app.title

Abundance (book)

Topic

A book by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson that critiques the tendency of liberal governance to subsidize demand while choking off supply, making it difficult to achieve goals like affordable housing and clean energy.

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7/21/2025, 1:59:10 AM

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7/22/2025, 5:27:23 AM

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7/21/2025, 2:07:13 AM

Summary

Abundance is a nonfiction book by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, published in March 2025, that critically examines the reasons behind the stagnation of significant projects in the United States, including affordable housing, infrastructure, and climate change initiatives. The authors argue that well-intentioned regulations, particularly in liberal cities, have inadvertently hindered development, suggesting that American liberals have prioritized blocking negative economic development over fostering positive growth since the 1970s. They contend that Democrats have focused on process rather than results, leading to stasis through zoning regulations, strict environmental laws, and costly public infrastructure requirements. Klein and Thompson propose an "Abundance Agenda" as a Third Way policy alternative, aiming to balance regulations with social advancement and create new economic conditions to diminish the appeal of extreme political ideologies. The book received a mixed critical reception, praised for its scope and clarity but sometimes criticized for identifying problems without offering practical solutions. Ezra Klein further discussed the book's concepts, such as "vetocracy" and the need for permitting reform, on the All-In Podcast, highlighting diminished state capacity as a fundamental issue.

Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
  • ISBN

    9781668023488

  • OCLC

    1504483512

  • Genre

    Nonfiction

  • Pages

    304

  • Title

    Abundance

  • Authors

    Ezra Klein, Derek Thompson

  • Publisher

    Avid Reader Press

  • Reception

    Mixed critical reception, praised for scope and clarity, criticized for identifying problems without offering practical solutions

  • Imprint Of

    Simon & Schuster

  • Key Themes

    Lack of progress in United States on affordable housing, infrastructure, climate change; impact of well-intentioned regulations; focus on process over results; diminished state capacity; permitting reform

  • Publication Date

    2025-03-18

  • Bestseller Status

    New York Times Bestseller

  • Proposed Solution

    Abundance Agenda

  • Policy Alternative

    Third Way policy

Timeline
  • A new strain of liberalism emerged in response to environmental devastation, influencing the regulatory environment discussed in the book. (Source: Web Search)

    1960s

  • According to the book's argument, American liberals began prioritizing blocking negative economic development over fostering positive growth. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

    1970s

  • The financial crisis, along with other events, contributed to undermining confidence in the neoliberal framework, providing context for the book's arguments. (Source: Web Search)

    2008

  • The nonfiction book 'Abundance' by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson was published by Avid Reader Press. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia, Web Search)

    2025-03-18

Wikipedia
View on Wikipedia
Abundance (Klein and Thompson book)

Abundance is a nonfiction book by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson published by Avid Reader Press in March 2025. The book examines the reasons behind the lack of progress on ambitious projects in the United States, including those related to affordable housing, infrastructure, and climate change. It became a New York Times Bestseller. Klein and Thompson argue that the regulatory environment in many liberal cities, while well intentioned, stymies development. They write that American liberals have been more concerned with blocking bad economic development than promoting good development since the 1970s. They say that Democrats have focused on the process rather than results and favored stasis over growth by backing zoning regulations, developing strict environmental laws, and tying expensive requirements to public infrastructure spending. Klein and Thompson propose an Abundance Agenda that they say better manages the tradeoffs between regulations and social advancement and lament that America is stuck between a progressive movement that is too afraid of growth and a conservative movement that is allergic to government intervention. They present the abundance agenda both as a Third Way policy alternative and as a way to initiate new economic conditions that will diminish the appeal of the "socialist left" and the "populist-authoritarian right". The book received a mixed reception from critics. Critics praised the scope and clarity of the ideas presented, while some viewed the book as pointing out problems without identifying realistic solutions.

Web Search Results
  • Abundance (Klein and Thompson book) - Wikipedia

    Abundance is a nonfiction book by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson "Derek Thompson (journalist)") published by Avid Reader Press in March 2025. The book examines the reasons behind the lack of progress on ambitious projects in the United States, including those related to affordable housing, infrastructure, and climate change. It became a New York Times Bestseller. [...] Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia ## Contents # Abundance (Klein and Thompson book) Abundance | | | | --- | --- | | First edition cover | | | Author | Ezra Klein Derek Thompson "Derek Thompson (journalist)") | | Publisher | Avid Reader Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster | | Publication date | 2025 | | Pages | 304 (first edition) | | ISBN "ISBN (identifier)") | 9781668023488 | | OCLC "OCLC (identifier)") | 1504483512 | [...] Klein and Thompson propose an Abundance Agenda that they say better manages the tradeoffs between regulations and social advancement[citation needed] and lament that America is stuck between a progressive movement that is too afraid of growth and a conservative movement that is allergic to government intervention. They present the abundance agenda both as a Third Way policy alternative and as a way to initiate new economic conditions that will diminish the appeal of the "socialist left" and the

  • Abundance by Ezra Klein, Derek Thompson Book Summary

    Abundance - Book Summary # Abundance - Book Summary ## Book by Ezra Klein, Derek Thompson Summary Through compelling case studies in housing, energy, government, innovation, and technology deployment, Klein and Thompson argue that our most pressing challenges stem from chosen scarcities rather than natural limits. They outline a framework for building a future with more homes, cleaner energy, better governance, and breakthrough innovations that make life better for everyone. [...] Today, we appear to be in a transition between political orders. The financial crisis of 2008, the climate emergency, the failures of globalization, the COVID pandemic, and the affordability crisis have all undermined confidence in the neoliberal framework. Both parties are rethinking core assumptions about trade, industrial policy, and the role of government in the economy. [...] In the 1960s and 1970s, a new strain of liberalism emerged in response to the environmental devastation caused by unchecked growth and development. This wasn't merely a conservative reaction - it was led by progressives who witnessed the destruction of natural landscapes, polluted air and water, and bulldozed communities.

  • Book review: "Abundance" - by Noah Smith - Noahpinion

    about feeding the goose, and now we’re waking up to the fact that we’re not the greatest industrial nation in the world anymore, and all the rules we devised for divvying up that bounty are worse than useless when the bounty dries up. [...] Those arguments are out there. They include humanitarian appeals, and appeals to dignity. They include appeals to national unity and solidarity, and the idea of an America where anyone can get ahead. They include the idea that abundance is a form of freedom, and that all Americans deserve that freedom. At times in the 20th century, these arguments won out over those who were more concerned with class warfare and power than with material well-being. [...] Basically, Klein and Thompson call for a return to the older tradition of a progressive state that gets things done instead of just paying people out — more FDR and less Ralph Nader. But in doing so, they also articulate an alternative vision of political economy — a fundamentally different way of thinking about policy debates in America.

  • Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson review - The Guardian

    Sign up to Bookmarks Discover new books and learn more about your favourite authors with our expert reviews, interviews and news stories. Literary delights delivered direct to you after newsletter promotion Noah Kazis is a professor of law at the University of Michigan. Abundance: How We Build a Better Future by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson is published by Profile (£16.99). To support the Guardian and the Observer buy a copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply. [...] This is a book written during the Biden administration and published in the midst of a constitutional crisis. As Donald Trump and Elon Musk attack the underpinnings of constitutional democracy, Klein and Thompson sometimes share the latter’s Silicon Valley-inflected fear that we must choose between that democracy and a bountiful future. To be sure, they are no authoritarians, and there are virtues in a book focused on 2050 rather than 2025. But those of us seeking a “liberalism that builds” [...] ‘Futurama’ at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. # Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson review – make America build again Over-regulation has rendered progressive change impossible, argue the authors of this clear and rigorous book. But what about the tradeoffs?

  • Abundance by Ezra Klein | Goodreads

    The Big Books of Summer 2025 ### Loading... # Abundance ### Ezra Klein, Derek Thompson 304 pages, Hardcover First published March 18, 2025 ### About the author Profile Image for Ezra Klein. #### Ezra Klein ## Ratings & Reviews ### Friends & Following ### Community Reviews [...] Profile Image for Traci Thomas. Profile Image for Emily B. Profile Image for Jason Furman. Profile Image for Trevor. Profile Image for Matthew. Profile Image for Kelsey. Profile Image for Jakub Dovcik. Profile Image for Jacob. Profile Image for Jon Wlasiuk. Profile Image for Jeremy. Profile Image for Joshua Drasin. Profile Image for Kelly (and the Book Boar). Profile Image for John Devlin. Profile Image for Aly Lauck. Profile Image for Chip Huyen. Profile Image for Brian. [...] Profile Image for Camelia Rose. Profile Image for Fay. Profile Image for Anna Marina. Profile Image for Manu Rao. Profile Image for Stetson. Profile Image for Nicole Keeney. Profile Image for Jarrett Bell. Profile Image for Sanjana Shah. Profile Image for Clif Hostetler. Profile Image for Nick Wells-Garrett. Profile Image for Maia O'Meara.