Is the ‘American Dream’ a Thing of the Past? Survey Reveals Doubts

Regardless of their background, can anyone live a better life if they work hard?

A survey revealed that only 36% of Americans believe in the “American Dream,” the idea that anyone can live a better life through hard work, regardless of their background.

Homeless in New York / AFP-Yonhap News

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 24th (local time) that a joint survey with the University of Chicago’s NORC showed a doubting view spreading in American society.

The WSJ and NORC surveyed 1,163 registered American voters from the 19th to the 24th of last month. The most common response, at 45%, was that the “American Dream” was true in the past but not now.

Only 36% of respondents believed the “American Dream” is still valid. This is a 17-point decrease from 2012, when 53% of respondents believed in the concept of the American Dream.

On the other hand, the negative response that the “American Dream” has never been a reality in American society increased to 18%.

The rate of denying the existence of the American Dream was only in single digits until the mid-2010s.

Distrust in the U.S. economic and political system has also increased.

50% of respondents agreed with the statement that “the U.S. economic and political system is working against people like me,” while 39% disagreed.

However, while the perception of the overall U.S. economy is currently negative, it appears to be improving.

When asked to evaluate the U.S. economy, 35% of respondents gave positive answers such as “excellent” or “good”.

In a survey conducted in March, only 20% of respondents answered positively to the same question.

The proportion of respondents with a negative perception of the current U.S. economy was 65%.