Americans enjoy a very high standard of living despite the country’s relatively short 235-year history. It’s amazing to think in just this brief period the nation has gone from a vast unexplored and undeveloped territory to a place President Reagan called “a shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere.”
How was the United States able to succeed so quickly? What differentiated the country from more established nations around the world? In many ways, the catalyst responsible for such unprecedented growth was the belief in, and application of, free enterprise.
Historically, the United States prospers when individuals are given the opportunity to apply their knowledge, skills, ingenuity and elbow grease to start businesses, provide consumer services and develop new products. It does so because its citizens have faith in the American Dream—that success is available to anyone who works hard to achieve it.
However, critics preferring a more redistributive approach have begun to chip away at the foundation of the country’s economic system. The free market system is under attack, and many economists believe the United States is heading down a dangerous path.
The inability of the economy to recover after several years of massive federal intervention—including a failed stimulus package, over-reaching and burdensome regulations, and an overhaul of the health care system—demonstrates that the road to prosperity is paved by free enterprise, not government intrusion.
The role of government should be to create an environment in which individuals and organizations can prosper by protecting the personal and property rights of its citizens. This is why the Founding Fathers strictly limited the role of the federal government in the Constitution. As Thomas Jefferson often said, “That government is best which governs least.”
Small business owners have always known government is not the answer. To them, it is common sense: Economic recovery begins in local communities, not in Washington, D.C.
Just as America requires protection of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, the American Dream requires the protection of free enterprise. To help ensure these conditions exist for future generations, the Free Enterprise Alliance has launched a new website,
FreeEnterpriseAlliance.org, to educate members of Associated Builders and Contractors (
ABC) and the general public on how free enterprise and limited government are responsible for their jobs and prosperity. This website demonstrates via articles, books and videos that meeting the needs of others through the voluntary exchange of goods and services in a free enterprise economy is what has allowed Americans to prosper.
Creating a website is just the first step to educating the nearly two million employees of ABC member companies on the importance of the free market system. Business leaders need to distribute this important information to their family, friends and colleagues, and most importantly to their employees. Understandably, talking about basic economics can feel a lot like talking about politics, especially given the hyper-partisan nature of today’s political environment. The fact of the matter is the free enterprise system is under attack. Regardless of political affiliation, everyone needs to know that protecting this system ultimately means more jobs, more income and more wealth for more people. This isn’t a Democrat, Independent or Republican principle—it’s an American one.
According to a July 2011 Zogby poll, only 50 percent of adults believed their families could achieve the American Dream. This was down from 68 percent in November 2008. More worrisome, just 44 percent believed it’s possible to achieve for middle class families.
Don’t let the American Dream turn into the American Myth. If those who earn a living from the free enterprise system do not promote, protect and defend it, who will?