New Survey Upends Conventional Wisdom About the American Dream

Successful professionals tend to believe that the American Dream is all about “the opportunity to go as far as your talents and hard work take you,” but that’s not a belief shared by the average American. A new American Compass/YouGov survey finds that stability, security, and “the promise of dignity, equality, and a job that supports a family” are what ordinary Americans want—but often don’t have access to—in today’s economy.

Across classes and parties, respondents see the current emphasis on the potential for unlimited financial and professional success in America’s economy and culture as out of step with their values. Looking at the state of the country, respondents believe:

• America’s economy and culture prioritize mobility (-14) and consumerism (-12), while respondents are far more interested in an economy that prioritizes rootedness (+80) and productivity (+70)

• Americans also want to see a substantial shift in emphasis toward stability and security versus opportunity and dynamism and toward celebrating the normal versus celebrating diversity

Respondents most want to live in an America that “is a great place to raise a family” and “honors our values and traditions.” Importantly, they are willing to sacrifice to make that possible. The idea that Americans need to “come together and make the sacrifices we have to make to get us back on the right track” was the second most popular message in the survey, behind only the need to reorient education.

Finally, only about a quarter of Americans see “free markets” as a fundamental value and, even among those who do, few believe the term should imply a laissez-faire model of capitalism. Most Americans (57%), and two-thirds of Republicans (69%), prefer free markets that “protect the American market” to ones that “have free trade.”

Click here to read the full survey.