Abundance: How We Create Prosperity When It Seems Impossible
Synopsis
In Abundance, political analyst Ezra Klein and journalist Derek Thompson examine America’s declining ability to build and create at scale, offering a provocative analysis of how the country transitioned from a nation of ambitious infrastructure projects and technological breakthroughs to one mired in regulatory gridlock and institutional decay.
The authors trace this decline through historical, economic, and political lenses, identifying key policy shifts and cultural changes that transformed America from a country that accomplished moonshots and interstate highways to one where even basic infrastructure projects face years of delays and astronomical cost overruns. They argue that this “build crisis” transcends traditional political divisions, affecting everything from housing affordability to clean energy transitions.
Drawing on case studies of successful mobilizations like Operation Warp Speed during the COVID-19 pandemic and emergency infrastructure repairs, Klein and Thompson demonstrate that American capacity for building and innovation remains intact but is typically only unleashed during crises. The book challenges both left and right political orthodoxies, arguing that neither market fundamentalism nor unchecked government expansion alone can solve these systemic problems.
Abundance ultimately presents a vision for a new politics centered on creating material prosperity and expanding possibilities for all Americans, offering specific policy prescriptions and governance reforms that could help the country rebuild its capacity to create, construct, and innovate at scale.
My Thoughts
Having followed Ezra Klein’s work for years through his podcast and columns, I approached this book with high expectations—and it exceeded them. Abundance feels like both a diagnosis and a prescription at precisely the moment America needs both, offering a compelling framework for understanding our current political and economic malaise while charting a path forward.
What struck me most powerfully was the book’s opening vision of what an “abundance agenda” could deliver: affordable housing, accessible healthcare, clean and cheap energy, and functional infrastructure. This portrait of possibility was genuinely moving—I found myself tearing up as the authors painted a picture of what America could be if we reclaimed our capacity to build and create. In an era of political cynicism, this hopeful vision feels both radical and necessary.
The book’s analysis of America’s building crisis is meticulously researched and frustratingly recognizable. Klein and Thompson walk readers through example after example of how regulatory accumulation, misaligned incentives, and institutional sclerosis have created a system where building anything substantial has become nearly impossible outside of emergency conditions. Their case studies of emergency responses—like the rapid bridge repair in Philadelphia they highlight—demonstrate that our problems stem not from lack of capability but from policy choices and institutional design.
What distinguishes Abundance from typical political commentary is its refusal to fit neatly into existing ideological frameworks. The authors are critical of both left and right approaches, showing how progressive demands for process and conservative antagonism toward government have combined to create paralysis. This nuanced analysis offers a refreshing alternative to the partisan finger-pointing that dominates most political discourse.
As someone who has watched Klein’s growing influence in progressive politics, particularly after his early call for President Biden to step aside before the 2024 election, this book feels like a natural evolution of his work—an attempt to shape the future direction of Democratic politics around a positive vision rather than just opposition to Republicans. The timing couldn’t be more relevant, as Democrats struggle to regroup after electoral disappointments and search for a compelling policy agenda.
Verdict
Abundance is a book that manages to be both intellectually rigorous and emotionally resonant—a rare combination in political writing. Its greatest achievement is transforming abstract policy discussions into a tangible vision of how different American life could be if we recovered our capacity to build and create.
For readers feeling despondent about America’s future, this book offers genuine hope grounded in historical examples and concrete policy proposals. The authors make a convincing case that our current crisis of scarcity and stagnation is not inevitable but the result of specific choices that can be unmade.
I believe this book has the potential to become a rallying point for a new kind of politics—one focused less on cultural grievances and more on delivering material improvements to people’s lives. Its central insight—that we can build abundance again because we’ve done it before—provides a powerful foundation for political renewal.
Whether you’re interested in politics, economics, or simply understanding why so many aspects of American life seem broken, Abundance offers valuable insights and, more importantly, reasons for optimism. In an era when most political books either stoke outrage or offer simplistic solutions, Klein and Thompson have produced something far more valuable: a thoughtful roadmap toward a better future that feels genuinely achievable.
