When Hard Work Isn’t Enough: Race, Inequality, and the American Dream

• In Event: To Save the Soul of America: Black Politics and the State of American Democracy

Abstract

This paper explores a paradox in Black public opinion. Despite widespread awareness of racial barriers, many Black Americans also believe their country offers plentiful opportunities to achieve the American Dream. However, since emancipation, the U.S. government has failed to secure equitable economic opportunities and protect Blacks from racially motivated violence, resulting in substantial racial disparities in housing, education, and wealth that persist today. Nevertheless, many Black people subscribe to the fallacious premise of the American Dream that hard work and grit can conquer any obstacle to success. How do these conflicting beliefs affect Black group attitudes and policy preferences?
In the absence of sufficient state action to address the root causes of racial disparities, the allure of group uplift through individual striving and attitudinal changes grows, prompting Black Americans to shift their focus from demanding action from the state to blaming other Blacks for not working hard enough to advance the group. Consequently, the American Dream myth and anti-Black attitudes become mutually reinforcing and divert attention from the policy changes needed to reduce racial differences.
Combining evidence from experimental and observational survey data, I show attachment to the American Dream predicts anti-Black attitudes and opposition to redistributive economic policies. Specifically, Black Americans who internalize the American Dream myth are more inclined to attribute racial inequality to a perceived lack of effort or motivation by Blacks themselves. Moreover, those endorsing the American Dream myth are less supportive of welfare benefits and certain race-targeted policies, such as affirmative action in universities. These findings underscore the profound influence of meritocratic beliefs on Black public opinion and group attitudes, urging a more nuanced understanding of Black political behavior in the context of systemic racism.
The peculiar tendency of Black Americans to attribute racial inequality to internal factors within the Black community derives from the enduring influence of the American Dream narrative. As public discourse increasingly minimizes the role of race in shaping socioeconomic outcomes, emphasizing merit and hard work instead, this study provides a timely analysis of how such rhetoric distracts Black Americans from the systemic roots of racial disparities and decreases the salience of policy solutions that would benefit them.

Author

• Zoe Walker, University of Michigan