The American Dream is a culturally-oriented concept that has held a massive place in American society. It is frequently defined as the belief that hard work and determination can result in prosperity and upward social mobility, regardless of background. The idea has evolved through the years to embody financial success, individual fulfilment, and happiness. However, the ability to reap the American Dream is only sometimes equally available to everybody. For many migrants, the dream stays elusive due to different factors, collectively with their reputation as impoverished human beings, immigrants, non-residents, and humans of shade. “The American Dream “has continually been a robust and important pressure in American lifestyles, but its means and significance have shifted over the years” (Jillson 5), which affirms the fact that the concept of the American Dream has advanced through the years and is regularly challenged with the aid of issues such as inequality and discrimination. Therefore, looking at the elements contributing to the belief in the American Dream is vital, focusing on enhancing access to it for migrant agricultural employees. As Tambiah argues, “the dream of a higher, richer, and happier lifestyle for all people and their families, no matter their background” (Tambiah 163). However, it is also valuable for advocating answers that may enhance the right of entry to the American Dream for migrant agricultural people, including rules that cope with problems associated with legal reputation, labour legal guidelines, and schooling. By addressing the elements that contribute to the exploitation of migrant labourers, we will make sure that the American Dream remains a fact for all, irrespective of their status or background.
The American Dream: Factors Contributing to its Realization
The American Dream is an “ideology” that has been deeply ingrained in the American subculture for many years. It represents the concept that anyone, irrespective of their history or occasion, can gain fulfilment and prosperity through hard work. However, the fact is that the American Dream is not equally on hand to all individuals, particularly folks who are marginalized or disadvantaged in some manner. In keeping with Jillson (22), “the American Dream has usually been easier to recognize for a few human beings than others.” This is particularly genuine for the people who face substantial boundaries to reaching the American Dream.
Access to schooling, employment possibilities, and social mobility are three key elements contributing to the conclusion of the American Dream. Ranket al. (18) state, “Education is regularly seen as a pathway to upward mobility and get right of entry to higher activity opportunities.” However, for migrant agricultural workers, getting admission to schooling is often limited, significantly hindering their ability to gain the American Dream of employees as specialists. Similarly, agricultural task possibilities are frequently scarce for migrant workers because of their felony fame and lack of abilities and schooling (Koreishi and Donohoe 66). This makes it even tougher for them to move up the financial ladder and gain success.
Moreover, migrants’ identities and legalities intersect with these factors, impacting their ability to gain the American Dream. Tambiah (170) states, “Immigrants, non-residents, and those of colour face unique challenges in accomplishing social and financial mobility.” This is especially genuine for migrant labourers who are regularly undocumented and lack legal protections, making them at risk of exploitation and abuse. As a result, it is important to deal with the systemic limitations that prevent migrant workers from understanding the American Dream.
Challenges Faced by Migrant Laborers in Pursuing the American Dream
Migrant agricultural labourers face numerous challenges in pursuing the American Dream, such as language barriers, discrimination, and constrained entry to training and job possibilities. According to Jillson (28), “migrant employees frequently have confined English proficiency, which hinders their ability to speak and navigate the U.S. Job market.” This language barrier can cause confined process possibilities, decreased wages, and a loss of access to simple offerings. Additionally, migrant people regularly face discrimination due to their repute as immigrants, non-citizens, and humans of colour. Tambiah (170) notes that “immigrants are often viewed as a threat to American jobs and culture, leading to discriminatory attitudes and practices.” Discrimination can also lead to limited job opportunities and lower wages, perpetuating a cycle of poverty.
Limited admission to schools and job opportunities poses big challenges for migrant workers. Koreishi and Donohoe (65) state that “many migrant agricultural workers lack the essential talents and training to reap higher-paying jobs.” This constrained get right of entry to training and process opportunities regularly leads to decreased-paying jobs and a lack of upward mobility, hindering the achievement of the American Dream. The effect of these challenges is significant, not best on migrant people and their households but also on society. Rank et al. (23) assert that “the lack of upward mobility among the running bad contributes to profits inequality and social instability.” This instability may have long-lasting consequences on communities and the economic system.
These demanding situations may be seen in statistics and examples that illustrate the severity of the trouble. For instance, according to a National Agricultural Workers Survey report, 72% of migrant and seasonal farmworkers stay under the poverty line, making them one of the maximum impoverished businesses in the United States (Koreishi and Donohoe 64). Additionally, a look at through the Economic Policy Institute observed that agricultural employees are most of the lowest-paid people within the US economic system, with many incomes less than the minimum wage (Rank et al. 40). Such low wages and bad residing conditions may have adverse consequences at the fitness and nicely-being of migrant labourers, as well as their families.
These challenges affect not only the migrant people themselves but also their families and society. Many migrant employees are unable to access exceptional education for their youngsters due to their regular journey and work obligations, mainly to restrained opportunities for upward social mobility (Koreishi and Donohoe 68). This lack of right of entry to education additionally means that many migrant employees are trapped in a cycle of poverty, as they are unable to acquire the skills and schooling essential to secure better-paying jobs. Furthermore, the exploitation of migrant people through agricultural employers perpetuates a device of inequality that impacts now not handiest the employees themselves but the broader economy and society.
Proposed Solutions
Throughout American records, the pursuit of the American Dream has been a driving force for plenty of people. However, for migrant agricultural workers, this dream has often been out of their limits due to various factors, including language barriers, lack of formal training, and legal vulnerabilities. To deal with this difficulty, it is vital to endorse answers providing access to training, language learning and training, and legal protections to this susceptible population.
One potential answer is to make bigger access to schooling and job applications for migrant agricultural employees. As Jillson notes, schooling has long been a key factor in achieving the American Dream (34). Providing get right of entry to education and education packages can equip migrant people with the talents and know-how important to circulate up the monetary/economic ladder. This answer could be applied via partnerships between authorities organizations, network agencies, and academic establishments to ensure that programs are each on hand and in power.
Another solution is to offer legal protections for migrant workers, which include assured wages and running conditions. As Koreishi and Donohoe argue, legal vulnerabilities have contributed to the plight of migrant farmworkers (70). Without protections, these people are at risk of exploitation and abuse with the aid of employers. Legal protections could be implemented via policy changes and stronger enforcement mechanisms, consisting of improved tracking of operating situations and consequences for violators.
Critics of these solutions may argue that they are too costly or unfairly prioritize migrant labourers over American citizens. However, as Rank et al. explain, the American Dream is not a zero-sum game (23). Improving access to education and legal protections for migrant labourers can benefit the broader society by increasing social mobility and promoting economic stability.
Conclusion
The American Dream is a concept that has played a role in the American lifestyle, representing the fact that anyone can acquire success and prosperity via determination. However, the realization of this dream has no longer been similarly on hand to all individuals, mainly migrant agricultural people who face severe demanding situations in their pursuit of a higher life. Based on the evaluation findings, it is clear that the factors that contribute to the realization of the American Dream are intently tied to identification and legal repute. Migrant agricultural workers, often impoverished, non-residents, and persons of colour, face specific challenges in pursuing the American Dream. These challenges encompass a need for entry to training opportunities and healthcare, low wages, and insufficient working conditions. The demanding situations require a guarantee for migrant workers to have similar admission to the resources important to acquire the American Dream. This includes educational opportunities, less expensive healthcare, and considerable wages. By addressing the challenges of the migrant agricultural workers, they are empowered to circulate towards realizing this imaginative and prescient.
Works Cited
Jillson, Cal. The American Dream: In History, politics, and Fiction. University Press of Kansas, 2016.
Tambiah, Stanley J. “Transnational movements, diaspora, and multiple modernities.” Daedalus 129.1 (2000): 163-194.
Rank, Mark R., Thomas A. Hirschl, and Kirk A. Foster. Chasing the American Dream: Understanding what shapes our fortunes. Oxford University Press, 2014.
Koreishi, Safina, and Martin Thomas Donohoe. “Historical and contemporary factors contributing to the plight of migrant farmworkers in the United States.” Social Medicine 5.1 2010: 64–73.
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