Abundance (Klein and Thompson book)

At the time of the book's publication, Ezra Klein worked as a columnist for The New York Times, while Derek Thompson held a position as staff writer for The Atlantic.^[5] The book originated from an essay published by Thompson in The Atlantic in January 2022.^[6] In an interview, the two authors talked about their differing perspectives when writing Abundance. Thompson stated that he felt "more comfortable starting with economics or technology", while Klein brought a viewpoint "versed in modern politics and political history".^[7]

Henry Grabar of Slate praised the book for being "unabashed in synthesizing good ideas". He wrote that Klein and Thompson present an essential vision of "a 'liberalism that builds'," which could serve as a proactive solution to stagnation of liberal governance, particularly in blue states; however, Grabar also observed that the authors provide remarkably little criticism of the second Trump administration.^[8] In another positive review, Benjamin Wallace-Wells of The New Yorker described Abundance as a "fair-minded book" that "recognizes some of the trade-offs that come with redesigning government for dynamism".^[9]

Writing for The New York Times, Samuel Moyn gave a mixed review. He questioned the potential consequences of an abundance-driven agenda, wondering whether it could reinforce a culture of consumption as a primary goal. He also critiqued the authors' viewpoint as occasionally sounding "like the brief of a few elite finance and tech bros in two or three coastal cities".^[1] Eric Levitz of Vox also provided a mixed review. He noted a disconnect between the authors' proposals and the political climate at the time of the book's publication.^[2] In Levitz's view, pressing issues like the gutting of the federal government and the subversion of court orders made the authors' focus on specific regulatory concerns, like suburban housing codes, seem comparatively minor. He further criticized the authors' avoidance of clearly addressing the trade-offs between their policy proposals and traditional progressive ideology.^[2]

Similarly, Noah Kazis of The Guardian pointed out that the book avoids tackling the more challenging issues directly by failing to specify which procedural barriers should be addressed. Kazis, however, praised the book for its "clarity, accessibility, and rigour".^[10] In a negative review for The Wall Street Journal, Barton Swaim criticized the authors for appearing dismissive of American conservatism. He also argued that Klein and Thompson's ideas seemed disconnected from the realities of everyday life and ordinary people.^[11]

In Washington Monthly, Zephyr Teachout was critical of the authors' focus on rolling back zoning restrictions, specifically their support for reforming the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as a means to increase housing supply, arguing that it was unlikely to have an impact. She said the authors were unclear regarding the specifics of such reforms, as well as centering their arguments primarily on only a few large American cities, while underestimating the negative effects of monopolization in the U.S. economy at large. She raised concerns that it could be used in the style of deregulation associated with Ronald Reagan.^[12] In The New Republic, Julian E. Zelizer argued the book centered on two themes: policy and politics. On the policy side, Zelizer believed that Klein and Thompson presented a convincing case that removing ineffective governmental practices should be a priority to renew liberalism. However, Zelizer was not convinced on the political side, and questioned if there is a political constituency and suggested that institutional reform is only part of the solution.^[13]

The funding coalition and ecosystem promoting Abundance as a movement predates the book by over a decade. Open Philanthropy has promoted and funded workshops, conferences, and materials related to the themes of the book since 2015^[14]. The Abundance Conference, sponsored by Arnold Ventures, Open Philanthropy, and Stand Together, began in 2024. Collectively, these organizations have spent over $120M promoting the themes and ideas of the book via conferences, think tanks, and grants. ^[15][16]

In June 2025, California governor Gavin Newsom referenced the book and its thesis when he signed two bills that he had pushed through the legislative process to roll back California's landmark environmental law, the California Environmental Quality Act in order to reduce bureaucratic obstacles to the creation of new housing.^[17]

Klein delivered the keynote address at the Abundance Summit in 2025^[18], and his co-author Thompson moderated a panel on clean energy infrastructure. Klein also addressed the Urban Institute's 2025 Housing Policy Conference on themes from the book. Regional gatherings have also occurred, including a California Abundance Forum in San Francisco, which focused on housing affordability and transit development.^[19]

An "Abundance Elected Network" launched in September 2025, with initial involvement from 120 lawmakers.^[20] Some conferences and workshops in the movement are organized by a group called the "Abundance Network", which was founded by Misha Chellam and Zack Rosen.^[21]