New Books Network Elizabeth Suhay, "Debating the American Dream: How Explanations for Inequality Polarize Politics" (Russell Sage Foundation, 2025)
Mar 4, 2026
Elizabeth Suhay, associate professor of government at American University and author of Debating the American Dream, explores how beliefs about meritocracy and causes of inequality split Americans along party lines. She examines historical roots, changing mobility, how people learn about economic reality, and the partisan consequences of endorsing meritocratic versus structural explanations.
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Why Redistribution Is Less Popular In The U.S.
- Americans' lower support for redistribution stems partly from widespread belief in meritocracy and that high earners deserve their income.
- Elizabeth Suhay ties this to cultural history and early upward mobility among Europeans, which normalized meritocratic explanations.
Historical Roots Of The American Dream
- The American dream has historical roots: early European immigrants experienced rapid upward mobility, embedding meritocratic ideals in U.S. culture.
- Suhay notes this origin excludes enslaved people and Native Americans and credits land appropriation and slavery for part of that early advantage.
Neoliberal Shift Drove Modern Inequality
- Since the late 1970s the U.S. entered a neoliberal era with weakened unions and globalization, producing a sharp rise in income and wealth inequality.
- Suhay highlights stagnating wages for middle and lower-income workers, especially less-educated men.
