Potential of the Chinese Dream

Realization of the Chinese Dream is important to Chinese for practical reasons, because it will improve the lives of people, particularly in lower-tier cities and rural areas. And it is important for reasons of national identity, to bring a country with a proud history out of the shadows of the troubling last couple of centuries. This commitment to the dream is consistent across all age groups and highest among younger people, ages 30 to 39. These people, who mostly grew up during the period of China's rapid economic growth, tend to be more individualistic and determined to advance either by finding a good job or starting their own business. Two-thirds of the Chinese people surveyed said the Chinese Dream makes them feel more confident about their personal future and 61 percent say the Chinese Dream makes them feel more confident about the future of the country. They also rate the dream high for strengthening social cohesion, making the country more energetic and influencing positive social change.

In contrast, achievement of the national dream is not as urgent in the UK or the US, developed nations that continue to evolve, but not at the pace of fast-growing China. Only 39 percent of British people say that achieving the British Dream is important to them. And the result drops off dramatically with age. Only one-third of Britons over age 50 say achieving the dream is important. The absence of a clearly articulated national dream in the UK may reflect an overall sense of national confidence that a nation with a rich heritage can endure without a national dream. Or the absence may indicate a missed opportunity to inspire people and reenergize the country for successful engagement with the modern world. Younger Britons are more open to having a British Dream. Over half of people ages 18 to 29 say a national dream is important. America falls in the middle, with about two-thirds saying that achieving the American Dream is important to them individually. That response stays fairly consistent regardless of age, with a modest decline after age 50.

In the US and the UK, there is also a link between the extent to which the national dream inspires people to feel confident both about their personal future and the future of the nation. The intensity of these beliefs is much lower, however, compared with China. In the US, 45 percent of people polled said that the American Dream makes them feel more confident about their own future; 42 percent said the American Dream makes them confident about the future of the nation. That compares with 66 percent and 61 percent in China.

The American Dream is cultural wallpaper. It surrounds Americans in film, advertising and other popular media, sets the tone for how they think about the nation, but it remains in the background until particular circumstances prompt a political leader or someone else to point it out. Less defined, the British Dream lacks the presence and pattern of wallpaper. It's more like a room filled with random memorabilia that reminds Britons of their history and heritage.

Unlike the American Dream or the British Dream, the Chinese Dream, articulated only 18 months ago, today is part of daily conversation.

This article is an excerpt from a report titled The Power and Potential of the Chinese Dream, done by Britain-based advertising giant WPP.