What American Dream? The Rise of the "New" Corporation

This project explores how reckless capitalism has distorted the American Dream, causing a decline in the quality of life for the average citizen. It reflects on the current financial struggles, noting the reality that over 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, the high rate of childhood poverty, and the extreme wealth disparity exemplified by the fact the top three richest billionaires own more wealth than the bottom half of our population. The thesis critiques government alignment with corporate interests, influenced by modern corporations that project a facade of social and environmental responsibility. Drawing from Joel Bakan's insights in "The New Corporation: How 'Good' Corporations Are Bad for Society", it exposes these companies' selective advocacy for social and environmental issues, prioritized only when profit margins are unaffected. At the end of the day, these corporations aren’t acting out of the kindness of their heart, as having a socially responsible model yields economic benefits, reputation boosts, and marketing advantages.