American Dream

Benjamin Martin: May I sit with you?
Charlotte Selton: It's a free country. Or at least it will be.
--The Patriot

A popular narrative of the American Dream goes like this: If you work hard enough and are skilled enough, then you can be successful. But if you are born into an unfavorable position, then society owes you resources in order to level the playing field relative to those endowed with more. That way all have equal opportunity to succeed.

This is mischaracterizes the American Dream as expressed by our founding ancestors and practiced during the first century of US history.

As discussed in a recent post, Jefferson et al did not describe a system where opportunities for individuals would somehow by equalized by taking resources from some for the benefit of others. Not only is the task of accurately determining how fairly redistribute resources beyond the capacity of any planning bureau, but doing so would violate the fundamental principle of equality articulated by the Declaration--that being equal treatment under the law. No favors granted to any group.

Instead, the American Dream as originally conceived was an environment--an environment where individuals could pursue their interests, whatever they may be, as long as they did not forcibly intrude on the pursuits of others. In this environment the rule of law, centered on the principle of non-aggression, applies equally to all with no special treatment dispensed by government.

Stated differently, the original American Dream was one where people were free to improve their positions without forcible interference of others. An environment of liberty.

We know that this was the original American Dream not only by the writings of our founding ancestors, but also by the actions of early settlers and immigrants. Many early settlers came here to escape repression, whether that repression was social or economic in nature. They sought an environment where they could practice as they wished. By the time the founding documents of the United States were drawn up, there was a large installed base of people who were practicing the American Dream articulated by Jefferson et al.

Stated differently, Jefferson et al did not blueprint a dream for a society that did not exist. Instead, the Framers were formalizing ideas already understood and in motion in many parts of the land.

The following century saw a massive influx of immigrants who wanted to pursue the dream as well. While some had been formally educated in the founding government structure that spawned it, most learned of the American Dream through word of mouth. As commentators such as Tocqueville observed at the time, this was not primarily a rags-to-riches parable. Instead, immigrants were sending word back to people in the Old Country. "It is possible to do better here. The authorities will not get in your way."

The words of first generation immigrants inspired future generations to follow. While the country was not perfectly free and more improvement was necessary, by the late 19th century, with slavery outlawed, no other place on earth offered such an environment of liberty. And the world knew it.

That would soon change, of course, as the Progressive movement took hold and altered the prospects, and the narrative, of the American Dream.