Chris Greyson-Gaito reviewed Abundance by Derek Thompson
Interesting read
3 stars
In my urbanist volunteer work, I definitely push up against all of what Klein and Thompson are talking about of too much zoning regulation (and other laws etc) that is preventing regeneration. So it is useful to have that framework in my back of my mind while I work on improving my city. As someone who works in the ecological-economics field who regularly reads the degrowth literature, a good chunk of their criticism of degrowth felt like strawman arguments (they referenced policies that degrowthers would not actually propose). Also felt like an American exceptionalism bent which is generally fine because the audience is mostly Americans but I would have really enjoyed some other perspectives. Overall interesting (especially the references to the Rise and Decline of Nations).
