Campus Units
Political Science
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Accepted Manuscript
Publication Date
4-21-2020
Journal or Book Title
American Journal of Political Science
DOI
10.1111/ajps.12522
Abstract
The American Dream is central to the national ethos, reflecting people's optimism that all who are willing to work hard can achieve a better life than their parents. Separate from the support for the idea of the American Dream itself is whether the public believes it is attainable. We consider the origins and dynamics of the public's belief in the achievability of the American Dream. Is the American Dream a symbolic vision, rooted in political socialization rather than contemporary politics? Or does optimism about the American Dream follow from the viability of the dream, rising with economic prosperity and falling with declining opportunity? We develop a new macrolevel measure of belief in the American Dream from 1973 to 2018. We show that it moves over time, responsive to changes in social mobility, income inequality, and economic perceptions. As inequality increases, belief in the attainability of the American Dream declines.
Copyright Owner
Midwest Political Science Association
Copyright Date
2020
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Wolak, Jennifer and Peterson, David A. M., "The Dynamic American Dream" (2020). Political Science Publications. 77.
https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/pols_pubs/77
Comments
This accepted article is published as Wolak, J., Peterson, D.A.M.; The Dynamic American Dream, April 21, 2020. doi: 10.1111/ajps.12522. Posted with permission.