When the American Dream Was Still in Reach
Our Kids
Is America still a meritocracy? Harvard political scientist Robert D. Putnam argues that it is not, and that children born to less educated, less wealthy, less connected parents have fewer opportunities than ever to better their circumstances. Putnam visits Zócalo to discuss whether poor children can still achieve the American dream. Below is an excerpt from his book Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis.
My hometown was, in the 1950s, a passable embodiment of the American dream, a place that offered decent opportunity for all the kids in town, whatever …
