Though last week's White Paper on social mobility tackled the question of aspirations in the UK, it has bypassed a few critical issues.  In a very pragmatic manner the government views its role in raising aspirations as: inspiring students not to leave school at 16, fuelling professional skills throughout the labour market, encouraging community cohesiveness and building more affordable housing.  If the link between these advancements with social mobility is obvious, their link with aspirations is not as clear cut. 

The truth is that Britons' aspirations are far more nuanced than government has acknowledged.  Not all individuals aspire to a university degree or a high earning occupation.  For this reason, there ought to be a space in Whitehall rhetoric which captures people's dreams and hopes for their own futures—instead of what politicians believe these dreams should be.  At the very least, understanding what people wish can generate an honest snapshot of everyday goals, long-term desires and common fears across the country instead of superimposed ones.  At best, analyzing dreams can help predict collective action, give due importance to individual agency and target energy for progressive change. 

Although dreams sometimes reflect idiosyncrasies, they are more often collective in nature.  Surprisingly, people's dreams can fit nicely into fewer categories than one might imagine.  As such, sharing dreams and looking forward to a common future is an important aspect of building community cohesion, which is one of the government's targets to increase social mobility. 

 Demos' upcoming report on dreams argues their importance in society.  Having interviewed young and elderly, the employed and those grappling with redundancy, teenage mums and grandparents, Demos has made surprising findings on what people hope to achieve in their lives.  British dreams should not be branded as egocentric, materialistic and luxurious goals; nor as simple as wishing to climb the career ladder.   Contrarily, dreams are much more generous and down to earth.  Delving into what Britons dream about will play an important role in helping people to imagine a better world, and reflecting their dreams in policy circles, will help create a fairer, perhaps more mobile, society. 

"Sweet Dreams" will be published in March 2009.

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