What is American Dream?

The idea of American Dream refers to the vision of American nation as stipulated in the Constitution of America and the Declaration of Independence. It was a dream of a great American nation. The forefathers of America or the Independence heroes of America envisioned America as a great nation. They had the dream that America will be a great nation on earth. They envisioned a nation based on the principles of liberty and equality. The basic ingredients of the dream were: the virtue of the American people and their institutions, freedom for all, all people are equal, extensive industrialization, great material prosperity, thinking positive. Martin Luther King, Jr. mentions American dream in his celebrated speech “I Have a Dream”. Luther’s dream is very close to the American dream. He says that his dream is deeply rooted in the American dream. He also dreams of an American nation where there will be not racial segregation or racial discriminations. 

In “I Have a Dream” the orator Luther King speaks of his dream as he addresses a multitude of Civil Rights Movement activists. By using emotive language he gives voice to his dream. He predicts a future American society in which there will be no injustices, no inequalities of rights, no discriminations on the basis of colour or origin. He dreams of a time when the nation will show respect and establish the American independence principles — the principles of liberty and equality. The fathers of America’s independence envisioned a noble America. So they declared all men being equal in America. But after the independence the American dream of a just society was not established as the blacks were subject to abject slavery. Even after the abolition of slavery they were not granted civil rights of freedom and equality. The Negroes in America have been undergoing discriminations and injustices. 

Despite the crude realities Luther dreams of better days for America as a nation. He dreams of an American society in which everyone will have equal stake. He dreams of a time when every citizen, be he black or white, will enjoy the rights of freedom and equality. Luther’s dream is thus closely connected with the American Dream. “It is a dream”, Luther says, “deeply rooted in the American Dream.” The American Dream, as stipulated in the Constitution of America, the American Declaration of Independence and the Emancipation Proclamation, is the belief that America will establish a nation where each and every citizen, irrespective of his colour or origin, will enjoy the sacred rights of freedom and equality. Luther believes that American Dream will only come true when the nation grants blacks their civil rights. Thus Luther’s dream is closely connected with the American Dream. His dream is nothing but an elaborate version of the American dream.