Abundance (Klein and Thompson book)
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | March 2025 |
| Founder | Ezra Klein, Derek Thompson |
| Products | Nonfiction book |
Abundance is a nonfiction work authored by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, released by Avid Reader Press in March 2025. The book examines the stagnation of significant U.S. initiatives such as affordable housing, infrastructure, and climate change, and achieved status as a New York Times Bestseller.
Klein and Thompson contend that regulatory systems in numerous liberal cities, despite good intentions, obstruct development efforts. They argue that since the 1970s, American liberals have focused more on preventing detrimental economic expansion than fostering positive growth. The authors claim that Democrats have prioritized procedural adherence over tangible results, endorsing stasis through zoning restrictions, stringent environmental policies, and expensive requirements tied to public infrastructure investments.
Their proposed Abundance Agenda aims to strike a better balance between regulation and social progress while critiquing the U.S. political divide: a progressive faction cautious about growth and a conservative faction resistant to government intervention. This agenda intends to cultivate economic conditions that diminish the influence of both the "socialist left" and the "populist-authoritarian right."
Critical responses were varied: reviewers commended the book’s comprehensive analysis and lucid presentation but pointed out a shortage of actionable recommendations.
Background
When the book was published, Ezra Klein was serving as a columnist for The New York Times, with Derek Thompson working as a staff writer at The Atlantic. The concept originated from Thompson's January 2022 article in The Atlantic. In interviews, the authors emphasized their complementary viewpoints: Thompson brought expertise in economics and technology, while Klein contributed insights into contemporary politics and political history.
Reception
Henry Grabar of Slate lauded the book for integrating constructive ideas and articulating a vision of "a 'liberalism that builds'," presenting an active strategy for reinvigorating liberal governance, particularly within blue states. Nonetheless, he observed a limited critique of the Trump Administration. Benjamin Wallace-Wells from The New Yorker described Abundance as a "fair-minded book" that acknowledges compromises involved in restructuring government to enhance dynamism.
Samuel Moyn writing for The New York Times offered a nuanced critique, questioning whether an abundance-focused approach risks reinforcing consumerist culture and suggesting the authors’ viewpoint aligns closely with elite finance and technology sectors. Eric Levitz of Vox also provided a mixed review, highlighting a gap between the authors’ proposals and prevailing political realities at release, noting that challenges such as federal government weakening overshadowed their focus on regulatory reforms like suburban housing codes. He criticized their reluctance to engage with trade-offs inherent to traditional progressive values.
Noah Kazis of The Guardian noted that while the book avoids confronting certain difficult issues by not specifying which procedural hurdles should be removed, it excels in clarity, accessibility, and thoroughness. Conversely, Barton Swaim in The Wall Street Journal faulted the authors for dismissing American conservatism and argued their ideas appeared disconnected from everyday experiences.
In Washington Monthly, Zephyr Teachout criticized the focus on easing zoning laws and reforming agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as unlikely to substantially boost housing availability. She pointed out the narrow concentration on major U.S. metropolitan areas while underestimating broader economic monopolization risks, cautioning against deregulation reminiscent of policies from Ronald Reagan's administration. Julian E. Zelizer in The New Republic identified two central themes: policy effectiveness and political feasibility. Zelizer found the argument for eliminating inefficient government practices persuasive but questioned whether sufficient political will exists, suggesting institutional reform alone may fall short.
The "abundance movement"
Originating in 2024, a political initiative inspired by Abundance seeks to dismantle regulatory obstacles hindering progress in affordable housing, healthcare for the middle class, and public infrastructure development. This movement hosts conferences and policy workshops designed to shape the perspectives of legislators, activists, and political candidates.
A significant gathering was the Abundance Summit held in Washington, DC on September 4-5, 2025. At this event, Klein delivered the keynote address while co-author Thompson led a panel discussion on clean energy. Additionally, Klein participated as a speaker at the Urban Institute’s 2025 Housing Policy Conference. On a regional level, the California Abundance Forum in San Francisco concentrated on issues such as housing affordability and transit expansion.
In September 2025, the "Abundance Elected Network" was established, comprising 120 elected officials. Several events affiliated with the movement are coordinated by the "Abundance Network," an organization founded by Misha Chellam and Zack Rosen.
Within Australia, Abundance has had an impact on the Second Albanese ministry; Treasurer Jim Chalmers commended the book and noted its circulation among members of the Labor party.
Related movements
- Progress studies – An intellectual movement dedicated to analyzing and accelerating societal advancement
Publications
Other
- Seattle process
- Missing middle housing
- Urban economics
- Urban planning
- Real estate economics
- Abundant Housing LA