Graduation Year
2025
Date of Submission
12-2024
Document Type
Open Access Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Government
Second Department
Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE)
Reader 1
Michael Fortner
Terms of Use & License Information
Rights Information
© 2024 Shaira Busnawi
Abstract
The American Dream has long been celebrated as a unifying ideal, promising opportunity, upward mobility, and success to all who work diligently. However, this thesis argues that the Dream no longer fulfills its role as a cohesive organizational mechanism for American society. Instead, it perpetuates inequality, fosters competition over cooperation, and fails to address systemic barriers faced by marginalized communities. The analysis begins with the historical evolution of the American Dream and its transformation in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, exposing structural flaws that have eroded public trust in its attainability. Case studies on rural Appalachian communities and women’s rights illustrate how systemic inequities exclude entire groups from accessing the Dream. Drawing on the four tenets of the American Dream, alongside scholarly critiques of race, class, and materialism, the thesis reveals a dissonance between the Dream’s promises and its reality. Ultimately, this work proposes a reimagined Dream centered on community, accountability, and collective progress, challenging the prevailing narrative of individual success to restore its relevance and inclusivity in contemporary society.
Recommended Citation
Busnawi, Shaira, "The Death of the American Dream: How Inequality, Injustice, and Individualism Shatters Its Promise as a Unifying Force" (2025). CMC Senior Theses. 3808.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/3808