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Some people say that people get ahead by their own hard work; others say that lucky breaks or help from other people are more important. Which do you think is most important?
Hard work versus luck in getting ahead · Asked in 29 waves, 1973–2024 · 42,712 responses · weighted estimates computed from individual responses
Dashed lines mark changes in how interviews were done, which can shift answers: 1. → mixed mode (2022).
Shares of people who gave an answer. Each column is one wave, evenly spaced rather than to scale in time; hover for exact shares.
| Poll | Field dates | Mode | Respondents | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Social Survey 2024 | 2024-04-05 to 2024-12-02 | mixed | 3,309 | 1,011 |
| General Social Survey 2022 | 2022-05-08 to 2023-01-08 | mixed | 3,544 | 1,196 |
| General Social Survey 2018 | 2018-04-12 to 2018-11-10 | face to face | 2,348 | 1,574 |
| General Social Survey 2016 | 2016-04-05 to 2016-11-19 | face to face | 2,867 | 1,887 |
| General Social Survey 2014 | 2014-03-31 to 2014-10-13 | face to face | 2,538 | 1,714 |
| General Social Survey 2012 | 2012-03-20 to 2012-09-05 | face to face | 1,974 | 1,308 |
| General Social Survey 2010 | 2010-03-15 to 2010-08-12 | face to face | 2,044 | 1,281 |
| General Social Survey 2008 | 2008-04-17 to 2008-09-13 | face to face | 2,023 | 1,352 |
| General Social Survey 2006 | 2006-03-07 to 2006-08-07 | face to face | 4,510 | 2,739 |
| General Social Survey 2004 |
Dashed lines mark changes in how interviews were done, which can shift answers: 1. → mixed mode (2022).
Shares of people who gave an answer. A group’s column is left blank in waves where its effective sample is under 50; hover for exact shares.
| Group | Hard work most important | Hard work, luck equally important | Luck most important | Other | n | MoE | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All respondents | 65% | 23% | 11% | – | 1011 | ±4 | |
| Lower income | 76% | 15% | 9% | – | 460 | ±7 | |
| Middle income | 57% | 29% | 15% | – | 292 | ±8 | |
| Upper income | 56% | 30% | 14% | – | 153 | ±11 |
General Social Survey 2024 · US adults 18+ living in households (English, and Spanish since 2006). Shares of people who gave an answer. n is unweighted; ± is the 95% margin of error at 50% from the weighted effective sample. Groups with an effective sample under 50 are grayed; under 20, hidden.
| 2004-08-18 to 2005-01-04 |
| face to face |
| 2,812 |
| 898 |
| General Social Survey 2002 | 2002-02-06 to 2002-06-26 | face to face | 2,765 | 924 |
| General Social Survey 2000 | 2000-02-01 to 2000-06-25 | face to face | 2,817 | 1,861 |
| General Social Survey 1998 | 1998-02-01 to 1998-06-19 | face to face | 2,832 | 1,882 |
| General Social Survey 1996 | 1996-02-01 to 1996-05-25 | face to face | 2,904 | 1,923 |
| General Social Survey 1994 | 1994-01-04 to 1994-06-29 | face to face | 2,992 | 1,996 |
| General Social Survey 1993 | 1993-02-05 to 1993-04-26 | face to face | 1,606 | 1,075 |
| General Social Survey 1991 | 1991-02-09 to 1991-05-06 | face to face | 1,517 | 993 |
| General Social Survey 1990 | 1990-02-06 to 1990-04-22 | face to face | 1,372 | 917 |
| General Social Survey 1989 | 1989-02-04 to 1989-05-01 | face to face | 1,537 | 1,033 |
| General Social Survey 1988 | 1988-02-12 to 1988-04-26 | face to face | 1,481 | 977 |
| General Social Survey 1987 | 1987-01-31 to 1987-04-28 | face to face | 1,819 | 1,819 |
| General Social Survey 1985 | 1985-02-09 to 1985-04-23 | face to face | 1,534 | 1,534 |
| General Social Survey 1984 | 1984-02-06 to 1984-04-20 | face to face | 1,473 | 1,473 |
| General Social Survey 1982 | 1982-02-11 to 1982-04-27 | face to face | 1,860 | 1,860 |
| General Social Survey 1980 | 1980-01-18 to 1980-05-16 | face to face | 1,468 | 1,468 |
| General Social Survey 1977 | 1977-02-09 to 1977-04-24 | face to face | 1,530 | 1,530 |
| General Social Survey 1976 | 1976-02-28 to 1976-05-29 | face to face | 1,499 | 1,499 |
| General Social Survey 1974 | 1974 | face to face | 1,484 | 1,484 |
| General Social Survey 1973 | 1973 | face to face | 1,504 | 1,504 |