The Evolution of the American Dream

The American Dream can be described as an ideology rooted in a Puritan belief system, tracing back as far as the American Declaration of Independence in 1776. It represents the ultimate meritocracy, where anyone, regardless of class, cultural, or ethnic background, can achieve upward social mobility through hard work within a capitalist system. The term ‘American Dream’ originated later, in 1931, from the works of author and former investment banker James Truslow Adams. Thus, it may be said by some that the American Dream, as coined by an upper-class, white male, largely excluded women and minority groups for decades. Critics of the ideology view it as an unattainable and unsustainable utopia due to the rampant inequality that continues to plague American society. However, supporters argue that it represents a means of freedom and equality for all, and that if diversity is not actively promoted, the American Dream has not yet been fully realised. Although its popularity has waned, many still remain hopeful that the US will eventually achieve the tenets of the American Dream.

The Nineteenth Century: The Formative Years of the American Dream

While it could be argued that the American Dream began in the eighteenth century with Puritan beliefs and the Declaration of Independence, it was the nineteenth century that set the ideology into motion. During this period, there was an increased emphasis on individualism, self-interest, and the formation of a true democracy governed by the people. Breaking away from British rule heightened the importance of individual rights, making social mobility and private ownership possible and consigning feudalism to the past.

The Industrial Revolution marked the formation of an economic dream. The move towards liberty and equality for all became a cultural marker of the American Dream that had been established in the eighteenth century and refined in the nineteenth. Economic freedoms became a reality under capitalism. If one worked hard enough, they could climb the social ladder, with privately owned land and wealth serving as markers of success. However, many critics argue that this Dream came at the expense of enslaved people, who, due to their skin colour in a predominantly racist society, were systematically positioned at the bottom of a system that purported to champion liberty and equality for all.

The Twentieth Century: The Rapid Rise and Fall of the Dream

The American Dream increasingly became synonymous with material wealth, with a growing emphasis on consumerism and owning luxury goods. Following the abolition of slavery in 1865, former slaves were granted freedom. Home ownership and the ability to hold a job and support a family became attainable goals for many. However, the Great Depression devastated the economy, leading to widespread starvation and casting a shadow over the promise of the American Dream.

Conversely, the World Wars saw women entering the job market, gaining control over much of the economy, and exercising significant agency, quietly rebuilding the American Dream in the context of wartime.

After World War II, men returned to the US and re-entered the job market, overtaking the temporarily female-dominated economy. However, some women were allowed to keep their jobs, and new roles, especially in secretarial positions, enabled them to build long-term careers. The American Dream had largely become suburban, as many families moved to the suburbs for a more sustainable lifestyle, marking a resurgence of the middle class. Critics, however, argue that minority groups and women were often relegated to low-salary positions with limited upward mobility, indicating that the American Dream was not fully realised. Additionally, racism and sexism remained pervasive, undermining the American Dream’s cultural ideals of liberty and equality for all.

In the late twentieth century, globalisation increasingly shaped the world. With the transfer of jobs overseas, many were left unemployed, making traditional means of earning wages through manual labour less feasible. Nonetheless, many sought upward social mobility through education, transitioning from a labour economy to a knowledge economy. Manual jobs became progressively less popular, though they remained one of the few attainable methods of earning a salary for those unable to afford higher education.

The Twenty-First Century: A New Dream

The decline of the middle class, which began in the late twentieth century and was exacerbated by the 2008 recession, has led many to become disenchanted with the American Dream, particularly with the increased focus on social justice. Critics argue that the American Dream has historically excluded women and minorities and is now an outdated concept. The COVID-19 pandemic further emphasised remote work and contributed to a decline in belief in the American Dream, as inflation misaligned with wages and the wealth gap expanded.

I propose that many young people, disillusioned with the old American Dream and facing limited prospects for home ownership or family support, are pursuing a new dream centred around experientialism. This emerging ideology values life experiences over material wealth, with travel increasingly replacing consumer goods as the marker of success, particularly showcased and advertised on social media.

It is therefore reasonable to ask: Is the American Dream constantly evolving or is it being debunked? The rise of experientialism as a replacement for the traditional American Dream is evident today. However, one could argue that travel and the pursuit of life experiences do not necessarily disprove the old American Dream, as all ideologies evolve over time. Nevertheless, the old criticisms that it may be too idealistic to ever fully attain still persist. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide whether the traditional American Dream is still evolving or if it has become extinct, unable to survive the current climate.

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