Wall Street Greedy But Good?

A slight majority of Americans (51%) agree that Wall Street is 'dominated by greed and selfishness' but a larger majority (68%) feel that, on balance, it benefits the country rather than harms it. Views are more positive than a year ago, according to a Harris Poll conducted in October.

Just over a third (36%) disagree on the 'greed and selfishness' question, with the rest undecided. There are higher percentages uncertain this year on most questions, perhaps reflecting the difficult year the markets have endured, with continuing investigations of wrongdoing but also a big improvement of late in share prices.

In reply to two new questions asked this year, most adults (57%) would like to see stronger regulation of Wall Street and only 7% would like to see looser regulation. Those responsible for regulating financial services receive a moderate rating, with 43% positive and 43% negative.

There has been a modest improvement in the last year in the public's perceptions of the people who work on Wall Street - however, they remain very negative. 54% believe that people on Wall Street would be willing to break the law if they believed they could make a lot of money and get away with it - down from 61% last year. Only a minority, 35% (unchanged from last year) believe that in general people on Wall Street are as 'honest and moral as other people'.

1,017 US adults (ages 18+) were interviewed by telephone between October 14 and 19. Questions were prefaced by interviewers explaining that 'The words Wall Street are often used to describe the nation's largest banks, investment banks, stockbrokers and other financial institutions'.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.

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