A $1 Million Gamble on Gen Z Economic Literacy

The Million Dollar Question initiative has drawn nearly 4,900 Gen Z participants to date. After reviewing data on inflation, regulation, and government spending, 55.9% concluded that subsidies and market interventions have driven up prices. Conversely, only 15.4% advocated for increased government expenditure as a solution. Perhaps most telling, 28.7% of respondents admitted they required more research before forming a definitive stance, suggesting a level of intellectual caution rarely captured in traditional political surveys.

FEE President Diogo Costa argues that the results dismantle the stereotype of a generation with fixed, dogmatic views. By incentivizing deep engagement, the organization found a cohort actively evaluating competing economic theories. This analytical trend mirrors broader shifts in the labor market, where Gen Z is increasingly bypassing traditional career paths in favor of entrepreneurship; Gusto data shows these young adults launched 9% of all new businesses in 2025, outstripping the 5% rate among Baby Boomers.

Registration for the quiz remains open through the end of August. Finalists will eventually compete in a live event to claim the grand prize, but for the Foundation, the real metric of success lies in the participants' willingness to follow arguments to their logical conclusions rather than defaulting to partisan scripts.