Abundance

The core idea of Abundance is that America’s biggest problems—skyrocketing housing costs, climate inaction, and stagnant growth—are not caused by a lack of resources or innovation, but by self-imposed scarcity. Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson argue that the United States has all the tools it needs to solve these issues—wealth, technology, and talent—but is trapped in systems designed to prevent action rather than enable it. Over time, laws and regulations that once protected communities have evolved into a tangled bureaucracy that slows or blocks progress in nearly every domain. Projects that could expand housing, clean energy, or scientific discovery often die in endless cycles of reviews, lawsuits, and political gridlock.

This stagnation, the authors contend, is not just inefficient—it’s immoral. A nation capable of creating abundance yet unwilling to act is choosing inequity and frustration over progress and possibility. Real progressivism, they argue, isn’t about redistributing scarcity but building more of what people need: homes, energy, infrastructure, and opportunity. To fix this, America must replace rigid, rule-based governance with outcome-driven systems that measure success by results, not process.

Ultimately, Abundance is a call to rebuild faith in America’s capacity to create. When societies produce enough for everyone—when they build boldly and effectively—they reduce polarization, strengthen democracy, and unlock human potential. Abundance, then, is not excess; it’s justice—the deliberate choice to build a future where progress is visible, shared, and sustainable.

Ezra Klein is a columnist at The New York Times, co-founder of Vox, and host of The Ezra Klein Show. He is known for his work on systems thinking and American governance.

Derek Thompson is a senior writer at The Atlantic and host of the Plain English podcast, where he explores economics, innovation, and culture. His previous book, Hit Makers, examined how ideas become successful. Together, they merge policy insight with optimism, offering a blueprint for rebuilding America’s capacity to create.