What is the American Dream?
American Dream (noun)
: an American social ideal that stresses egalitarianism and especially material prosperityalso : the prosperity or life that is the realization of this ideal (merriam-webster)
The American Dream Back Then
John Hector St. John Crevecoeur, who was once a lieutenant in France then emigrated in 1755 to North America, accumulated wealth as an American farmer. He starts his essay in his work called Letters from an American Farmer with the question: "WHAT IS AN AMERICAN." (LETER III, 1) According to him, Europeans sick and tired of the feudalism and ecclesiastical structure that was dominating the society and people's way of life. The hope and craving for a new perspective that can free themselves from hierarchical structure in terms of economical or social status was triggered and mingled with the 'discovery' of this new land, which is now called America. In this new land, people sought for equality in political, economical, social phases as Crevecoeur writes: |
| J. Hector St John de Crevecoeur (image source: Google) |
Can a wretch who wanders about, who works and starves, whose life is a continual scene of sore affliction or pinching penury; can that man call England or any other kingdom his country? A country that had no bread for him, whose fields procured him no harvest, who met with nothing but the frowns of the rich, the severity of the laws, with jails and punishments; ... No! Urged by a variety of motives, here they came. Every thing has tended to regenerate them; new laws, a new mode of living, a new social system; here they are become men: ... (2)
This very concept played a huge role in uniting people who were once from different countries within Europe, encouraging them to define themselves as "Americans". Crevecoeur writes that the people moved into the land of America first began their life mostly as cultivators; they were the farmers of the soil, producing crops and turning a vast deserted land into their own property. Then they cultivated the laws in order to protect their ownership over the land, laws to protect the ethos of so-called egalitarianism.
Then began the 'frontier' movement in 1890's within the land of America; cultivation and 'development' were expected in Western part of the land. The 'free land' motive sustained, moving the frontier line from Europe to the Eastern part of America Westward, under the ideological justification made by Frederick Jackson Turner and his famous essay known as "The Significance of the Frontier in American History." The uncultivated West was deemed savage and uncivilized, resulting in mass migration of people with various purposes. The frontier was thought as an ultimate 'Americanization' of the land, stepping away from the practices of European remnant culture. The frontier was the symbol of independence of America, promoting "the formation of a composite nationality for the American people" (5). What's more, it is also regarded as the backfire of American democracy toward Europe.
1) Americanization of California by Dean Cornwell (image source: Wikipedia)
2) American Progress by John Gast (image source: Google)
To sum up, the American Dream in its earliest from held the idea of unbounded opportunity, property, material prosperity and democracy in practice of equality which is supported by huge amount of free land of American continent.
The American Dream Among Other Countries
The American Dream did not remain among the Americans themselves, influencing people from other countries and making it the global trend throughout history.The most well-known mass immigration took place during the Gold Rush Era. During the 1840's and 50's people not only from Eastern US but also from various nations such as Latin America, China, Europe, Australia, etc. flooded into California in search for gold; all became one under the hope of wealth and prosperity.
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| The statue of Liberty was the first thing immigrants encountered when they came to the US. |
The American Dream was truly a powerful trend that promoted not only the US country into development but also created various structures that still remain in our society such as liberalism, capitalism and immigration. Perhaps that is the reason why America is staying in the lead of all the global force and institutions and why there are seen in other countries as well. We hope to create further discussions on this, detecting the conscious or subconscious American Dream imprinted in our society, especially in East Asian countries.