In official statistics, income disparities between the highest earners and other Americans have reached levels not seen since the Great Depression, and in the new poll, 61 percent of all adults say the gap is larger than in the past, including 37 percent who say it is “much larger.” About as many, 60 percent, say federal policies should be aimed at lessening the disparities. Those who see a “much larger” wealth gap are particularly apt to say Washington should work to close it; 84 percent in this group say so.

Higher- and lower-income Americans tend to see eye to eye on the existence of the gap, but those from households with lower annual incomes are more supportive of government action. Support for government remediation policies peaks at 75 percent among those earning less than $20,000 a year.

There are even bigger divides between supporters of the Occupy and tea party movements.

Almost three-quarters of Occupy Wall Street supporters believe that the gap between wealthy and non-wealthy Americans is larger than it’s been historically, and almost eight in 10 in want the federal government to pursue policies to rectify the situation. A much smaller majority of tea party backers see a growing divide, and fewer than half say the government should pursue policies to make the gap smaller.