The Socialist Program with Brian Becker Majority of Americans Have No Hope in the ‘American Dream’ AKA Capitalism, w/ Prof. Wolff
Sep 10, 2025
Richard Wolff, an author and co-founder of Democracy at Work, dives into the startling statistics that reveal 75% of Americans no longer believe in the American Dream. He discusses the widening wealth gap and its implications on economic security for working-class families. Wolff challenges the myth that hard work leads to success, highlighting systemic barriers faced by marginalized groups. The conversation emphasizes a shift from individualism to a collective understanding of responsibility in addressing inequality and advocating for social justice.
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Dramatic Rise In US Inequality
- The US has become significantly more unequal over the last 40 years, reversing its mid-20th century relative advantage on equality versus Europe.
- This growing inequality underlies the loss of belief in upward mobility and the American Dream.
Renting A Single Room For A Night
- Wolff recounts seeing ads for people renting single rooms by the night as housing becomes unaffordable and motels give way to crowded house conversions.
- He uses this image to illustrate rapid, traumatic housing precarity experienced by many Americans.
People Blame Themselves For Systemic Problems
- Most Americans internalize economic failure and blame themselves rather than the system that shaped their opportunities.
- Recognizing social causes of individual outcomes can shift blame toward systemic reform.
