Americans are more skeptical about the future of the American Dream for their nation than they are for their own families, and a majority say it is not alive in America today, according to a new report from Florida State University’s Institute for Governance and Civics (IGC).
Key findings:
Nationwide, 55% say the American Dream is not alive, while 30% say it is, and 47% say their children are less likely to be financially better off than their parents.
Political ideology is a stronger predictor of beliefs than income or employment status. Thirty-eight percent of very conservative respondents said the American Dream is alive and well, compared to 10 percent of very liberal respondents.
Historical data shows that attitudes about the American Dream rise and fall in response to economic and political circumstances, rather than steadily declining over time.
Florida adults are slightly more optimistic about the future of the country and their families than the national sample, but pessimism still outweighs optimism.
“These findings suggest that attitudes toward the American Dream are not simply a reflection of economic hardship,” said Ryan Owens, director of the Institute for Governance and Civic Studies.
“Americans consistently hold more pessimistic views of the country as a whole than their own families,” said Zach Goldberg, a research faculty member and co-author of the report. “That pattern appears in our current research and historical data.”
