The American Dream

Reading this topic guide you can get help if you are interested in what the American dream means. You can get an overview of the historical background for this ideal, as well as the role it plays in modern American society. The subject is very popular, and you can also meet it in English or social sciences classes.

Our guide gives you a thorough overview of the subject, as well as suggestions for specific source texts that you can include in your work.

Because this guide is specifically designed for use in English, we have written most of the guide in English.

Overview

The United States was founded on an ideal of individual freedom and basic human rights, including the idea that every person has the right to seek happiness in his own way. Along with other aspects of US history, this thought led to the ideal of the American dream. The ideal is found in many different variations, but the basic thought is that an American who works hard can achieve success in life regardless of the person's background.

However, the idea of ​​the American dream has also been criticized from many sides. For example, it is often mentioned that, in practice, the American community has very low social mobility, despite the dream that everyone can become rich. Another point of criticism is that a large number of groups have encountered discrimination in their attempt to live the American dream in both historical and contemporary terms. A third criticism point out that the American dream has been closely linked to a consumer culture that is very harmful to the environment.