A year after publishing their book Abundance, Ezra Klein and co-author Derek Thompson, along with Marc Dunkelman (author of Why Nothing Works), look back at how the “abundance” idea has permeated political discourse and policy.
Vibes: A Memetic Win Thompson notes that the concept of abundance has achieved “full penetration” in political discussion, especially within the Democratic Party. Governors like Kathy Hochul and JB Pritzker now invoke supply-side solutions for energy and housing crises, and even progressive candidate Zohran Mamdani pairs rent freezes with pro-development policies. This “vibes” level far exceeded expectations.
Legislation: Solid Progress On the legislative front, Thompson gives a B+ grade. Notable wins include California’s “Abundant and Affordable Homes near Transit Act.” Multiple state laws explicitly cite Abundance in efforts to ease housing and clean-energy construction.
Outcomes: The Missing Piece Yet at the level of outcomes—the real test—Thompson is cautious. Housing starts in California have not visibly budged in response to the movement. He acknowledges that it may be too early for results but urges critics to hold the movement accountable when output lag persists.
A Historical Shift Dunkelman offers a longer view: Abundance represents a watershed moment in progressive thought. For decades, progressivism has centered on “speaking truth to power” and decentralizing authority. Klein and Thompson are reopening a conversation about whether government needs to be re-empowered to build and function effectively—a debate that was largely absent before.
Worries Ahead Klein focuses on lingering risks: the movement could be co-opted, delayed by bureaucracy, or lose its bipartisan potential. Yet the conversation itself, he argues, is a necessary first step toward a more productive politics.
“We said in our book, judge political movements by their outcomes. The bright side is maybe it’s too early to count our outcome successes, but the very fair criticism of our movement right now is: where are the outcomes?” — Derek Thompson