alarm fire, and we need to act now if we hope to restore young people's faith in politics, America and each other."

Researchers who analyzed the results linked greater openness to political violence with economic hardship, declining trust in institutions and rising social alienation among young people. The poll question on political violence was included in the Youth Poll for the first time and was fielded shortly after the killing of activist Charlie Kirk on the campus of Utah Valley University.

The report comes amid a broader pattern of threats and attacks targeting public figures in recent years, including two assassination attempts on President Donald Trump in 2024 and an arson attack at the home of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. The Harvard Crimson is the primary outlet reporting on the poll details and findings.

Methodology And Context

The Youth Poll sampled more than 2,000 respondents ages 18 to 29 across the United States. Questions examined attitudes toward political institutions, civic engagement, and scenarios in which political violence might be considered. The findings highlight a mix of caution and alarm: while a solid majority rejects violence outright, a substantial minority expresses conditional acceptance tied to grievances and perceived failures of institutions.

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Harvard Poll: 39% Of Young Adults Say Political Violence May Be Justified In Some Situations - CRBC News