An Abundance Agenda Can Restore Our Economy, Revitalize Our Society, and Bring Our Country Together
"There are real dangers associated with slower rates of growth, which can bring division, tribalism, intolerance, and sometimes even wars."
What It’s About
de Rugy explains how the loss of America's bipartisan commitment to economic growth undermines our innovation and prosperity. From her perspective, “needless barriers” to innovation are preventing breakthroughs in transportation, energy, artificial intelligence, and housing. She argues for a reset of policy in these areas to achieve human flourishing.
Upshot
de Rugy argues that:
- Growth isn’t cool anymore: Anti-growth values that risk deepening social and political divisions are increasingly popular
- Growth is our best route to human flourishing: An abundance of material wealth will allow more Americans to fully pursue their professional and personal goals
- We can get it back with deregulation: Doing away with harmful government interventions, especially restrictive zoning, will revitalize sectors like housing that are crucial to overall prosperity
Why It Matters
While mixed on the idea of more public investment, Abundance libertarians like de Rugy agree that prioritizing innovation and growth-friendly policies in key sectors will benefit all Americans by unlocking growth, a new generation of invention, and human potential.
Who Wrote It
Veronique de Rugy is the George Gibbs Chair in Political Economy and Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University and a nationally syndicated columnist.
