What Is the American Dream?
The American dream embodies the belief that anyone, regardless of their background or social standing, can achieve their unique version of success in a society that offers upward mobility for all.
The dream is believed to be realized through commitment, risk-taking, and hard work, rather than luck.
Key Takeaways
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The phrase “American dream” debuted in James Truslow Adams’ 1931 book Epic of America.
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Adams described it as “a land where life should be better and richer for everyone, offering opportunity based on ability and achievement.”
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Factors like homeownership and education are usually seen as paths to achieving this dream.
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While definitions of the American Dream vary among generations, the concept remains a staple of American ethos.
Unraveling the American Dream
James Truslow Adams coined the term “American dream” in his 1931 bestseller Epic of America, portraying it as a land where life is rich and full for everyone, based on ability and achievement, irrespective of birth or class.
Adams elaborated, pointing out that this dream is not purely material but one where each individual strives toward their fullest potential and is valued for their inherent capabilities, regardless of their birth or position.
Rooted in concepts found in the Declaration of Independence, the idea is that all individuals may pursue “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”
As a nation largely built by immigrants, America symbolizes a land of opportunity, where becoming an ‘American’ is possible for anyone, extending its promise beyond borders to future generations.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the American Dream
Advantages
Achieving the American Dream hinges on political and economic freedoms, alongside legal constructs like private property rights, enabling individuals to pursue success and have confidence in the durability of their achievements.
The American ideal promises freedoms—including significant and minor life decisions, aspirations for growth, wealth accumulation, dignified living, and adherence to personal values.
Stories like those written by Horatio Alger signify the American Dream, depicting wealth born out of hard work and fortune, independent of birth circumstances.
Disadvantages
By framing it as a “dream,” it suggests these ideals may not always match the lived experiences of many Americans and hopeful immigrants. Historical inequalities and social injustices confront this notion, making the ideal sometimes elusive.
Increasing income disparities, especially post-1970s, have raised concerns over the dream’s attainability, with substantial income growth seen predominantly among higher-income groups, intensifying the gulf between the affluent and the less fortunate.
Pros:
- Promotes freedom and equality
- Motivates initiatives improving individual lives
Cons:
- Often, reality doesn’t meet these high ideals
- Rising income inequality adds barriers to achieving the dream
Measuring the American Dream
Today, milestones like homeownership symbolize financial success and independence integral to the American Dream concept. Business ownership, education access, and healthcare also underline this pursuit.
For instance, U.S. homeownership peaked at 66% by late 2023, reflecting a critical Dream element. Entrepreneurship, contributing over 17.3 million jobs between 1995 and 2021, similarly defines this Dream.
The American Dream is broadened by property ownership, business ventures, and constructing a self-curated life, foundationally supported by accessible education and healthcare.
Special Considerations
In her analysis, sociologist Emily S. Rosenberg identifies five recurrent American Dream attributes globally: imitating American development, economic liberalization, free trade support, fortified information exchange, and guarded private ventures.
Locational advantages, like geographical isolation, temperate climate, and resource richness (oil, fertile land, coastline), have favorably positioned the U.S. in provisioning standards conducive to Dream pursuits.
Historically, revisions in the American Dream shifted its meaning across epochs, notably contrasting today’s material focus from its initial ethos of equality and communalism.
What Is the Original American Dream?
Early 1900s reformers coined an American Dream reflecting equality, social justice, and democratic integrity rather than material desires. Possessed initially by social progressives and later expanded in James Truslow Adams’ 1931 narrative, it envisioned a land equitably prospering by merit.
Examples of the American Dream
Owning a home, sustaining a family, securing jobs, or starting a business depict classic American Dream achievements.
Can the American Dream Still Be Achieved?
The American Dream’s viability is debated amidst soaring housing costs, interest rates, and obligations like retirement savings and high educational expenditure, collectively building daunting financial barriers for many.
Aligning with Martin Luther King Jr.’s Vision
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. amplified the American Dream in his “I Have a Dream” address, envisaging a nation embodying true egalitarianism—a call for authentic equal opportunities bypassing racial constraints, aligning communal civil rights with individual dreams.
Evolution of the American Dream
Historically, the American Dream transitioned from a shared ethos of equity to a more consumption-driven, individualistic pursuit. Over recent decades, consumer home loans and real estate markets heavily influenced its contemporary tenor.
Conclusion
Persisting as a uniquely “American” ethos, the American Dream emphasizes that personal hard work can forge any individual’s desired life. This inspiring drive fuels economic ambitions and entrepreneurial zeal—widely represented by generational shifts in its definition—remaining integral to America’s core identity.
Related Terms: upward mobility, freedom, equality, homeownership, education, success.
References
- James Truslow Adams. “The Epic of America”. Page 404. Taylor & Francis Group, 2017.
- National Archives. “Declaration of Independence: A Transcription”.
- Constitution Annotated. “Amdt14.S1.1.2 Citizenship Clause Doctrine”.
- United States Census Bureau. “Real Household Income at Selected Percentiles: 1967 - 2014”.
- U.S. Census Bureau. “Quarterly Residential Vacancies and Homeownership, Fourth Quarter 2023”. Page 5.
- U.S. Small Business Administration. “Frequently Asked Questions About Small Business 2023”.
- Emily S. Rosenberg. “Spreading the American Dream, American Economic and Cultural Expansion, 1890-1945”. Chapter 1: Introduction to the American Dream. Hill & Wang, 2011.
- Greene, Maxine. “On the American Dream: Equality, Ambiguity, and The Persistence of Rage”. *Curriculum Inquiry,*vol. 13, no. 2, Summer 1983, pp. 179-193.
- Sarah Churchwell. “Behold, America, The Entangled History of ‘America First’ and ’the American Dream’”. Hachette Book Group, 2018.
- Ad Forum. “Fannie Mae - ‘American Dream’”.
