The American Dream: Origins, Evolution, and Democratic Culture

Introduction: Defining the American Dream

The so-called "American Dream" has changed in fundamental ways over the years, beginning with a modest vision of a steady job with a living wage, a little house with a white picket fence, a decent car, a happy marriage, and good kids who stayed out of trouble. Over the years, however, this modest vision transformed into far greater aspirations, including a large salary, a big house in the suburbs, and children who excelled in academics and extracurricular activities, among countless other expectations. Today, more and more Americans are realizing that this vision is not achievable for them — and perhaps not for their children either — due to major economic and social changes.

This paper provides a discussion of the concept of the "American Dream," including its basic definition, the origins of the term, and the extent to which it has evolved over time in U.S. history. It also describes the extent to which the American Dream has become part of U.S. political culture since its origin, and how it has influenced the actions of the national government over time. A personal reflection on what the American Dream means in terms of lived experience and future vision is followed by a summary and analysis of the true-crime film Pain & Gain. Finally, the paper analyzes whether the current version of the American Dream is compatible with the political culture that scholars believe is necessary to sustain a healthy democratic system, and what steps society might take to reassert a democracy-friendly political culture.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the "American Dream" as "a happy way of living that is thought of by many Americans as something that can be achieved by anyone in the U.S. especially by working hard and becoming successful" (American dream, 2018, para. 2). The origins of the term are credited to James Truslow Adams, whose 1931 history of the country, The Epic of America, first defined the "American Dream" as "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunities for each according to ability or achievement" (as cited in Carter, 2017, p. 30). In 1931, the nation was still struggling to overcome the devastating economic and social effects of the Great Depression, and Adams' definition was applicable to most Americans of the day. Since that time, however, David and Gelfeld (2017) report that, "In sync with the term's roots in a challenging time in American history, its meaning has evolved as times and circumstances have changed — generations have varied their definition of the Dream they pursue" (p. 77).

Origins and Historical Evolution of the American Dream

While precise definitional clarity may be elusive, most people would likely agree that the concept of the American Dream has not changed with respect to the belief that lives should become better during one's own lifetime, and certainly better for one's children. It is important to note, though, that just as the definitions of the American Dream have shifted over time, individuals' own conceptions of the Dream also change across their lifetimes. In this regard, David and Gelfeld (2017) add that "Generation X has demonstrated how the definition of the American Dream does not only evolve over time; it also evolves in the minds of individuals as they age" (p. 78). This foundational notion of a shared dream for all Americans has also become an integral part of U.S. political culture, as discussed further below.

Although the term "American Dream" dates to 1931, the concept itself dates back to the founding of the United States, when its essential values were embodied by the Founders in the Declaration of Independence, which proclaims in part: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness" (as cited in David & Gelfeld, 2017, p. 77). The United States has the only constitution in the world that guarantees "the pursuit of happiness" as part of citizens' basic civil rights, making it reasonable to suggest that the American Dream has always been an important part of U.S. political culture.

Indeed, just prior to the term entering the popular lexicon, a modest version of the American Dream was articulated by Republican presidential candidate Herbert Hoover in 1929, who promised all Americans "a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage." Such campaign promises have varied over the years, but they all share the common thread of focusing on material well-being that will make Americans' lives better. Because tens of millions of Americans still struggle to make ends meet while living below the poverty line, it is reasonable to posit that a "chicken in every pot" is no longer a sufficient promise even from the most charismatic politician — a point discussed further below in relation to a personal perspective on the American Dream.

The American Dream in U.S. Political Culture and Government

There have been times in my life when even a "chicken in the pot" would have been an improvement over my existing situation, but I have always subscribed to the notion that I could leverage hard work, talent, and honesty into incremental gains that, over time, would make my life and the lives of my family members better. I never expected a Horatio Alger-style rags-to-riches success story, but I have held a strong conviction that the United States is a land of boundless opportunity, and that individuals are limited only by their abilities, ambition, and willingness to work hard.

After encountering a number of metaphorical brick walls, however, the realization set in that opportunities in this country are not spread around equally, and that some people remain structurally disadvantaged compared to others. This point is also made by Loewen (1998), who emphasizes that "once [Americans] see the social processes that have helped keep their families poor, they can let go of their negative self-image about being poor. Knowledge of the social class system also reduces the tendency of Americans from other social classes to blame the victim for being poor" (p. 201). This observation suggests that, from the perspective of many affluent Americans, the failure to realize the American Dream is understood as people's own fault — a problem that could be overcome with sufficient hard work and perseverance.

As Loewen (1998) and like-minded social scientists point out, however, the social class system in the United States tends to create significant obstacles that many people are unable to overcome, no matter how hard they try. Notwithstanding these challenges, I remain convinced that the American Dream is not only still attainable but that I will attain it. This firm belief, however, is not shared by far too many Americans today. It is particularly galling for many to watch people from upper classes enjoy the numerous privileges that accompany affluence in this country without exerting a fraction of the effort that others expend simply trying to earn a living. This was essentially the situation in which the protagonist found himself in the film Pain & Gain, which is summarized and discussed below.

Conclusion

Loewen, J. W. (1998). Lies my teacher told me. New York: The New Press.

Vesely, C. (2013, April 20). Big director, buff actors, tall tale, tiny budget. Winnipeg Free Press, 3.